Bulletin board

                                        Disruptions                                 Comments
SNCF                                     No                                           
Eurostar                                No                                          
Thalys                                   No                                              
Lyria                                      No                                            
Deutsch Bahn                      No                                           
Trenitalia                              No
Renfe                                    No                                  
UK                                         No                           
Italo                                       No                                             
CP (Portuguese railways)   No                              
OBB (Austrian Railways)     No
SBB (Swiss Railways )                                 
Glacier express                                  
Bernina Express                    No                                   

You'll find below the details in our different posts in the Disruptions tab.

Disruptions 

OBB - Trains cancelled to and from Roma

Unfortunately, from June 8 to September 8, Nightjets cannot travel to and from Rome due to construction work and a route closure in Italy.

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Eurostar- Cancelled stops Amsterdam and Rotterdam 9126

Please note that train 9126 on 14/04/2024, departing at 11:04 from London St Pancras International to Amsterdam Centraal will not stop at Rotterdam Centraal and Amsterdam Centraal due to operational issues.

Eurostar have had to cancel the stop at Rotterdam Centraal and Amsterdam Centraal.

Passengers were able to continue their journey using Intercity (IC) trains with their Eurostar tickets.  

You can cancel or exchange your ticket for free

Any compensation due should be requested by passengers using this form on the Eurostar website. Further details about compensation can be found here.

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Trenitalia - National strike on 11th April 2024

We inform you that,  due to a national strike scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 pm. of April 11th 2024, disruption and/or cancellations of Trenitalia's trains are expected.

The effects of disruptions may also affect the services running just after the end of the strike.

We remind you:

  • Before travelling you can check the list of guaranteed Long Haul and Regional trains available at this link,
  • that the status of the train can be checked on ViaggiaTreno website. Information on connections and services will be provided also at ticket offices available railway stations,
  • that in case your train is cancelled, you can ask for full refund applying at this link.

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Bernina Express - Cancellations due to landslide

Due to a landslide and the continuing risk of falling rocks on the Bernina line, the railway line is unfortunately closed to the passage of the panoramic train between 5 and 12 April 2024. 

We apologize for the inconvenience and the short notice. 

Please contact us to request a full refund is your trip is impacted by a cancellation. 

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National strike - March 23th-24th 2024

We inform you that,  due to a National strike scheduled from 9 p.m. of March 23th to 9 p.m. of  March 24th, disruption and/or cancellations of Trenitalia's trains are expected. The effects of disruptions may also affect the services running just after the end of the strike.

As for Regional trains, essential connections will run during peak hours (06.00 a.m. to 09.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.).

We remind you:

  • that before travelling you can check the list of guaranteed Long Haul and Regional trains available at this link,
  • that the status of the train can be checked by yourself on ViaggiaTreno website. Information on connections and services will be provided also at ticket offices available railway stations,
  • that in case your train is cancelled, please contact us to benefit a full refund.

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Strike Notification 23 - 24 March 2024 - Italo Trains

Please note that a 24-hour strike has been proclaimed from 9.00 pm March 23th to 9.00 pm March 24th.

The list of guaranteed trains is published on Italo web site List of guaranteed trains

ONLY GUARANTEED ones are published, trains not on the list that fall into the strike range are considered not guaranteed.

+39 0689371892 (abroad) or 060708 (from Italy)  will be active from 3.00 pm on Thursday March 21 st until the end of service on Sunday March 24th .

In the event of a real cancellation, you can choose to move the journey on a train immediately previous or next or a full refund.

Please refer to the +39 0689371892 (abroad) or 060708 (from Italy).

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CASERTA-FOGGIA LINE: RAIL TRAFFIC INTERRUPTION FROM BENEVENTO TO ARIANO IRPINO (Italo trains):

There is disruption due Rail traffic interruption from 15th March - 19th March 2024 and the below Italo trains are cancelled. 

From the 12th March the rail traffic is interrupted between the station of Ariano Irpino and Benevento as ordered by the Infrastructure Manager for technical inspection along the line.

For the following trains: 9928, 9952, 9915 and 9939 for days of the 15th, 16th, and 17th March 2024, a shuttle bus service is active between Foggia and Benevento stations and vice versa.

Italo trains 8140 and 8141 are cancelled on the 15th, 16th, 17th , 18thand 19th  March 2024. 

