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| Frequently
Asked Questions |
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| What is the difference
between 1st and 2nd class train travel? |
| First class compartments are
more spacious and quieter, with fewer seats per compartment
or train car. The seats are larger and sometimes more
plush. There is more room for luggage and it will generally
be less crowded since most Europeans using the train will
travel in second class. Some train systems only offer
second class. |
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| Is everyone eligible
for buying the Eurail Products? |
| Anyone is eligible
to purchase a Eurail Pass or a Eurailticket, except residents
from the countries of Europe, the Russian Federation,
Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia. |
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| Can the Eurail Products
be purchased in Europe? |
| Since the Eurail
products are intended for non-European residents, it is
difficult to find an outlet to buy these passes in Europe.
Most Eurail Aid offices sell them, but at a 30% higher
rate than back home. |
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| How do I use my pass once
I get to Europe? |
| One of the great
things about a Eurail pass is the ease of use and convenience.
Before the first time you use it, you must present your
rail pass and passport at a train station ticket window
for validation, prior to boarding the train. This is only
necessary the first time. After that, you have the freedom
of unlimited travel all day according to the validity
of your pass. If you have a flexi or Selectpass, the only
thing you would need to do is fill in the date box for
the day you want to travel |
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| How much Baggage is allowed
on the trains? |
| There are no weight
limitations on baggage (except for a few trains such as
the Eurostar or some of the special Hotel Trains). You
are really limited by what you can easily carry and board.
Most trains have an overhead storage rack along with luggage
areas at the end of the car. Baggage is the sole responsibility
of the traveler as the railroads will assume no responsibility
in case of loss or theft. We recommend that you travel
light! |
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| Which types of Passes
does Eurail offer? |
| Eurail offers four main types
of Passes: The Eurailpass, the Eurailpass Flexi, the Eurail
Selectpass and the Eurail Regional Pass. |
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| What constitutes a rail
day? |
| A rail day is considered any
travel between 12 midnight to 12 midnight of the following
day (i.e. a 24 hour period). However, a good tip to know
is the 7:00pm rule. If you board a direct, overnight train
after 7pm, only the following day of travel is counted.
On your flexi or Selectpass, you would write the day of
arrival on the pass prior to boarding the overnight train. |
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| Do I need to make reservations
if I have a Eurail Pass? |
| Reservations are generally
not mandatory, although they are recommended for busy
times and routings. Reservations are required for some
high-speed trains such as the TGV, sleeper trains, or,
if you want a couchette during an overnight journey. Reservations
can be made at any train station for just a few euros
or outside of Europe for an additional service fee. |
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| Can I travel for free
on all trains in the countries in which my Eurail Pass
is valid? Are there any supplements? |
| On most trains, you can travel
for free. However, there is a number of high quality trains
on which supplements have to be paid. This supplement
includes the compulsory seat reservation. The following
trains require a supplement: |
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Germany/Italy/Switzerland:
Cisalpino |
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France/Italy:
Artesia |
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Republic of Ireland
City Gold Services |
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Belgium/France-England
Eurostar |
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Italy
Eurostar Italia |
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Greece
Intercity Express |
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Germany
ICE Sprinter |
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Belgium/France/the Netherlands/Germany
Thalys |
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Denmark/Sweden
X2000 |
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Spain:
AVE, Talgo, Euromed |
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| Does my Eurail Pass cover
ferry crossings or trains such as the Eurostar (i.e. the
train that goes from London to Paris through the Channel
tunnel)? |
Certain ferry lines do allow
rail pass holders free or discounted travel. Routes covered
include Ireland-France, Italy -Greece and Germany-Sweden-Finland.
The rail pass does not cover travel on the Eurostar, however,
the ticket can be purchased at a discount when proof of
a validated Eurail pass is shown at a ticket office in
the train station. |
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| Do I need to make a reservation? |
| On some trains, the reservation
is included in your ticket, on other trains you have to
make an additional reservation if you want to ensure a
guaranteed seat. On most trains, it is not necessary
to make a reservation (and you will not have a guaranteed
seat) |
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| If I take an overnight
train, do I have to use 2 days on my pass? |
| If you board a direct overnight
train that departs after 7:00 p.m., then you use only
1 day on your pass. If your overnight train requires
a train change before midnight, then you will use 2
travel days |
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| Are lockers and luggage
storage available at all major train stations? |
| Most major train stations
have lockers or luggage storage |
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| Are dining cars available
on all trains in Europe? |
| Dining cars are available
on most long distance trains. Normally, you can just walk
into most dining cars, sit down, and eat without a reservation,
but you are welcome to make a reservation for a meal when
mealtime is busy, or when the train attendant announces
the opening of the dining car. If your train does not. |
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| Do you offer discounts
to students with an international student identification
card? |
| No, but we do offer Youthpasses.
To qualify for a Youthpass, you must be under age 26 on
the first day of travel |
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| How many days constitute
a railpass month? |
| A railpass month is counted
as a calendar month. For example, a pass that begins on
July 15th will expire at midnight on August 14th. |
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| What is the policy regarding
children's accommodations on overnight trains? |
Children 4 and under who do
not need a bed travel free, and do not require a sleeper
reservation or a ticket.
There is no charge for a sleeper reservation for a child
between 4 and 9 years when the child is sharing a berth
with a parent, but the child requires a train ticket. |
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| How is a railpass day
calculated? |
| A rail day lasts from midnight
to midnight. You can take as many trains as you wish during
this time. |
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| I've purchased a single
country pass. What do I do if I decide to visit an additional,
bordering country? |
| You can use your pass to travel
to a border city, but you will need to purchase additional
tickets to travel to another country. |
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| Can I get a refund on
my partially used railpass? |
| Sorry, partially used passes
are not refundable. |
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| If I'm traveling through
a country not included on Eurail Selectpass, can I add
that country to the pass? |
| Passes are only valid for
travel in the countries covered by that particular pass.
If you travel through a country not included on your pass,
you'll need to purchase an additional ticket for that
part of the trip. For example, if you travel from Germany
to Italy through Austria, and Austria is not covered
by your Eurail Selectpass, you must purchase an additional
ticket. |
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| What is the difference
between a consecutive-day pass and a Flexipass? |
| A consecutive-day pass provides
unlimited rail travel on any day or all days for the duration
of the pass. A flexipass is valid for a specific number
of days within a longer period. |
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| Does the passenger's
name on the pass need to match the name on the passport? |
| Yes. |
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| What is the difference
between a seat reservation and a sleeper reservation? |
| A seat reservation guarantees
you a specific seat on a specific train. A sleeper reservation
guarantees you a sleeping berth in a specific compartment
on an overnight train. |
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