Dutch trains: Regional and Intercity

• Q. If I register on your site, will I start receiving spam?

  A. Rail Europe will never spam you! Upon registering, you will only receive booking and/or account related messages, as well as occasional promotion information email from Rail Europe. If you chose to subscribe to our newsletter, you can expect to receive this publication as well (typically twice a month). Of course, you have the option to unsubscribe to at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link found at the bottom of the newsletter.

• Q. What is a Diabolo fee?

  A. The Diabolo fee is a supplement for utilizing the trains in and out of the Brussels Airport Station in Belgium. This nominal fee can be paid at the station or on board the train.

• Q. What should I do if I am downgraded due to equipment issues, or affected by a traffic disruption or a strike?

  A. If your travel is affected by circumstances beyond your control, such as a strike or mechanical problems, the railroad will often put in place measures to compensate travellers.

  If a train is canceled by the railroads due to a mechanical issue and alternate transportation has not been offered or 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 Due to Mechanical Issue” 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.

  Please send the ticket to our Customer Relations department within 30-days from the train departure date so that they can process any applicable refund.

• Q. Why should I purchase my train tickets before I leave for Europe instead of while there?

  A. While you can purchase train tickets locally, it has been our experience that the earlier you book the more likely you are to get the best fares. The longer you wait, the more likely the cheaper fares will be sold out. By booking early, you can avoid a higher ticket price.

  Buying in advance also can save you a lot of time. You won’t have to wait in line at the train station. And considering how precious your vacation time is, why not spend it relaxing instead of worrying about your next train ticket?

• Q. What information do I need to provide when booking a rail pass? Do the names on the rail pass and the passports have to match?

  A. When you book your rail pass, you will need to provide us with your first and last name, exactly as they appear on your passport. The name you enter will appear on your rail pass and will be verified by a railway official when you activate the rail pass. In addition, some rail passes are pre-activated and require you to enter the first date of travel.

• Q. How can I find the cheapest train tickets?

  A. There are two ways you can ensure you get the best price. The most effective way is to book your train ticket(s) in advance. Many rail carriers operating high speed trains or night trains make a limited number of cheaper seats available for advance purchase. Once those seats have been sold or the purchase window has passed, prices go up. That’s why we recommend booking 60 to 90 days prior to the train departure, especially if you plan on traveling during peak season (summer and holidays).

  The other way to ensure you get the best rate is to correctly indicate the composition and number of your traveling party when requesting your fares and schedules. This will allow us to determine eligibility for some reduced fares such as child, youth or senior fares when offered by the rail carrier.

• Q. Can I choose a specific seat on a train when making my reservation?

  A. At this time, it’s not possible to choose a specific seat on our website when booking a reservation.

• 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. I recently saw a fare on your website that I can’t find anymore. Why?

  A. Just like airfares, train fares fluctuate over time. In most cases, the fare you’re quoted on our website is based on current availability at the time of your request. It’s possible that the fare quoted to you has sold out and become unavailable. However, know that the new fare you see on our website is always the cheapest fare offered, based on current availability.

• Q. What should I do if a strike has been announced in the country I’m traveling to?

  A. Typically, a strike only affects a few trains along certain routes. If a strike is called within a country, you may continue your travels if there are train services operating. If your train is affected by a strike, railway officials typically provide accommodations for either alternate train, or in some cases, bus transportation.

  If a train is canceled by the railroads due to a strike, 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 Due to strike” 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.

  This process will allow you to submit that train ticket/reservation for a refund. Please be sure that all refund requests are received by our Customer Relations department within 30-days of the train departure date.

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