Italian trains: Intercity

• Q. How early should I arrive at the train station?

  A. We advise travellers to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure. This allows you time to clear any security checks and locate the platform where your train will be departing. If you are departing from a larger train station (typically a city’s main station) and need to activate your rail pass prior to boarding, you will want to arrive even earlier to make sure you have enough time to get your rail pass activated and avoid doing a luggage-hauling sprint through the station.

  Please note: For Eurostar trains, follow the "check-in and Ticket Gate Time Limit" instructions which can be found on your ticket under "Additional Information".

• Q. My plans have changed and I won’t be able to use my rail pass. Can I get a refund?

  A. You can submit your rail pass for a refund. Please be advised that there is a 15% penalty. Only unused and unvalidated (non-activated) rail passes can be refunded. The pass must be returned to Rail Europe, along with a brief letter mentioning the original reference number of the booking. It’s strongly recommended that you send these documents by some type of traceable mail for proof of delivery.

  If you purchased the Rail Protection Plan™ and your rail pass is covered, you’re eligible to receive a credit for its entire value. No fee or penalty will be applied, and you can use this credit towards any future Rail Europe purchase within 2 years. Please read more about the Rail Protection Plan™ and for instructions on how to file a claim.

  Please visit our Cancellation and Refunds page for more information.

• Q. Can I use my rail pass on any train within its area of coverage?

  A. In general, yes, but there are some exceptions and a few rules to keep in mind.

  First, be mindful that some trains (such as high speed, scenic, and night trains) require rail pass holders to purchase reservations at an additional cost.

  For international train journeys, be sure that your rail pass covers the country of departure, country of arrival, and any countries through which your train will travel.

  Lastly, some private rail lines in certain countries don’t offer reservations for rail pass holders and don’t accept rail passes. In these cases, you can purchase a train ticket locally for the desired journey.

• Q. Is dinner and/or breakfast included with my reservation on an overnight train?

  A. When you travel on an overnight train meal inclusions vary depending on the train you are on, as well as what type of train ticket you have purchased. With the purchase of a Premier class ticket, you will generally get a meal on board the train. This meal is typically breakfast in the morning. Some trains will bring the meal to you in your compartment, while other trains will serve you breakfast in the restaurant car on board the train.

  If you are not traveling in a First Class sleeping compartment, don’t worry, you won’t starve on board! Overnight trains all include a restaurant car, bar car or vending machine services containing hot/cold drinks and snacks. Most restaurant/bar cars are open until at least 1:00am. Additionally, you can purchase food before hopping on board the train and eat as you wish. Though not included with the price of your ticket, you can certainly find something to eat during the ride.

• Q. Will the train cars be air conditioned/heated?

  A. All European trains are fully heated and many are air-conditioned, as well.

  Some regional trains servicing local villages for short distances may not have air-conditioning. In these situations, travellers are permitted to open the train windows.

• Q. Are the train tickets you send me the actual tickets, or do I need to exchange them at the station?

  A. If you selected the paper delivery option, then yes – the travel documents you receive from us in the mail are your actual train tickets. Do not lose them, because we cannot replace them.

  Only the original paper ticket will be accepted onboard the train. No other document such as a print out of the email invoice can be used in lieu of the original paper train ticket.

• Q. I misplaced the printout of my print at home e-ticket. What now?

  A. No problem. You can simply reprint your train ticket from any printer, as long as you can still access the pdf provided to you at the time of booking.

  You can find links to the pdf in the confirmation email sent to you. Or if you’ve registered for an online account, you can access the booking in which the pdf link was contained in your dashboard.

  The only exceptions are if you purchased a Thalys or NTV-Italo print at home e-ticket. Those pdf’s are sent in separate emails and can’t be retrieved online at this time.

  If you request to have your train ticket reprinted at a station ticket window, there may be a local service fee.

• Q. Can I customize my group trip (meals on board, train station transfers)?

  A. We love groups, and we do everything we can to make the experience as pleasurable as possible. We offer onboard catering, motor coach transfers to and from the train station, as well as luggage handling at select stations. For more information fill out our Group Quote form and a dedicated group consultant will respond to your request.

• Q. Can I take any train that travels between the two cities for which I bought my train ticket, or do I have to take a specific train?

  A. The answer depends on what type of ticket was issued for your journey. In most cases, we issue tickets that include a seat reservation whenever required or possible. If your tickets include a reservation, you will need to board the train for which the reservation was issued.

  If you were issued a train ticket without a reservation, then yes - you can board any train traveling between the cities for which your ticket was issued. It is always advisable to inquire at the train station whether or not a reservation is needed for the train you intend to board. There are certain countries that we cannot issue reservations for: Portugal, Greece, Hungary, Romania, and other Balkan nations. Reservations may be required but will need to be purchased locally.

• Q. How can I subscribe to or unsubscribe from your e newsletter?

  A. You can subscribe or unsubscribe from our e-newsletter at any time from your Rail Europe online account page. You will also find newsletter signup forms throughout our site, just enter your email address to begin receiving tips, deals, and offers in your inbox!

  To unsubscribe, you can simply click the unsubscribe link found at the footer of our e-newsletter. This will unsubscribe you immediately.

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