Italo trains 9928, 9952, 9915 and 9939 are cancelled on the 18thand 19th  March 2024 between Bari and Benevento. More details on the following Link:

CASERTA-FOGGIA LINE: RAIL TRAFFIC INTERRUPTION FROM BENEVENTO TO ARIANO IRPINO

Passengers with reservations on trains 9928, 9952, 9915 and 9939 who travel on the route where rail circulation is interrupted can contact Pronto Italo on +39 060708 before the scheduled departure time of their train for information, assistance, refunds or to agree on an alternative travel.

Passengers with reservations on trains 8140, 8141 can contact Pronto Italo on +39 060708 before the scheduled departure time of their train for information, assistance, refunds or to agree on an alternative travel within 11.00 pm on the scheduled departure date. More details on the following link: 

CASERTA-FOGGIA LINE: RAIL TRAFFIC INTERRUPTION FROM BENEVENTO TO ARIANO IRPINO

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Cancellation of the GDL strike in Germany

In Germany, the strike by the GDL trade union was ended at 02:00 on 13.03.24.

For operational reasons, there may be isolated train cancellations and delays in cross-border train services on 13.03.24.

Further information can be found in the ÖBB route information, the ÖBB timetable information SCOTTY, at oebb.at/streik and in the ÖBB customer service at 05-1717.
ÖBB long-distance trains via the Deutsche Eck between Salzburg and Kufstein will run on March 13th. according to plan.
ÖBB long-distance trains to/from Munich via Passau run on March 13th. as planned according to the construction site timetable.
Exceptions:
RJX 265, RJX 61 and RJX 63 start on March 13th. in Salzburg main station.
ÖBB long-distance trains to/from Munich via Kufstein run on March 13th. according to plan.
ÖBB long-distance trains to/from Germany via Lindau will run on March 13th. according to plan.
ICE trains to/from Germany depart on March 13th. according to plan.
Validity of the tickets:
International tickets: The train connection for international ÖBB Sparschiene and standard tickets up to the purchase date March 4th, 2024 for trips to/from Germany with a destination or starting station in Austria has been lifted.
Tickets are valid until March 15, 2024.
Nightjet tickets: Customers who already have a ticket for an affected night train can also use the ticket on daytime services. The tickets are still valid until March 15th, 2024 (provided the ticket was purchased by March 4th, 2024).
The regulation only applies to Nightjet tickets to/from Germany with a destination or starting station in Austria.

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Deutsche Bahn - Strike on 12th March 2024

The GDL has called for strike action on Tuesday, 12 March 2024. During the strike, DB will once again implement a basic service on long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services.

The basic offer will be published step by step in the timetable information on bahn.de and in the DB Navigator.

Validity of tickets:

All passengers who have purchased a ticket for a journey 12 March 2024 up to and including 10 March 2024 and wish to postpone it due to the GDL strike can use their ticket at a later date. The for train selected is cancelled.  The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination even with a changed route alignment. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge. Passengers (on long-distance services) also have the option of bringing their journey forward and travelling earlier on Monday, 11 March 2024 as part of a special concession.  

  • If you have purchased a ticket for a journey on 12 March 2024 up to and including 10 March 2024 and would like to postpone this journey due to the GDL strike, you can use your ticket at a later date. The for train selected is cancelled. The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even if the route alignment is changed. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.
  • You can also bring forward your journey and travel earlier on Monday, 11 March 2024 as part of a special arrangement.
  • You can also bring forward your journey and travel earlier from Monday, 4 March 2024 up to and including Wednesday, 6 March 2024 as part of a special
  • Your train has been or will be cancelled and you would like to cancel your journey completely? In this case, you can cancel your journey and receive a full refund of the full fare for your ticket without any deductions.

You will find detailed information below.

Travelling by train during the GDL strike

Free strike hotline +49 8000 99 66 33

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Deutsche Bahn - Strike from 7 to 8 March 2024

The trade-union of the German train-drivers (GDL) will execute countrywide strike-activities between  7 March, 02 o'clock until 8 March 2024, 13 o'clock. The strike will have a massive impact on all German railway operations.

