FAQ
General terms:
What is a "train ticket"?
Travel document valid for a journey by train (although sometimes also on some other supplementary modes of transport, e.g. bus substitution during line repairs) on the predefined route. Every train ticket has some fixed validity period (can be as short as few hours or as long as few months), in most cases it is possible to specify the starting date of your ticket during the purchase. Depending on a country and rail company train tickets can be purchased either via ticket counters, automated ticket machines, mobile apps or official websites online.
What is a "seat" or "bed" reservation?
Travel document that reserves for a passenger specific seat or bed on a specific train & date. Seat or bed (sleeper & couchette) reservations are complimentary parts to your train ticket, which is issued for the specific route. Seat/bed reservation can be obtained either together with your train ticket or purchased separately
What is a ticket supplement?
Additional surcharge necessary for journeys on certain trains, usually applicable for passengers holding standard fare tickets or rail passes (ticket supplements often, but not always, required for journeys on high-speed & international trains). In majority of cases ticket supplements are already included in your train ticket price by default, however passengers might need to purchase it separately in cases when traveling with rail passes, national (domestic) ticket on international train or simply wanting to travel in higher class (for instance, preferring 1st class instead of 2nd class)
Rail Tariffs:
What is SCIC-NRT (TCV) rail tariff?
Most common in Europe international passenger rail tariff based on which train tickets are sold under Special Conditions of International Carriage for Non-Integrated-Reservation Tickets (SCIC-NRT), previously was known as TCV (Tarif Commun international pour le transport des Voyageurs et des Bagages or Standard International Passenger and Baggage Tariff). All SCIC-NRT tariff tickets are issued in accordance to the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Passengers by Rail (CIV), thus ticket validity is generally 4 or 15 days (either from the date of purchase or date specified by the passenger in case you want to delay the starting date of validity), with SCIC-NRT ticket rail journey can be initiated at any time during the ticket’s period of validity unless disallowed by the special transport terms and conditions, a journey can be suspended at any time, any number of times and without formalities, SCIC-NRT tickets are not tied to any specific train. Base currency of the SCIC-NRT tariff is Euro
What is Global price (Globalpreis) or SCIC-IRT tariff?
Relaively popular rail tariff based on which train tickets are sold under Special Conditions of International Carriage for Integrated-Reservation Tickets (SCIC-IRT), thus tickets are issued with already included seat/bed reservation (in other words, railway companies simply set specific prices combining ticket (route distance) & reservation (seat/bed) for specific routes). Unlike SCIC-NRT tickets, tickets issued under SCIC-IRT conditions are valid only for the particular train & date and do not allow any stopover or journey interruptions. SCIC-IRT is mainly used by railway companies in France, Spain & Italy, however lately also Russian Railways (RZD) switched many international trains from SCIC-NRT to 'Global Price' (SCIC-IRT) tariff
What is East-West rail tariff?
International passenger tariff used for tickets issued for train journeys between former Soviet countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic states) and other countries in Europe (unless 'Global Price' tariff applies). On the European part East-West tariff is basically equal to SCIC-NRT tariff. Base currency of the East-West Tariff is Euro
What is SET rail tariff?
Regional international passenger rail tariff used for tickets issued for train journeys between countries members of the South-East Europe Railways Group (SERG), i.e. railway companies of Albania, Bulgaria, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Serbia, Moldova, Montenegro and Republika Srpska (BiH) . SET tariff tickets can be purchased only via rail companies of the participating countries. In general, SET ticket usually cost about 50% cheaper than SCIC-NRT (TCV) tickets for the same route. Base currency of SET Tariff is EuroWhat is MPT rail tariff?
International passenger rail tariff ('Международный пассажирский тариф') used for tickets issued for train journeys between countries members of SMPS ('Соглашение о международном железнодорожном пассажирском сообщении'), which are from one side Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic states, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan & Tajikistan, while from the other side it is China, Mongolia, North Korea & Vietnam. MPT tariff tickets can be issued for connections from any country of the first group to any country in the second. Base currency of the MPT Tariff is Swiss Francs
What is MGPT rail tariff?
Regional international (=interstate) passenger rail tariff ('Межгосударственный пассажирский тариф') used for tickets issued for train journeys between former Soviet countries (Russia to Ukraine, Ukraine to Belarus, Belarus to Lithuania and alike tickets). Base currency of the MGPT Tariff is Swiss Francs
What is CMO rail tariff?
Regional international passenger rail tariff used for tickets issued for train journeys between countries members of the Middle East Rail Group (Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Jordan & Lebanon). Base currency of the CMO Tariff is Swiss Francs
Discounts & Special Offers:
What is SparSchiene?
General term (originating from German rail system) referring to the discounted (often promo fares) train tickets, which are sold in limited number per each train departure, in most cases Sparschiene tickets are non-exchangeable & non-refundable. Sparschiene tickets basically combine all the categories of Spar discounted tickets (like SparPreis, SparDay, SparNight, etc.)
