Travelling by rail is a great way to experience the world. On a
train you can get up and stretch your legs, visit the buffet car
for refreshments, or simply sit back in your comfortable, reserved
seat and enjoy the spectacular, ever-changing scenery as you speed
to your destination. By rail you can experience sights that cannot
be seen any other way: from panoramic coastal routes to a journey
through majestic Alpine scenery or along spectacular gorges, the
train provides the ideal viewpoint.
If you haven't ventured into Europe by rail before, you will be
pleasantly surprised by how little time it takes to reach your
destination. Travellers arriving at St Pancras International are
whisked through check-in and can be relaxing in their seats on
board Eurostar within half an hour. The journey to Paris now takes
just over two hours and the journey to Brussels just under two
hours.
It depends entirely on your destination, and what sort of weather you like. If you prefer to avoid the hottest part of the year, then try not to travel in July and August - though northern Europe is generally cooler than southern Europe. The Alps also tend to stay a little cooler over the summer, thanks to their altitude. On the other hand, the closer to the main summer season you go, the better the chances of getting some sun! If you are travelling to countries in the Southern Hemisphere, don't forget that the period from February to April is their autumn, and September to November is spring.
Many of our winter tours are to countries with colder climates. Naturally we can't guarantee snow, but our Tour Advisors will help you choose a departure date to suit you - whether you want to see beautiful winter scenery under a blanket of snow, or meadows full of colourful springtime flowers.
Our customers book with us because they appreciate the comfort and relaxation of travelling by train and look upon the journey as part of their holiday, rather than because they are rail enthusiasts. Our holidays attract customers with a wide range of interests and they are not designed specifically for enthusiasts, however as many of the destinations included in our tours are selected for their excellent railway connections and excursions, rail enthusiasts will find much to interest them.
No. Other than in the UK, principal trains throughout the world run to the same schedules every day of the week. The infrastructure in place ensures that engineering works, including major renewals and upgrading, generally have little impact on train running.
We only deal with our pre-booked group itineraries however our brand GRJ Independent, arranges independent, tailor-made holidays by rail around Europe and beyond. Visit www.greatrail.com/grj-independent or call 01904 527 119 for more information.
Yes! We offer a great selection of tours within the UK to destinations such as the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Wales, Yorkshire, the Isle of Man, Norfolk and the south coast.
It varies between tours, but our average group number is 24 and will not be more than our limit of 40. Our group size means everyone gets a personal service from their Tour Manager and we can enjoy exclusive excursions that are only suitable for smaller groups.
Excursions are included in the price of your holiday. They are designed to give a balance of cultural, historical and social interest and to give you insight into the areas we visit. We try to use trains for excursions, however we sometimes utilise coaches or boats to get to places of interest. Where coaches are used, these are of high quality and aim to keep coach journeys to a maximum of two hours between stops. On most excursions, in addition to your Tour Manager, we are accompanied by a local guide to impact specialist knowledge of the sights being visited. Some excursions are to off-the-beaten-track destinations that simply would not be stumbled upon without this local knowledge.
Travelling on a Great Rail Journeys holiday, you will
never feel "herded", and customers sometimes break away from the
group to explore independently. There is plenty of flexibility
within the itineraries and options to dine and explore
independently. Many of our excursions will feature free time at a
destination, to explore it at your own pace. There are also those
who prefer to forego a particular excursion to relax at the hotel -
it is your holiday after all.
Your Tour Manager is there to provide help when you need it
or to discreetly 'disappear' when you don't. The programme of
activity is comprehensive, but not compulsory - it is very easy to
opt in or out as one pleases. There is time to yourself and freedom
to indulge your own interests.
"First Class" and "Standard Class" refers to the class of rail travel which you will primarily use. In all other senses, we treat our groups equally. So your standard of hotel, your excursion programme and the quality of service you receive from our staff remains the same.
First Class is always more spacious and includes meals and drinks on certain journeys - as noted in the tour itinerary. Whilst slightly less spacious, Standard Class accommodation in Europe is generally still more comfortable than you may be used to in the UK.
Wear what you are comfortable in and what is appropriate for the tour, remembering that the more outfits you bring the heavier your cases will be! Customers generally find a sturdy pair of shoes they are able to walk in is useful - particularly for tours including sightseeing and guided walking tours. Other suggestions include a waterproof jacket, umbrella, sunglasses and 'layers' so you are able to dress for the weather, whether that be sun, snow or both! Where more formal wear is required (e.g. gala dinners on the river cruises), we will inform you of this in your holiday documentation - generally this will entail a shirt and tie for men and equivalent for ladies.