DB has drawn up an  replacement timetable for long-distance transport with a greatly reduced number of journeys. DB is using longer trains with more seats for these journeys in order to get as many people as possible to their destination. Nevertheless, it is not possible to guarantee a journey. In regional transport, the aim is to run a greatly reduced service. The extent to which this is possible varies greatly from region to region. In any case, there will also be massive restrictions on regional transport.

All passengers who wish to postpone their journey planned for 7 March 2024 or 8 March 2024 due to the GDL strike can use their ticket at a later date. The restriction for train selected journey is cancelled. The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even if the route alignment is changed. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.

As part of a  special arrangement, you can also bring forward your journey and travel as early on Monday, 4 March unl Wednesday, 6 March 2024.

DB will provide information about the effects of the GDL strike as soon as possible on bahn.de and in the DB Navigator app. Travellers should also check there before starting their journey.

If you are not able to travel (or choose not to), you can refund tickets  PRIOR to the validity date of your tickets. This will help expedite the refund process and prevent unnecessary waiting. You need to be logged to process the refund too.

If you are unable to obtain a refund, please contact us through Rail Europe's "Contact Us" page.  Refund requests must be submitted within 60 days after the first validity date of your tickets.

Further information to domestic trains, which are operated during the strike, are available in the timetable information on bahn.de 

Important links and information
www.bahn.de/sonderkulanz
www.deutschebahn.com/streik
www.bahn.de/passenger-rights
https://www.bahn.de/aktuell

Free strike hotline +49 8000 99 66 33

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UK (LNER) - Industrial action on 1st March 2024

Due to industrial action at one of LNER's train service providers, trains will be subject to short-notice cancellations and changes until at least Sunday 10 March.

Industrial action affecting LNER has also been announced by the ASLEF union, affecting services on the following dates:

  • Strike action on Friday 1 March
  • An overtime ban by drivers between Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March

Until at least Sunday 10 March:

To minimize the impact on customers, some 9 and 10 car trains are being swapped for smaller 5 car trains. As a result, those services will be busier than usual and your existing seat reservation will no longer apply.  

Customers impacted by a cancelled or amended service can join an alternative LNER service on the same day, in the original class of travel or claim a full refund from their original point of sale (for unused tickets). Existing tickets can be used to travel on the new service but please make a new seat reservation in advance.

Friday 1 March:

On Friday 1 March, a reduced service will operate between London Kings Cross and Leeds / Edinburgh only. There will be no LNER service to / from Lincoln, Skipton, Bradford, Harrogate, Hull, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness. LNER will not be stopping at Northallerton, Morpeth, Alnmouth, Reston or Dunbar.

First services of the day will be later than usual and last services of the day will be earlier than normal.

Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March:

The overtime ban, in place on Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March, may lead to some short notice timetable changes.

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UK (Northern Rail) - Industrial action on 1st March 2024

Description

Industrial action affecting Northern has been announced by the ASLEF Union, impacting services on Thursday 29 February, Friday 1 March and Saturday 2 March.

Friday 1 March:

There will be no Northern services on 1 March due to strike action.

Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March:

Due to action short of strike, Northern expect some late notice cancellations to services, particularly the first and last services of the day. Please check before travelling, as close to the time as possible.

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France - Strike from 15 to 19 February 2024

As a result of a labor action by the train conductors, train traffic will be severely disrupted from Thursday, February 15, 8:00 pm to Monday, February 19, 2024, 8:00 am on several lines operated by SNCF Voyageurs.

You will receive information by e-mail / sms specifying whether your train is maintained or cancelled (for those who have given their contact details). Those whose trains are maintained are guaranteed to travel.

You can decide to cancel or postpone your trip by refunding or exchanging your ticket, free of charge , on our website. 

The carriers concerned are : TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS, DB-SNCF Voyageurs en coopération, TGV LYRIA, TGV INOUI France Italie, TGV INOUI France-Espagne, TGV INOUI France-Bruxelles, TGV INOUI France-Luxembourg, TGV INOUI France-Fribourg.

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Lyria - Strike from 16 to 18 February 2024

Dear All,

Due to the growing social strike, Lyria TGV traffic will be affected from Friday February 16 to Sunday February 18, 2024. 

You will find below the list of trains cancelled on these days:

Trains cancelled on Friday February 16:

Paris <> Geneva :

From Paris : n°9781/9791 at 18h18.

Paris <> Lausanne :

From Paris : n°9269 at 11h56.

From Lausanne : n°9270 at 16h23.  

