A. You can print your Thalys ticket directly from your printer at home or retrieve it from the self-service machines available in FRANCE ONLY before boarding your Thalys train.
A. You can print your Lyria ticket directly from your printer at home or, alternatively, you can retrieve it from the self-service machines available at the train stations in France only before boarding your Lyria train.
A. A Swiss pass is valid on trains operated by SBB (Schweizerische BundesBahn), the national railway company of Switzerland. For domestic trains in Switzerland operated, seat reservations are not required. Exceptions are the special scenic trains such as Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Golden Pass and Wilhelm Tell Express. For these trains, a supplement and/or seat reservation is required for Swiss Pass holders. There are also some international trains from Switzerland that require a reservation fee. Examples are the ICE International to Germany, the TGV Lyria to France and the Railjet to Budapest.
A. Eurostar is a reservation-only service and bookings can be taken up to 6 months in advance. Also bear in mind that Eurostar is not included in the Eurail pass or France Rail Pass program but you can still get a discount on Eurostar when buying a pass.
A. TGV trains offer high-speed train services connecting the major cities of France. Paris is 58 minutes from Lille, and Bordeaux is just under 3 hours from the French capital. Travel time between Paris and Marseille is 3 hours. And if you want to get to Strasbourg, it will take you only 2 hours and 20 minutes from Paris by TGV.
A. You can print your tickets from the convenience of your home or you can retrieve them from self-service machines in London St Pancras, Brussels Midi or Paris Nord station before boarding your Eurostar train.
A. A travel day is any travel between 12 midnight on one day to 12 midnight of the following day (i.e. a 24-hour period). On each travel day, you can take as many trains or participating ferries as you wish.
A. A Swiss Pass enables you to travel free of charge in the Swiss public transport services for periods ranging from four days to one month in 41 cities.
A. Your Eurail Select pass must be validated by a railway official in one of the countries mentioned on the Eurail Select Pass (station’s desk) who also fills your first and last day of travel in the passport number.
A. There are no check-in or customs procedures before boarding TGV trains. However, you must be onboard at the latest 2 minutes prior to the departure time, beyond which access to the train cannot be guaranteed. Ticket control and passport checks will occur on board the train.
A. No. You have to buy your Eurail Select Pass before travelling to Europe. Eurail passes can be bought up to six months in advance of your travel date.
A. With a Eurail Italy pass, you can travel on all trains from Trenitalia, the Italian railway company. Just bear in mind that reservation is compulsory on-board Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, Frecciargento, and Eurostar trains. Overnight trains also require reservation of the sleeping compartments.
A. There are no check-in or customs procedures before boarding a Frecciarossa train. Though, ticket control and passport checks will occur on board Frecciarossa train.
A. AVE services offer two different classes of travel: in first class, depending on the train, you will be able to choose between First Class Club and Preferente where you can enjoy a meal served at seat, an access to VIP lounges in the main Spanish railways stations, daily press and free parking (24 hours if you have a single ticket, 48 hours for a return). Turista class, as known as 2nd class, includes a family area, children’s board games, wheelchair facilities as well as audio/video devices.
A. Frecciarossa trains run on the high-speed line connecting Turin to Salerno, Northern to Southern Italy and more particularly Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Naples. These trains connect Bologna to Florence in just 37 minutes and Rome to Milan in less than 3 hours. Travel time between Milan and Florence is just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
A. The Eurail Italy Pass is the best choice if you want to spend your time exploring Italy. Eurail Italy pass is valid for one month, and the number of travel days available varies from 3 to 10 days.
A. TGV Lyria offers direct, high speed services between Paris-Gare de Lyon, Dijon and cities such as Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Neuchatel, Bern and Zurich. During winter, TGV Lyria snow train connects you directly from Paris to the charming resorts of the canton of Vaud (including Château-d’Oex, Leysin, Les Diablerets and Villars) and Valais (Verbier, CransMontana, Leukerbad, Saas-Fee and Zermatt, among others).
A. A Swiss pass enables you to travel free of charge in the Swiss public transport services whereas a “point to point” ticket is a rail ticket valid on a specific route, between two city stations.
