Tickets & Reservations: General Information

To view the answers to the questions found below, please click on each question link, the answer will be revealed below the question.

Q. Do you have electronic ticketing?Not presently but as soon as European railways introduce e-tickets, we will be able to offer them to North American customers.

Q. What is the difference between 1st Class and 2nd Class accommodations?A. 1st Class seats often recline, there are fewer seats per car, and there is more space for luggage. On some high-speed trains, the price of a 1st Class ticket includes a meal. 1st class is generally quieter with more business and adult passengers.

2nd Class accommodations are less expensive, but not as spacious, as there are more seats per car.

For trips over 2 hours we recommend that you book 1st class.

Q. How do I find Train Tickets and Schedules on the website?Finding Train Tickets and Schedules can be accomplished with just a few simple steps. First go to the "train tickets and schedules" link, located on the left hand side of any page. Click on this link that will take you to a page called Train Tickets and Schedules. There you will find a form asking for your departure city and arrival city and the date that you would like to travel. You will also be asked the approximate time that you want to travel (morning, afternoon or evening). If you would like to book a round trip ticket, just click on the "Round Trip" option and provide the information for your return trip on the same page. Once all of your information has been entered and you have clicked "Search" you will be presented with a number of results to choose from.
First, you will want to look through the times offered to see what the best schedule for your travel. Once you have chosen a schedule, you should begin to look at the prices that are offered.
Fares are typically broken down into 4 categories, Economy, Freedom, Comfort and Premier. Economy and Freedom are 2nd class tickets with Economy being more restrictive and Freedom offering more flexibility. Comfort and Premier are 1st class with Comfort being more restrictive and Premier offering more flexibility.
Although these classifications do apply to several different train types, it is always recommended that you click on the "Details" link under each fare type to show the specific refund and exchange rules for that price. Once you have decided on the train and fare that you would like to purchase, click on the "select" link, which will take you to the passenger selection page. Once you have input your passenger information you can choose to continue shopping or proceed to the checkout process.

Q. Can tickets be sent outside the United States or Canada?We are unable to ship tickets purchased on Raileurope.com internationally. We recommend that you have all travel documents in hand before departing from North America.

Q. Should tickets be purchased prior to your North American departure date?A. The same way you rent a car in advance you would purchase tickets and make your seat reservations prior to your departure so you can avoid fully booked trains and disrupting your travel plans.