Railjet - Austria and beyond

• Q. What is a Rail Pass?

  A. A rail pass is a travel document that entitles you to travel on European trains in a specific geographic area (country/countries), for a specific number of days.

  Be mindful that having a rail pass doesn’t necessarily mean that you can hop on any train at will, within the geographical area covered by your rail pass. Depending on the country, the type of train and the route, you may need to purchase seat reservations at an additional cost.

  Lastly, rail passes are packed with additional benefits, also known as rail pass bonuses which can range from discounted shopping in retail stores, to preferential rates on other modes of transportation like ferry or bus, to rebates on hotel nights, reduced admission at museums attractions, and more.

• Q. Can my family sit together if I have a First class rail pass and my child has a Second class youth pass?

  A. Yes, of course! However, everyone will need to sit in Second class. The rule is with a First class pass you can sit in either First or Second class, with a Second class pass you can only sit in Second class. If you wish to travel in First class and the rail pass you are interested in does not offer a First class youth option, you will need to purchase an adult pass for your youth traveller.

  Be mindful if you intend to book seat reservations that you book in the class of service you intend to sit in. Once a reservation has been issued, you must sit in the seat that has been assigned to you.

• Q. What's the difference between a rail pass and a train ticket?

  A. A rail pass and a train ticket are two completely different types of travel documents.

  A train ticket is valid for a single journey between two cities. Many tickets also include a reservation, which mean that they are valid only for a specific train, on a specific date and at a given time. To learn more about tickets, read our article: tickets explained.

  A rail pass, on the other hand, is good for travel in an entire geographical area (1 country, 2 countries or more). With it you can take as many train trips as you want within that geographical area, for as many travel days as you purchased, within a set period of time (the pass validity period).

• Q. I bought a print at home e ticket but now don’t have access to a printer to print it. What should I do?

  A. French print at home e-tickets can be re-issued from a self-service kiosk at the station. You will need the e-ticket # located on your booking confirmation email.

  Eurostar print at home e-tickets can be re-issued at the Eurostar desk in the departure station, but there is a 15£ fee per ticket. You will need the e-ticket # located on your booking confirmation email.

  No other print at home e-tickets can be re-issued at the station. Your best option is to find an internet cafe or self-service print shop where you can go online and print your e-ticket.

• Q. Are all products eligible for Rail Protection Plan™ coverage?

  A. Rail passes, train tickets, reservations, and select city passes and tours are eligible for Rail Protection Plan™ coverage.

  All other categories of products including hotels and select activities are not eligible for coverage at this time. Please read the detailed Rail Protection Plan™ policy for more information.

• Q. Can I open the train windows?

  A. If you’re traveling on a slower train you may have the option to open a window, depending on the age and configuration of the car. However, most modern rail cars are air-conditioned and you won’t have the option of opening the windows.

  For safety reasons, high speed trains don’t offer the option of opening windows.

• Q. How much luggage can I take on the train?

  A. Technically, you’re not restricted in terms of luggage. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to carry your bags through the train station and onto the train. Once on board you’ll need to find a place to put your bag(s). Small and medium sized bags typically fit on racks located above the seats. Larger suitcases and such can be stored in luggage racks found near the train door entrance.

  Be aware that you are responsible for your luggage. The railways assume no responsibility in case of loss or theft of baggage carried on board.

  When traveling on a Eurostar, Thalys, or TGV train, you are limited to two large items per traveller (one large item per child on Eurostar trains), maximum 85cm (33 inches) in any one dimension, plus one small item of hand luggage.

  Your bag(s) must be properly labeled with your first and last name. In general, it’s a good idea to keep luggage tags on your baggage for easy identification.

• Q. My credit card has been declined. What should I do next?

  A. If your credit card has been declined it’s important to first make sure that you have entered your credit card information correctly. Next, check to make sure that the funds required are available in your account as the transaction may have been declined by your card issuer for this reason.

  To protect our customers, we also employ a booking verification system to help us identify and block suspicious transactions. It is possible that certain characteristics associated with your booking or method of payment has triggered an alert with our booking verification system. If you continue to experience difficulty, please contact us via our Contact Us page for assistance. Alternatively, you can also try to use a different credit card.

• Q. Where can I store my luggage on an overnight train?

  A. Luggage can be stored on a small luggage rack and any floor or bed space available. Keep in mind that this space is shared among all travellers occupying the sleeping compartment or couchette.

• Q. Can I give or resell my train ticket to someone else? Or can I travel with someone else’s ticket?

  A. It depends if the train ticket has your name printed on it or not. In general, most tickets that include a reservation are name-specific and should only be used by the traveller whose name is printed.

  Open tickets, on the other hand, are not name-specific. Different travellers can use them as long as the new traveller is eligible for the fare issued.

Browse our FAQ

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