A. Frecciarossa trains offer a full sit-down restaurant service, with a regularly changing menu of traditional Italian dishes. The restaurant is very modern and elegant. Alternatively, Frecciarossa trains also feature a coffee bar service offering fresh sandwiches, snacks, desserts and hot and cold beverages.
A. Eurostar Business Premier passengers will be offered a 3-course meal with refreshments at seat meanwhile in Standard Premier, you will get a light and cold meal with refreshments at seat. A bar buffet car with a selection of food and beverages for purchase is also available on Standard class.
A. TGV offers two different classes of travel: 1st and 2nd class. Larger seats that recline electronically, power sockets for laptop or mobile phone and access to the bar buffet car are among the main features you will find in TGV first class. In second class, you will enjoy comfortable seats with also an access to the bar-buffet car where you can choose from a vast selection of dishes and beverages.
A. Also known as the red train, Thalys trains link Paris to the gems of Northern Europe: Brussels in 1 hour and 22 minutes, Amsterdam in 3 hours and 18 minutes, and Cologne in 3 hours and 14 minutes. On a seasonal basis (from the end of December till mid - April), Thalys Snow travels from Brussels Midi to the ski resorts in Chambéry, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-St-Maurice, every Saturday without any stops.
A. Lyria trains offer two different classes of travel. In First class, a delicious cold at-seat meal is offered to you, no matter what time you travel. A large selection of Swiss, French, international magazines and newspapers are also available for your perusal. Onboard taxi booking service is also available from Monday to Friday. Comfortable seats will welcome you in Second class where you can also enjoy the convenience of a bar-buffet car.
A. When travelling with Thalys, you can carry a maximum of two suitcases per paying passenger (the largest side must be equal to 85 centimetres) and one item of hand luggage.
A. All ICE trains convey a Bordbistro and/or a Bordrestaurant. Depending on the time of the day, you can choose from various breakfast menus to suit any taste or main dishes from the “à la carte” menu. In addition to the standard dishes, the menu often features German and European regional specialties freshly prepared. The Bordbistro serves snacks and a wide selection of beverages which you can enjoy there or take back to your seat. In 1st Class coaches a selection of beverages and meals from the menus can be served at your seat on request. Snacks and beverages are also available at your seat in 2nd Class on ICE trains.
A. When travelling to Switzerland, or departing from this country, your ticket does not need to be punched. Ticket inspectors will check your ticket during your Lyria journey. You should be able to produce currently valid proof of eligibility for the fare you have chosen at any time.
A. Reservation is only compulsory for ICE Trains called ICE Sprinter as these trains have special services such as a meal and newspaper. Here is the list: Hamburg HBF - Frankfurt HBF, Frankfurt HBF- Berlin HBF, Berlin HBF - Frankfurt HBF, Hamburg HBF – Koeln HBF and Koeln HBF – Hamburg HBF.
Passes valid to travel within Germany cover Eurail Global and Select Passes including Germany / Eurail Germany-Benelux Pass / Eurail Germany-Denmark Pass / Eurail Germany-France / German Rail Pass.
A. A “point to point ticket” is a rail ticket valid on a specific route, between two city stations whereas a Eurail Italy pass offers unlimited rail travel in Italy from 3 to 10 days. If you’re planning to travel several times by train, buying a Eurail Italy pass will be a more affordable option that buying individual rail tickets.
A. High speed AVE trains connect Madrid to cities including Barcelona and Seville, Malaga and Valencia. Travel time between Madrid and Barcelona is 2 hours and 30 minutes. You can also go to Seville from Madrid in 2 hours and 20 minutes. For longer journeys, Barcelona is 5 hours and 45 minutes from Malaga and 5 hours and 37 minutes from Seville.
A. Eurostar journeys can be booked up to 6 months in advance of the return date of travel. Eurostar Direct services to Disneyland Resort Paris have a longer booking period and are made available further in advance. And Eurostar Direct seasonal services to the French Alps and Avignon are opened for sale for the entire season.