Paris <>Basel/Zurich :

From Paris : n°9211 at 10h22 and n°9213 at 12h22.

From Zurich : n°9206 at 7h34, n°9226 at 15h34 and n°9234 at 18h34.  

Trains cancelled on Saturday February 17:

Paris <> Geneva :

From Paris :n°9763 at 08h18, n°9783 at 12h18, and n°9781 at 18h18.

From Geneva : n°9770 at 12h29 and n°9780 at 18h34.

Paris <> Geneva/ Lausanne :

From Paris : n°9775 at 14h18.

Paris <> Lausanne :

From Paris : n°9269 at 11h56.

From Lausanne : n°9270 at 16h23.  

Paris <>Basel/Zurich :

From Paris : n°9203 at 07h22, n°9213 at 12h22, n°9219 at 16h22

From Zurich, n°9206 at 07h34, n°9222 at 13h34 and n°9234 at 18h34.  

Trains cancelled on Sunday, February 18:

Paris <> Geneva :

From Paris : n°9773 at 12h18, n°9781 and n°9791 at 18h18

From Geneva : n°9776 at 16h34

Paris <> Lausanne :

From Paris :  n°9279 at 11h56.

From Lausanne :  n°9278 à 16h23.  

Paris <>Bâle/Zurich :

From Paris : n°9211 at 10h22 and n°9213 at 12h22.

From Zurich : n°9206 at 07h34, n°9226 at 15h34 and n°9234 at 18h34.  

You can decide to cancel or postpone your trip by refunding or exchanging your ticket, free of charge , on our website. 

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Lyria - Strike from 29 January to 2 February 2024

Due to a planned industrial action, the TGV Lyria service will be slightly modified from Monday January 29 to Friday February 2, 2024.

Please find below the detailed schedule.

Monday 29 January:

The n°9761 (06:18), n°9775 (14:18) and n°9777 (16:18) originally scheduled from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne are limited to Geneva, Lausanne will not be served.

The n°9784 (19h45) originally scheduled from Lausanne to Paris Gare de Lyon is now of Geneva origin, Lausanne will not be served.

From Tuesday January 30 to Thursday February 1, 2024:

The n°9761 (06h18), n°9775 (14h18) and n°9777 (16h18) initially scheduled from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne are limited to Geneva, Lausanne will not be served.

The n°9768 (09h45) n°9774 (13h45) and n°9784 (19h45) originally scheduled from Lausanne to Paris Gare de Lyon are of Geneva origin, Lausanne will not be served.

Friday February 2, 2024:

The n°9761 (06h18) originally scheduled from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne is limited to Geneva, Lausanne will not be served.

The n°9768 (09:45) and n°9774 (13:45) originally scheduled from Lausanne to Paris Gare de Lyon originate in Geneva, Lausanne will not be served.

You will be able to take a SBB train between Geneva and Lausanne on presentation of your TGV Lyria ticket.

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United Kingdom - Strike from 29 January to 6 February 2024

the ASLEF Union announced strike action for the following train operators on the following days:

Tuesday 30 January, affecting:
  • Gatwick Express
  • Great Northern
  • South Western Railway (including Island Line)
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • Thameslink
Wednesday 31 January, affecting:
  • Northern
  • TransPennine Express
Friday 2 February, affecting:
  • c2c
  • Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)
  • LNER
Saturday 3 February, affecting:
  • Avanti West Coast
  • East Midlands Railway
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • West Midlands Railway
Monday 5 February, affecting:
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • Great Western Railway

In addition, the above train operators will have an overtime ban between Monday 29 January and Tuesday 6 February. The impact this will have on services will differ between different Train Operators

If you purchased your ticket before the strikes were announced then you may be able to use your ticket on an alternative day.

Please ensure that you check your entire journey to ensure that it can be completed.

Where services are running on strike days, they are likely to start later and finish earlier, so please check in particular your first and last trains. 

Remember to also check your train times if you are travelling the day immediately after a full strike day as these may also be impacted.  

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Deutsche Bahn - Strike from 24 to 29 January 2024

The GDL has announced strike action for the period from Wednesday, 24 January 2024 to Monday, 29 January 2024. 

This will result in massive disruptions to Deutsche Bahn's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services during this period. The emergency timetable only ensures very limited train services on DB's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services. 