Overall it is important to dress for the weather in your destination, so check weather reports before you travel.
Our hotels are carefully selected to provide keen value for money, a warm welcome with high quality service and comfortable rooms, all in convenient locations with amenities close at hand.
We indicate the official star rating and provide a short description of each hotel on the 'Hotels' tab found on our tour pages. The hotel description details its location and facilities to help you decide if the hotel is suitable for your needs. Most hotel bedrooms on Great Rail Journeys are equipped with a private bathroom, telephone and colour television, with the exception of certain specialty accommodation such as safari lodges. Many hotels also offer hairdryers, minibars, safes, tea and coffee making facilities and so on and where these are available, they will be detailed in the 'Hotels' section. If you have any further questions about the hotel included on your tour, please do not hesitate to telephone us on 01904 734 154.
Full details about the facilities available at all of our hotels will be forwarded to you with your holiday documentation.
Great Rail Journeys holidays are very suitable for people who are travelling on their own. The convivial nature of a group environment means there is always someone to share experiences with, should you choose to.
Typically up to 15% of the travellers on a group can be solo travellers, with the remainder being made up of couples, or two (or more) friends travelling together.
Your Tour Manager meets you at St Pancras International, or your airport or UK hotel location, and remains with you throughout your holiday. Our Tour Managers have been chosen specifically for their friendliness, organisational skills and willingness to help, which means you can take the time to truly relax, safe in the knowledge that someone else has organised everything from train reservations to hotels and transfers. They are never far away if you need assistance and will provide suggestions for places to go and things to do when there's a free day. Should you wish to explore independently they will fade into the background.
Any requests for special diets or room allocations must be requested at the time of booking. We pass rooming and dietary requirements on to the relevant hoteliers and suppliers, who will do their best to help. Please advise our staff as early as possible when booking.
We do our best to provide a tour that will suit your individual needs. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our Tour Advisors to discuss any special requirements you may have.
We can often arrange for you to travel out a day or so earlier or return later but are only able to add nights to the beginning or end of the holiday. In Europe, we can offer extensions in Cologne, Brussels and Paris on tours travelling through these locations. Worldwide tours often offer extensions visiting places near to the main tour location, details of these are available on the individual tour pages for worldwide tours. More details can be found in the "add-ons" page on this website, or, if you have something specific in mind, such as a tailor-made extension, give one of our Tour Advisors a call and they will be happy to discuss your ideas with you.
We will be happy to help you arrange a surprise holiday! Please note that we are not able to send out your documents in plain envelopes, so if you live at the same address as the person you wish to surprise, please supply us with an alternative address so that the Great Rail Journeys envelopes don't give the game away! Any requests of this nature should be made at the time of booking. Do make sure to give us a telephone number which it is "safe" to call, and remember to let us know when the secret is out!
We want to make sure you have the best experience possible on your holiday. So, we've rated each of our tours from 1 to 4 based on their level of physical activity. You'll find these ratings in our brochures and on our website. We understand that everyone has different abilities and concerns, so if you're not sure if a tour is right for you after doing your research, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. View Mobilty Rating Scale
Luggage transfers
On our cruise holidays, a complimentary luggage service is included. We collect your main suitcase from your home and take it to your cabin door before you join the cruise, then return it at the end of your holiday. If you are combining a cruise with one of our tours, we suggest you bring a small piece of luggage which can be carried for short periods.
A complimentary luggage service is not included on our escorted rail holidays to Europe. However, you can upgrade to our return door-to-door luggage transfer service on most tours (excluding tours to Morocco). The upgrade permits one 20kg bag per person which will be collected from your home up to five days before you depart and will be waiting for you at your destination hotel. Your luggage should arrive back at your home address within seven days of your return.
There are three specific types of service available depending on destination and mode of transport. For tours travelling out and back by rail, prices start at just £179 per bag. If you are travelling to Switzerland, the return door-to-door service is available for £229 per bag. If you are travelling out by rail but returning by air, the outbound luggage service is available for £129 per bag.
If your tour involves an overnight stay enroute, you'll need to travel with an overnight bag. If staying in multiple destinations, your suitcase will be transferred for you - so there's no need to carry your luggage while on the move. If flying to and from your destination, you will take your own luggage with you on the flight.
As porterage is not included on all of our tours, you will need to carry your own case on and off trains, and find somewhere to stow it once on board. With that in mind, we suggest the following dimensions as ideal: 61cm x 38cm x 23cm - (24" x 15" x 9"), weighing about 34lb/15kg. This may seem quite small, especially for longer holidays, so here are some packing tips:
Of course - though we feel it only fair to make it known that our clientele is generally drawn from a more mature age group and children may not necessarily enjoy the long train journeys and the types of activity that we organise. If you are unsure, please discuss your requirements with a member of our staff.