What is SparDay offer?
Discounted train tickets sold for the daytime international trains (widely used in Germany & Central Europe). SparDay tickets have limited availability, i.e. exists certain quoata per each train & require use of specific long-distance/cross-border train(s) on specific date. SparDay tickets often have advertisement friendly prices (like 9€, 19€, 29€ etc.)
What is SparNight offer?
Discounted train tickets sold for the overnight international trains (widely used in Switzerland, Germany & Central Europe). SparNight tickets have limited availability (certain quota per train) & require use of specific train(s) on specific date, usually available for seats, couchettes and sleepers. SparNight tickets often have advertisement friendly prices (like 19€, 29€, 39€ etc.)
What is Prem's tickets?
Discounted train tickets for rail journeys in France, mostly offered for the daytime high-speed connections with TGV/iDTGV trains. Prem's tickets are non-exchangeable, non-refundable & required in advance purchase. Prem's tickets often have advertisement friendly prices (like 22€, 25€ or 29€)
What is Super Economy tickets?
Discounted trains tickets for rail journeys in Italy, offered by TrenItalia (FS) for the daytime high-speed & intercity trains and for couchette & sleeper carriages on the overnight trains. 'Super Economy' tickets are sold in limited number per departure, non-exchangeable, non-refundable & required in advance purchase. 'Super Economy' tickets often have advertisement friendly prices (like 9€, 19€, 29€ etc.)
What is CityStar tickets?
Special type of the international return tickets targeted for group & family travelers (up to five adults + one child, while two children counted as one adult passenger), although in many cases even one passenger can use them. CityStar tickets are mainly offered by railway companies in Central & Eastern Europe. Unique feature of the CityStar (also can bare the name 'Sparpreis' (Germany), 'Ekonomnye ceny' (Russia), 'Plan & Spar' (Switzerland) tickets is that first passenger pays full ticket fare, while 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th pay only 50% (however with some CityStars additional passengers pay more)
To illustrate let's say the CityStar ticket from country A to country B costs 100€, one person traveling will pay this 100€, but additional companions traveling with the first passenger will pay only half of it or 50€, so if we have a group of 4 adults, then CityStar tickets for all of them will cost only 200€ (or 100€ +50€ +50€ +50€)
Besides a general rule of any CityStar ticket - each additional passengers pay less, there are some important difference depending on the country where passenger buys CityStar ticket. Some railway companies might allow the route there and back to be different, others might allow different route there and back in a target country as far as the border crossing points are the same, sometimes rail companies set various price levels for CityStar tickets (depending on the distance in home, transit or target country). On some occasions CityStar ticket are also subject to the so-called 'weekend rule', meaning that return trip can occur only if a passenger spend the night from Saturday to Sunday in the country of his/her final destination or there is a requirement to purchase CityStar ticket at least three days before the journey begins
What is Rail Plus card?
Rail Plus Card (or Rail Plus Card discount) refers to a passenger travel card which is valid for one year & allows its holder to receive 25% discount from the standard tariff price on the majority of international train tickets. The card is issued in the name of the holder and is non-transferable, also can be issued in combination with national discounted travel card (like BahnCard in Germany, VORTEILScard in Austria, GA travelcard/Half-Fare travelcard in Switzerland etc.)
Most rail networks recognise discounts for all passengers, some railway networks however only allow discounts for certain categories of passengers:- in France, Norway, Spain and Sweden Rail Plus Cards are valid only for Youth & Senior passengers
- in Ireland – only for Senior passengers
Rail Passes:
What is EuRail pass?
Rail pass targeting non-European residents, which allows unlimited travel for predefined period of time on the railways participating in the agreement (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom). Eurail pass can be offered for one country only, for a specific region (i.e. regional pass), couple countries (select) or for all the countries participating in the agreement (so-called "Global Pass"). Pass can be continuous (i.e. certain number of days in a row) or flexi (i.e. certain number of travel days within particular period of validity).
What is InterRail pass?
Rail pass targeting European residents (at least 6 month of residence is required), which allows unlimited travel for a predefined period of time on the railways participating in the agreement (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom). Interrail pass can be offered for one country only or for all the countries (Global pass). Pass can be continuous (i.e. certain number of days in a row) or flexi (i.e.certain number of travel days within particular period).
What is Balkan (Flexi) pass?
Balkan pass or Balkan Flexi Pass is a regional rail pass allowing unlimited travel for a predefined period of time on the railways participating in the agreement (Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Turkey & Republika Srpska). Balkan Flexi Pass can be of two kinds: a) sold outside of the participating countries (by Rail Europe agency), only for 1st class or b) much cheaper pass for both 1st & 2nd class sold directly by the participating railway companies. Balkan Pass is a flexi pass, thus valid during 5 to 15 days within one month validity period