Italian trains: Intercity

• Q. How can I ensure that my traveling party is seated together?

  A. In general, when you request fares and schedules for multiple travellers at once, we’ll always attempt to request that they be seated together. The best way to ensure this is to correctly indicate the number of travellers when you request your fares and schedules for your itinerary.

  Occasionally, it might not be possible to seat everyone together based on availability at the time of booking, in which case the travellers will be seated in the closest available seats.

  If the train you’ll be taking is non-reservable, all you have to do is board the train and sit in any available seat with the rest of your party.

• Q. Can a reservation date on an overnight train be changed?

  A. This is possible in some cases, but with the limited availability of overnight trains, please do it as soon as you can and at least 24-hours before the train’s departure. New reservations will be required when you reschedule. Make sure to check the fare rules for the reservation you’ve purchased so you’re aware of the exchange policies. If you’re already traveling in Europe and need to make a change, you may be subject to local service fees and/or upgrade charges.

• Q. What is the questionnaire that comes with my rail pass? Do I have to fill it out?

  A. The questionnaire (or travel report) on the ticket jacket containing your Eurail pass is a required survey used by the European railways to better understand how Eurail passes are used throughout Europe. A gift is offered by Eurail for completing and returning the questionnaire to the supplied address. Upon receiving the travel report, Eurail should send the free gift within 4-6 weeks.

• Q. Will there be someone to help me find my reserved seat on the train?

  A. Generally speaking, train cars and seats are prominently marked. If you have any trouble finding your reserved seat, one of the conductors on the platform or onboard the train will be able to assist you.

• Q. How do I have my train ticket endorsed to indicate it was not used?

  A. If you will not be taking the train and have a train ticket that includes a reservation, contact us by phone or go to the ticket window before the train departure and have your reserved seat released, as a courtesy to other travellers. Request that the cancelled train ticket also be stamped “Not Used".

  If a train is canceled by the railroads due to a strike, weather, or other issues, and alternate transportation has not been offered or if 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” 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.

• Q. Does your website display all trains operating for the route searched?

  A. We strive to provide the most comprehensive European rail booking engine online. We have specific partnerships with most European railroads. These partnerships determine the extent to which we are able to provide complete and accurate schedules through our booking engine.

  For many countries, our schedules match the complete offerings of the European train companies. But occasionally, some train companies do not load schedules for all local trains. Also, schedules for certain private trains may not be available through our booking engine.

• Q. Can I change seats after the train departs?

  A. You may check with the conductor once your train departs to see if there are any other available seating options.
  Please note that you should stay in the same class of service as your ticket or you may incur a surcharge.

  If you change seats and the seat you move to is reserved by another traveller, they will have priority.

• Q. What information do I need to provide in a booking to purchase with Rail Europe?

  A. We require your name as it appears on your passport (first and last name only), gender, and (in some cases) date of birth. Please note that this same information will be necessary for all travellers in your travel party.

  Depending on the type of train ticket you are booking, we may also need a physical mailing address where we can send your travel documents. We send documents using traceable shipping methods, and the package will need to be signed for. In addition, we’ll need a valid email address so we can send you an invoice, and a phone number in case we need to contact you regarding your booking.

• Q. What happens if my train crosses an international border during the night?

  A. If you travel in a sleeper compartment, you provide the train attendant with your reservation voucher, rail pass or train ticket, and passport as you board. They can then take care of everything with conductors and customs officials so you can sleep uninterrupted.

  If you travel in a regular train that just happens to cross the border at night, customs and border control officers may come directly to you and ask for your passport.

  Please note that there will be no passport control (day or night) when traveling between countries that signed the Schengen Agreement. Not all countries belonging to the EU are part of the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Britain). On the flip side, some countries that are not part of the EU are part of the Schengen Agreement (e.g. Switzerland).

• Q. Is there a fee to take luggage on a train?

  A. In general, there are no luggage fees when traveling by train, however, some rail carriers do restrict the amount of luggage a traveller is allowed to bring, and any additional luggage may be subject to local fees.

  On Eurostar, you’re permitted to carry two large bags and one small piece of hand luggage. If you have more than this, an additional fee may be required locally.

Browse our FAQ

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