No. What is important is not your age but your ability to manage the tour. If you have read Essential Information and you think you would be able to manage the tour, we will be glad to have you on board. Can you beat our current champion of 97 years old?
Each tour has a set number of departures with a limited
group size. Many tours fill quickly so it is always advisable to
book early to get your preferred choice of dates. A deposit is
needed to fully reserve any of our holidays.
Once you have booked and paid us the appropriate deposit for
your holiday, we guarantee that you will not be surcharged. This
means that even if a cost increase is imposed upon us by a supplier
- for example due to an increase in fuel costs - and we need to
increase the holiday price for all new bookings, we guarantee that
a price rise will not affect you, if you have already booked your
holiday. It really does pay to book early.
This website is constantly updated with booking availability and additional departure dates - click on 'Check Availability' on your chosen holiday for a list of departure dates and an indication as to whether there are spaces still available. Alternatively, you can contact one of our Tour Advisors on 01904 734 154 to check the availability of your chosen holiday.
There are four ways to book a holiday:
Great Rail Journeys have a number of appointed travel agents throughout the UK who will be happy to assist you with your booking. These include AITO specialist agents and most good independent agents. We will be able to offer guidance; just ask a member of our staff. We also tour a number of travel shows around the country, where you will be able to meet with a member of our team in person.
Once you have made your booking and a deposit has been paid, we will forward a Confirmation of Booking to you. Your confirmation will show a breakdown of the accommodation and services booked on the holiday, the remaining balance and the date when it has to be paid.
If you book online or by telephone, payment is required by debit
or credit card. If booking through a Travel Agent, payment is made
directly to your Agent.
The final payment for your holiday is due 60 days prior to departure. If you have not already made your final payment, here is how you can pay:
If you have a holiday voucher for Great Rail Journeys for money off your holiday, you will need to phone our customer services team on 01904 527 105 and quote the code given on the voucher. You will need to send in the voucher by post when paying your final balance.
Debit - Visa Debit, Maestro (Switch) and MasterCard Debit.
Credit - Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
We do not charge for payment with a debit card. However, if you are paying by credit card on or before 18th December 2017, a charge of 2% will apply, however no charge will apply to credit card payments made after 18th December 2017 (no charge will be applied at any time for payments made by cheque or debit cards For more information, please read our Booking Conditions, section 3 "Payment".
You are more than welcome to make regular payments towards your holiday cost, providing that the full balance has been received by the balance due date.
Our holidays include return rail travel with appropriate transfers, hotel accommodation, a number of meals and the services of your Tour Manager. Our holidays are rich in content and include city tours, guided visits, excursions, meals, transport, and hotel accommodation. Each Itinerary specifies exactly what is included, so there are no 'hidden' extras. Our experience means that the major sights you would wish to see are included in the package - and in the price.
We will take care of all the details. We take all the hassle out of planning your holiday, aiming to keep you well-informed, prepared and excited for your upcoming trip. Here's an overview of what you can expect to receive from us, from the point you book your holiday until you return home.
Welcome Pack
Your personalised Welcome Pack is a wealth of useful information. In it, you will find details of your booking, including your itinerary, as well as any documentation you will need.
Reminders
In the days and weeks leading up to your departure, we'll check in with you by email to make sure everything is on track for your holiday. This may include finalising payments, updating passport details, confirming visa arrangements, and choosing any optional excursions.
Holiday Update
As you start to countdown the last few months before your departure, we will send you an email to confirm travel times and locations, accommodation details and other arrangements.
Final Itinerary
We'll provide you with essential information about hotels, travel times, itinerary alterations, and anything else crucial for ensuring a smooth and enjoyable journey.
Travel Tickets
Your travel tickets for outbound and inbound journeys abroad will arrive by email. For UK rail, physical tickets will be printed and sent to you through the post. You'll also receive useful information about departure locations. Any additional tickets for excursions or transport during your holiday will be looked after by your Tour Manager.
Tour Manager Introduction
When your vacation comes to an end, we won't say goodbye without a warm Welcome Home. We want to hear about your experiences and would encourage you to share your feedback with us. We would love you to fill in our post-trip survey we'll send by email shortly after you return.
This obviously depends on where you are going. As you may already know, many European countries now use the Euro but this does not apply to all.
Please find a table below highlighting the countries that we visit and the currency they use.