Please refrain from unnecessary journeys during the GDL strike and postpone your journey to another time.

Regulations for affected travellers:

  • You can postpone your journey and use your ticket at a later date. You will no longer be restricted to using the train printed on your ticket. The ticket will be valid for the journey to the original destination, even if the route is different. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.
  • Your train has been cancelled or will be cancelled and you would like to cancel your journey completely? In this case, you can cancel your journey and receive a full refund of the full fare for your ticket without any deductions.

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Deutsche Bahn - Strike from 10 to 12 January 2024

The GDL has announced strike action for the period from 2 a.m. on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 up to and including Friday, 12 January 2024. 

This will result in massive disruptions to Deutsche Bahn's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services during this period. The emergency timetable only ensures very limited train services on DB's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services. 

Please refrain from unnecessary journeys during the GDL strike and postpone your journey to another time.

Regulations for affected travellers:

All passengers who wish to postpone their journey planned for Wednesday, 10 January 2024 to Friday, 12 January 2024 due to the GDL strike can use their ticket at a later date. The for train selected is cancelled.

The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even with a changed route alignment. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.

In addition, passengers also have the option of bringing their journey forward and travelling earlier on Monday, 8 January 2024 and Tuesday, 9 January 2024 as part of a special goodwill gesture.

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TGV Inoui Italy - Alternative offer due to landslide - from 10 January 2024

Good news! The new TGV INOUI Italy offer will be in circulation from January 10, 2024.

As you probably know a  landslide occurred on August 27, 2023 in the Maurienne valley, causing the interruption of rail traffic between Saint-Michel Valloire and Modane. 

Since this incident, international rail traffic between France and Italy, passing through the valley of the Maurienne, is interrupted. It is expected that the nominal TGV INOUI Italy offer between Paris and Milan will not be able to resume, at better, before the summer of 2024. 

In order to maintain the cross-border connection between the two countries, TGV INOUI Italy has set up a connection including part of the journey by bus. Please find all the details here.

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Engineering works

TGV Lyria - Summer Traffic info

Please find below the main impact of the engineering work over the summer.

Paris <> Geneva services 

Running normally with 8 daily return services. 

Paris <> Lausanne (via Geneva) services 

SBB engineering works are scheduled from 29 June to 18 August 2024. Trains will depart from/terminate in Geneva. 

Paris <> Lausanne (via Vallorbe) services 

SNCF engineering works are scheduled on the high-speed line Mondays to Fridays from 13 August to 13 December 2024. 1 of the 3 daily return services will be cancelled: trains 9269 and 9268.

From 19 August 2024, TGV Lyria trains will operate between Lausanne and Paris (via Geneva). 

Paris <> Basel/Zurich services 

SBB engineering works are scheduled from 7 July to 11 August 2024

• All TGV Lyria trains between Paris and Basel will run normally. 

• Trains between Paris and Zurich will terminate in Basel, except: 

1. 9206: departs Zurich at 6:59 am / departs Basel at 8:34 am > arrives in Paris at 11:38 am 

2. 9223: departs Paris at 6:22 pm > arrives in Basel at 9:26 pm and Zurich at 11:00 pm 

SNCF engineering works are scheduled on the high-speed line Mondays to Fridays from 13 August to 13 December. 2 of the 6 daily return services will be cancelled. 

Further information to follow. 

A quick reminder. As trains will be terminating in Geneva and Basel, you will need to purchase an SBB ticket for Lausanne <> Geneva and Zurich <> Basel connections. 

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WORK AT PARIS GARE DE LYON STATION ON WEEKENDS FROM MARCH 29 TO APRIL 14, 2024

Work to renew the track equipment at Paris Gare de Lyon station is forcing the SNCF to reduce the capacity of the trains in the station.

As a result, the transport plan will be reduced. 50% of trains will be operated during the following periods:

  • Friday, March 29, 11:15 pm to Monday, April 1, 5 am (Easter weekend)
  • Sunday April 7th
  • Sunday April 14th

Attention, change of station for some INOUI TGVs:

all INOUI Paris-Barcelona TGVs and some trains serving Languedoc-Roussillon will depart from or arrive at Paris MONTPARNASSE instead of Paris GARE DE LYON during these periods.

