Finnish trains

• Q. Is there WiFi onboard?

  A. WiFi availability is increasing on European trains. This service, however, is not currently offered on ALL trains. Where it is offered, it’s usually complimentary with the purchase of a First class ticket. If you’re traveling in Second class, you may incur a fee to connect to the WiFi service.

  Here is a brief list of trains offering WiFi:

  Eurostar
  Thalys
  Virgin
  ICE (select trains)
  Frecciarossa
  Italo
  SJ High Speed
  Allegro

  In addition, WiFi access can typically be found at many major train stations throughout Western Europe. More than likely, you’ll encounter a small fee to use the WiFi service. In some stations First class ticket/pass holders will find complimentary WiFi, usually in designated First class lounges.

• Q. Where can I find specific information regarding the services offered on the train I'll be taking?

  A. We try to provide you with as many details about your train trip as possible. When you’re searching for train fares and schedules, click on the train numbers listed on the results page. Choose the class of service you prefer to sit in and you’ll be able to see all onboard services offered.

• Q. Will I be sharing my sleeping compartment with strangers?

  A. If you book a reservation for a bed in a compartment that can accommodate more people than are in your traveling party, yes, additional people may be in the compartment. It’s also important to note that couchette accommodations are usually not gender specific.

• Q. Do I need to purchase a reservation and if I do, how do I book it?

  A. To find out if the train you plan on taking requires travellers with a pass to purchase a seat reservation, use our reservation booking tool.

  You can book most reservations from our website or mobile site, prior to your departure to Europe. In some countries, Greece and Portugal as an example, seat reservations are mandatory for some trains and can only be purchased locally.

  If you’re already in Europe, you can still purchase your reservation from us as long as e-tickets are offered for the train you wish to travel on.

• Q. Once on the train platform, how can I find my car? Is there a difference between where first and second class carriages are located or how they look on the outside?

  A. Typically you will see a (1) or a (2) or the words “First” or “Second” or a combination of both on the outside of the train car indicating First or Second class. Once you board the train, you’ll notice that some trains have inside indicators for first or second class. Some high speed trains have headrest covers that state the class of service.

  For certain high speed trains such as the Thalys, TGV, or Eurostar you’ll also find displays right on the platform indicating where each car of the train will be located for boarding. You can use this chart to find the mark on the platform corresponding to the car you would like to board. It is a good rule of thumb to arrive at the station early so that you can find the train and the right car matching the class of service on your pass or ticket.

  And of course, you can always ask a railway official or conductor for assistance.

• 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. If my train tickets have been lost or stolen, how do I request reimbursement through the Rail Protection Plan™?

  A. Here’s what you need to do if your train ticket, rail pass, reservation, city pass or tour was lost or stolen and you plan to request receive a reimbursement through the Rail Protection Plan™.

  You must file a police report within 24 hours of the incident.
  You may purchase a replacement rail pass, train ticket, reservation, city pass or tour in order to continue with your travel plans.

  Upon return home, you must submit the traveller request form to Rail Europe within 30 days, along with a copy of the police report, replacement rail pass, train ticket, reservation, city pass, or tour purchased abroad, and your roundtrip airline tickets from home to Europe. A brief explanation of the situation is also necessary to better evaluate the traveller request form.

  If you purchased the Rail Protection Plan™ when you booked your train ticket/rail pass/reservation/city pass/tour, you received full documentation on what to do in the event of loss or theft. Please refer to this information for full details.

• Q. How do I connect between train stations in the same city?

  A. There is often an easy connection by public transportation between train stations within the same city or town.

• Q. I’ve noticed a big difference in the cost of seat reservations for different trains. Why?

  A. Fares for reservations may vary greatly from one train to another. Unfortunately, we have no control over these prices as they’re set by each individual railroad.

  Trains that have higher priced reservations are typically high speed, international trains such as Thalys or Eurostar, as well as night trains.

  Various factors are considered by rail carriers when pricing reservations for rail pass holders. These factors can include: the technology used by the train (high speed or regular speed), the types of tracks the train travels on and their associated maintenance cost, the range of services and amenities offered on board, possible tolls incurred by the carriers depending on the train routing (such as tunnel crossing tolls) and partnerships between rail carriers for the operation of cross border trains.

  In addition, there are also specific costs associated with traveling on a night train that may include food for dinner and breakfast, as well as cabin maintenance costs (sheets, etc…). Since these costs are not associated with travel on day trains, day train reservations generally cost less.

• Q. Can I bring my bike on board?

  A. In general, bicycles can be taken with you as carry-on luggage, free of charge on just about any national or international train- if you put it in a bike bag. In the bike bag, the wheels, pedals and handlebars must be removed.

  In addition, many European trains allow bikes in a special bike compartment for free or a small fee. If there is a fee, it’s typically about 5-15 Euros per journey. Bikes are typically permitted on local & regional trains in most countries, at least outside peak travel hours.

  Many inter-city trains also allow bikes, however not in Spain. And in France only a few French TGVs allow bikes that aren’t in a bike bag. Some TGV-Lyria trains between Paris & Switzerland also allow bikes. Paris-Madrid & Paris-Barcelona night trains only allow bikes if they’re in a bike bag and if you & your fellow travellers occupy the entire sleeper compartment. Overnight Thello sleeper trains & daytime TGV trains between Paris & Italy only allow bikes in a bike bag. Thalys trains between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne only allow bikes in bike bags. Long-distance trains into Eastern Europe such as Cologne-Moscow, Bucharest-Istanbul or Budapest-Sofia only allow bikes in bike bags, primarily because these trains don’t have luggage compartments.

  Lastly, some trains, primarily in the UK, will require advance reservations for bicycles. These reservations will need to be made locally at the station.

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