Italian trains: Frecciabianca

• Q. Are European trains "child friendly"?

  A. Many European trains have baby changing facilities and/or family friendly play areas.

  Intercités trains in France, some InterCity Swiss trains, InterCity Finnish trains and ICE trains in Germany offer play areas or dedicated compartments for families with children. The Austrian RailJet is even equipped with a movie theater especially for children.

  Please note: If traveling on Eurostar, you should not travel in Premier class with children. This area is dedicated to and caters primarily to business travellers.

• Q. Is dinner and/or breakfast included with my reservation on an overnight train?

  A. When you travel on an overnight train meal inclusions vary depending on the train you are on, as well as what type of train ticket you have purchased. With the purchase of a Premier class ticket, you will generally get a meal on board the train. This meal is typically breakfast in the morning. Some trains will bring the meal to you in your compartment, while other trains will serve you breakfast in the restaurant car on board the train.

  If you are not traveling in a First Class sleeping compartment, don’t worry, you won’t starve on board! Overnight trains all include a restaurant car, bar car or vending machine services containing hot/cold drinks and snacks. Most restaurant/bar cars are open until at least 1:00am. Additionally, you can purchase food before hopping on board the train and eat as you wish. Though not included with the price of your ticket, you can certainly find something to eat during the ride.

• Q. What do I do if no one comes to check my train ticket or rail pass?

  A. It’s best to keep your travel documents (train ticket, rail pass, and/or reservation) out and ready to be checked by a conductor. If for any reason a conductor does not come by to check your train ticket or rail pass during your entire journey, no worries. Simply get off the train at your destination station and continue with your travel plans.

  Please keep in mind that you will need a valid rail pass or train ticket to travel on board trains in Europe. If your pass or ticket were not looked at, it is an unusual occurrence.

• Q. Do you offer student, family and/or senior discounts?

  A. Yes. Rail Europe offers a wide range of train tickets and rail passes that provide discounts to children, youths, seniors or groups of people that travel together.

  Discounted rates vary depending on the type of train ticket or rail pass you are purchasing, and are not always offered.

  We do our best to provide you with the cheapest fares for your traveling party and get you the discounts you’re eligible for. This is why it’s important to accurately indicate the composition of your traveling party when requesting fares and schedules or rail pass prices from our website. You may also have to enter the age of certain travellers, so we can determine whether they’re eligible for certain age-related discounts.

• Q. A rail strike in Europe prevented me from fully using my rail pass as intended. Can I get a refund on the unused days?

  A. Passes that have been activated or partially used are not eligible for a refund. You may wish to have your pass cancelled and noted by a European railroad official that it was “not used due to a strike” and return it to our customer relations department. The claim will be reviewed to see if we are able to provide compensation depending on the European railroads’ policies. Please send us a message using the Contact Us page on our site.

• Q. How do I book a train ticket on your site?

  A. We have an easy-to-use booking form right on the homepage of our site. Simply enter your departure and arrival cities, the date you’d like to travel, approximate time of day, and number of passengers. If you have a rail pass, be sure to check the "I have a rail pass" box so that we can search the best fares for your journey.

• Q. If my train crosses a border, will I need to show my passport to the conductor?

  A. If you’re traveling between countries participating in the Schengen Agreement, you will not need to show your passport at the border crossings. If you are traveling between countries not part of the Schengen Agreement, you will have to show your passport at border crossings. Please note that not all countries of the EU participate in the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Great Britain, Ireland). On the other side, there are countries which are not part of the EU but which participate in the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Switzerland, Norway).

• Q. What should I do if I am downgraded due to equipment issues, or affected by a traffic disruption or a strike?

  A. If your travel is affected by circumstances beyond your control, such as a strike or mechanical problems, the railroad will often put in place measures to compensate travellers.

  If a train is canceled by the railroads due to a mechanical issue and alternate transportation has not been offered or you decline the alternate transportation, then a railway official at the origin station must cancel your seat and they must stamp the back of your ticket/reservation “Not Used Due to Mechanical Issue” before the original train departure time.

  Our partners at the European Railroads will not allow us to process a refund unless this step has been taken.

  Please send the ticket to our Customer Relations department within 30-days from the train departure date so that they can process any applicable refund.

• Q. Are there facilities on board for disabled travellers?

  A. Special amenities for disabled travellers are offered on trains and at many train stations, and are clearly indicated with pictograms (for telephones, toilets, elevators, etc.).

  Special equipment is also available for use by disabled travellers but must be reserved locally in advance. You can do this while you’re in Europe by inquiring at the train station or through your hotel concierge.

  Be sure to specify if you need personal assistance (whether with a wheelchair, boarding, etc.).

• 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.

Browse our FAQ

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 ...