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Eurostar - Timetable changes from/to London

Due to the planned engineering works on the LGV Nord and works between Schipol and Rotterdam preventing access to the secure platform, Eurostar have had to make changes to the timetable which will affect the following Eurostar services:

RETIMINGS

Between 4th February and 22nd March inclusive

  • Eurostar train 9044 between London St Pancras International and Paris Gare du Nord.
  • Eurostar train 9044 will depart from London St Pancras International at 17:04, 27 minutes earlier than advertised (originally: 17:31).
  • Passengers will arrive at Paris Gare du Nord at 20:35, 24 minutes earlier than advertised (originally: 20:59).
  • Eurostar train 9031 from Paris Gare du Nord (departing 13:11) to London St Pancras (arriving 14:30).
  • Eurostar train 9031 will now depart at 13:01, 10 minutes earlier than planned.
  • Eurostar train 9055 from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras.
  • Passengers will depart from Paris Gare du Nord at 19:39, 27 minutes later than planned (originally : 19:12).
  • Passengers will arrive at London St Pancras at 21:00, 30 minutes later than planned (originally : 20:30).

CANCELLATIONS

Sunday 25th February

  • Eurostar train 9157 between Amsterdam Centraal and London St Pancras International.
  • Eurostar train 9157 departing from Amsterdam Centraal at 16:15, Rotterdam Centraal at 16:57, Brussels Midi at 18:51 and arriving at London St Pancras International at 19:47 has been cancelled.  

Passengers travelling from Brussels have been rebooked on the following service : 

  • Eurostar train 9159 between Brussels Midi and London St Pancras International 
  • Eurostar train 9159 departing from Brussels Midi at 18:51, from Lille Europe at 19:35 and arriving at London St Pancras International at 19:57. 

LIMITED SERVICES

Between 7th May and 10th May 2024 inclusive

The following Eurostar services will not stop in Rotterdam:

  • 9115  (original departure from Rotterdam at 07:28, arriving London St Pancras International at 09:57)
  • 9147 (original departure from Rotterdam at 15:28, arriving London St Pancras International at 17:47)
  • 9157 (original departure from Rotterdam at 17:28, arriving London St Pancras International at 19:47)
  • 9167 (original departure from Rotterdam at 19:28, arriving London St Pancras International at 21:57)

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Deutsche Bahn- Constructions works

Here you will find information on the most important timetable changes caused by construction works.

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Miscellaneous

Trenitalia - Venice access fee

We would like to inform you that, for selected dates from April 25th 2024 to July 14th 2024, a fee for the access to Venice ancient town is required to be paid directly to the Municipality of Venice, unless the visitor falls into one of the categories that entitle them to exemption from payment.

Please find here below the selected dates mentioned above:

  • April 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, 2024;
  • May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 2024;
  • June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30, 2024;
  • July 6, 7, 13 and 14, 2024.

Please note that the access fee is not charged from 4.00 p.m. to 8.30 a.m. 

Read more about exceptions, payment methods and possible fines on the Venice municipality website cda.ve.it.

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SNCF - New luggage policy

Since February 15, 2024 for travel with baggage, new measures have been implemented on board TGV INOUI and Intercités trains.

From now on, you will be able to travel :

  • up to 2 pieces of labelled ordinary baggage, such as suitcases, travel bags, sports bags, etc., with maximum dimensions of 70 x 90 x 50 cm
  • and 1 labelled piece of hand luggage (small backpack, shopping bag, laptop bag), maximum dimensions 40 x 30 x 15 cm.

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Eurostar - Advance passenger information

From 1 April 2024, Eurostar is required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on your booking before you travel to/from the UK.

You won’t be able to get your tickets until you’ve completed this information.

Please find all the details in the dedicated page here

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Thalys becomes Eurostar

Thalys is now Eurostar.

The name has changed but any tickets you booked will still be valid, and your train times will stay the same.

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Overhead wire damage - Rail disruption at Munich HBF on 07/09/2023

We would like to inform you that there was an overhead wire damage at Munich HBF station on 7 September 2023 and the rail traffic was disrupted. As per the information from Deutsche Bahn, the issue is now resolved and trains are running normally as of today - 08 September 2023.

In case you were not able to travel due to this issue, kindly get in touch with our customer support team through the "contact us" page of our website. If you happen to be at the station, you can submit your request directly to Deutsche Bahn at an information desk.

