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• Q. Can I bring my pet on board?

  A. Generally, cats and dogs are allowed on trains, though they may need to be contained in a pet carrier or wear a muzzle or leash. Pets are not allowed on some trains in Great Britain, Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Finland. Currently the only animals that are permitted to travel on Eurostar are guide dogs for the visually impaired.

  Some trains require advance reservations for pets. Unfortunately, Rail Europe cannot make reservations for your pet. This will need to be done locally. In general, dogs normally travel at half the fare of a second class ticket, payable directly to the conductor.

• Q. Do you offer discounts on tickets for groups?

  A. If your group consists of 10 or more passengers, you’ll be entitled to group rate tickets. Please note that for British domestic trains, we can provide a quote for nine travellers. First and second class group rates are available. Simply fill out our Group Quote form and a dedicated agent will answer your request.

• Q. What is the Rail Protection Plan™?

  A. We offer an exclusive Rail Protection Plan™ that gives you the flexibility to change your train ticket, rail pass, reservation, and select activities with no questions asked. You’ll also be protected in the event of a railroad strike for train tickets, and in the case of loss or theft of paper tickets, rail passes, city passes or tours.

  The Rail Protection Plan™ may be added to your booking on the delivery page after adding the products to your itinerary or any time prior to final payment being applied to your booking. (Select city passes and tours are excluded from coverage). The Rail Protection Plan™ fee is non-refundable and non-exchangeable. View the detailed terms and conditions of the Rail Protection Plan™ coverage.

• Q. Do the train stations offer services to help carry my luggage?

  A. Many train stations in Europe have self-service luggage carts that you can use to transport your luggage through the train station. These carts are usually coin-operated and when you return your cart, you’ll get your coin back.

  It’s always best to pack light and anticipate that you will need to carry your own luggage. Only a few stations in Europe offer porter services. Also keep in mind that while some stations offer elevators and/or escalators, you may need to carry your luggage up or down stairs to reach the correct train platform.

• Q. Who should I contact with questions about my exchange or refund?

  A. You can visit our Contact Us page to send us a message about exchanges and refunds.

  In your message, please be sure to include the original booking number, your contact information, and which item(s) you’re requesting a refund for. If you’re requesting an exchange under the Rail Protection Plan™, note this in your email as well.

• Q. What are the fees associated with getting a train ticket refunded?

  A. The first type of fee is carrier penalties. These are charges determined by the rail carrier depending on the exchange and refund conditions associated with your original train ticket. For example, there may be a 15% penalty assessed for exchanges, which means that only 85% of the value of the original ticket will be carried over for the purchase of a new ticket. Or there may be a fixed penalty charged for exchanges, or no fee at all.

  When browsing fares on our website, you can read a brief description of each fare flexibility level, and then see the full exchange and refund conditions for each fare.

  Once you have booked a train ticket with us, its exchange and refund rules will be indicated in your Rail Europe booking confirmation email, as well as printed with your train ticket and/or on the ticket jacket in the case of paper tickets. Please note that train tickets must be received for exchange or refund within the allowed time frame mentioned in the exchange and refund conditions.

  The second type of fee is Rail Europe’s administrative fee. This fee is charged in addition to applicable carrier penalties. The processing fee is 7% of the cost of the original train ticket.

• Q. What should I do If I've already bought my rail pass, and now want to add another country?

  A. Once your rail pass has been printed, it is not possible to modify it. If you absolutely need to do it, you can pay a 15% penalty and a 7% processing fee to exchange it. Depending on how much you plan to travel in the additional country, it may be more cost effective to purchase regular train tickets for those trips.

  The only exception is if you bought the Rail Protection Plan™ when you ordered your rail pass. In this case, you can exchange your original pass at full value and use it towards the new one, with no fee or penalty incurred. Read more about the Rail Protection Plan™ coverage and how to file a claim.

• Q. Is it possible to have travellers of different genders in the same sleeping compartment?

  A. For gender specific compartments, men and women must be in separate sleeping compartments. However, if you reserve all beds within a compartment, you may mix genders.

  Gender-specific compartments include private, double, triple, deluxe double, deluxe triple, and quad sleeping compartments. If your traveling party doesn’t fill the compartment, you will be divided by gender.

• Q. I missed my train. What should I do?

  A. If you’re traveling with a train ticket that doesn’t include a reservation, you can simply get on the next train that accepts tickets without reservations.

  If you’re traveling with a train ticket that includes a reservation, you may have to purchase a new train ticket. Review the exchange and refund terms of your ticket to determine if your train ticket can be exchanged.

  If you missed your train due to a connecting train being delayed, ask a Conductor or railway official to endorse your train ticket to say there had been a delay. This is usually sufficient proof for the train staff at the onward station to allow a free transfer to the next available train.

  Upon your return home, please contact us via the Contact Us page to inquire about an applicable refund your ticket may qualify for. All refund information may be found on the after-sales voucher that was included with your train ticket.

• Q. Are the fares offered on your website based on live availability?

  A. Yes, in most cases. The fares displayed on our website are based on current seat availability at the time you requested the fares and schedules for your journey. our booking engine has a direct link to the inventory of many European rail carriers including SNCF, Eurostar, Thalys, DB, Trenitalia, RENFE, the UK’s Association Of Train Operating Companies, and more.

  There are some routes which we can only display a cached price at the time of quotation, based on generally available fares for those trains. Actual confirmation of space and fare occurs upon completion of your order. If there are any issues, you’ll be contacted.

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