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NEW - Payment system provider

We're glad to announce we have recently deployed a new payment system provider to our public website to be able to offer faster and reliable payments and soon more local payment options to make your payment experience smoother and frictionless. 

During the transition period please be aware that any refund or modification you perform on existing bookings (previous Payment System Provider) might take up to 72hrs to be processed. 

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ALERT - SCAM AT FRENCH TRAIN STATIONS

We would like to inform you that a new scam happening at French train stations by some fraudsters, has been brought to light recently.  The fraudsters  volunteer to help the passengers with the check in procedures, and guide them to a platform number to board the train, by demanding to see the tickets booked by the passengers. In the process, they manage to have the passengers’ tickets scanned to capture all the data and use those details to exchange the tickets multiple times without the passengers' knowledge, until the act is caught. As a consequence, the ticket borne by the passengers becomes invalid and they would be asked to purchase new tickets, or would be fined, or both. Stay alert.

We would like to remind you to neither trust such strangers who may ask to help you at the train stations, nor ask any stranger for help. For any information needed, please get in touch with either a Railway official, an information desk, or the staff at the ticketing office. In case the passengers fall prey to such frauds, neither the Railways nor Rail Europe will bear the responsibility of such fraud.

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Trenitalia Regional train ticket usage policy update

Trenitalia has implemented a new compulsory check-in procedure for regional trains for travel September 30, 2023 and beyond. With such, train tickets will now display “NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL”; however, the check-in process only applies to travel September 30 and after. Tickets for travel prior to September 30 are not subject to the new check-in process and are valid for travel. Details regarding the new check-in procedure can be viewed here.

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Thalys - Dutch stations gates

As from the 31st of January, the Dutch gates will have combined barcode scanning and contactless payment via NFC at their stations gates. Currently the NFC interferes with the scanning of the barcode.

If you present your barcode on a phone with a bank card in a digital wallet, there is a chance that you will be blocked at the gate or that your bank card will be used instead of the barcode of the international ticket and 20€ will then be deducted from your account.

NS will take several measures in terms of communication and after service to mitigate the problem and explain the reimbursement procedure to the passengers that have been deducted.

If you are charged in error, please visit the OVpay website to learn how to get a refund.

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Eurostar - An issue with the ticket gates at Dutch stations

We are writing to let you know about an issue with the ticket gates at Dutch stations, following the launch of contactless payment on public transport across the Netherlands.

If you scan an image of a ticket barcode on your smartphone to enter or leave the station, digital bank cards may be charged instead.

What you need to do if you store bank cards on your phone

You should use one of the following to enter or leave the station:

  1. A ticket saved to their Google/Apple Wallet

OR

  1. A printed ticket

If you are charged in error, please visit the OVpay website to learn how to get a refund.

Customers who do not store bank cards on their phones can save their tickets in the Eurostar app or scan an on-screen image of their print-friendly ticket, if they prefer.            

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Ukraine Crisis - Update 

As a result of the current situation in Ukraine, please note the below update.

Rail Europe is constantly monitoring the geopolitical situation in the countries it serves via its rail operator partners. Currently, there are no schedule changes on trains in western Europe; but some services might run busier than usual, as several rail operators are currently offering Ukrainian refugees free passage on their trains to reach safer destinations within Europe.

Please note,any change of flight itinerary due to avoidance of Russian airspace might result in an increase in flight time and may lead to schedule changes on flight from Asia or the Pacific. Please check with your air carrier to avoid inconveniences if you scheduled a flight-train connection.

At this stage, all European rail operators are maintaining their scheduled services and all regular after sales conditions apply. It is advised to purchase flexible tickets (tickets offering refund as per the fare conditions), in case of change in plan due to the current situation.

If you have confirmed seats, nothing changes with regards to your placement. You will be seated at your assigned seat.If you wish to modify your reservation, you can do so per the rules and conditions of the fare you purchased.

Attention: If you purchased non-refundable/non-exchangeable tickets, and are unable to travel, please be aware that the rail operators aren’t currently offering any exceptional gestures in relations to the Ukraine situation. Kindly refer to your travel insurer (if any) to claim reimbursement of the ticket cost.

We shall provide an update here, if anything changes.

For further queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our contact form, and our dedicated team will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for your understanding regarding this matter. Stay safe!