Country |
Currency |
Country |
Currency |
Austria |
Euro |
Monaco |
Euro |
Australia |
Australian Dollar |
Mongolia |
Tögrög |
Belarus |
Belarusian Rouble |
Morocco* |
Moroccan Dirham |
Belgium |
Euro |
Namibia |
Namibian dollar |
Bhutan |
Bhutanese ngultrum |
Nepal |
Nepalese rupee |
Botswana |
Pula |
Netherlands |
Euro |
Burma |
Burmese kyat |
New Zealand |
New Zealand Dollar |
Cambodia |
Cambodian Riel |
Norway |
Norwegian Krone |
Canada |
Canadian Dollar |
Peru |
Nuevo Sol |
China |
Chinese Renminbi |
Poland |
Zloty |
Croatia |
Euro |
Romania |
Romanian Leu |
Czech Republic |
Czech Koruna |
Russia |
Russian Rouble |
Denmark |
Danish Krone |
Singapore |
Singapore Dollar |
Ecuador |
US Dollar |
Slovakia |
Euro |
Estonia |
Euro |
Slovenia |
Euro |
Finland |
Euro |
South Africa |
South African Rand |
France |
Euro |
Spain |
Euro |
Germany |
Euro |
Sri Lanka |
Sri Lankan rupee |
Greece |
Euro |
Sweden |
Swedish Krona |
Hong Kong |
Hong Kong Dollar |
Switzerland |
Swiss Franc |
Hungary |
Forint |
Tanzania |
Tanzanian shilling |
Ireland |
Euro |
Thailand |
Thai Baht |
Italy |
Euro |
Turkey |
Turkish Lira |
India* |
Indian Rupee |
Ukraine |
Ukrainian Hryvnia |
Japan |
Japanese Yen |
USA |
US Dollar |
Latvia |
Euro |
Vietnam |
Vietnamese Dong |
Luxembourg |
Euro |
Zambia |
Zambian kwacha |
Malaysia |
Malaysian ringgit |
|
|
Please note that the countries with an asterisk
(*) have closed currencies and local currency cannot be obtained in
the UK. In these circumstances, we would recommend our
customers to take sterling which can be exchanged locally.
Although some countries have their own currencies, it can
sometimes be better to take a different currency. For
example, US Dollars are much more widely used in Russia than the
Rouble and many customers take sterling or Euros to Turkey rather
than Turkish Lira. Please check with one of our Tour Advisors
or a local Bureau de Change for up to date information and guidance
in good time prior to your departure.
It's important you have the correct travel documents to visit the destinations on your tour. You can use our online Travel Documents Tool to check what the Passport and Visa requirements are for you. Simply enter your travel information and the tool will give you guidance on Visas, Passport Requirements, Health Regulations and Customs. If you are traveling to multiple destinations, you can use the 'Connecting Flight' option to check the requirements for each of the destinations on your trip.
Most of our customers hold UK passports: any advice we give will be for UK passport holders. If you hold a passport for another country, or have special circumstances (for example, a criminal record), it is wise to contact the embassy of all countries you will be passing through.
For further advice you can also visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
Support with your Visa
If you need support applying for a Visa, our recommended Visa agent is CIBT, their website is www.cibtvisas.co.uk/greatrailjourneys.
CIBT are an established and experienced and will save you time and worry. Whilst you are free to apply with embassies and consulates directly, many customers have mentioned the peace of mind is the biggest advantage that our recommended visa agent offers through their service, knowledge and efficiency.
The ability of our recommended Visa agent to obtain any Visa depends on you providing all information, documents (including your passport) and photographs, as applicable and accurately, when requested. If any application is refused or not granted in time and you are unable to travel on the holiday as a result, cancellation charges as shown in the booking conditions will apply.
Important
The Visa Agent is entirely independent of Great Rail Journeys, and we cannot accept any responsibility for the provision of the service or the Visa Agent's acts and omissions.
First Capital Connect and East Midlands Trains services arrive directly into St Pancras International, while next door King's Cross station is served by LNER, Grand Central, Thameslink & Great Northern and Hull trains. A short walk away, Euston station is served by London overground, Virgin Trains, Scotrail and London Midland.
By tube, St Pancras International is served by the Northern, Victoria, Piccadilly, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
For a hassle-free start to your journey, we can arrange tickets to the start of your tour from your closest available train station. Prices for this service start at as little as £15 one-way, with reserved seats and flexible timings. This service is available for all tours, whether starting at St Pancras, somewhere else in the UK or an airport. Upgrades to First Class are available from as little as £30.
We can arrange rail travel to the beginning point of your UK tour (see previous question). Alternatively, you may wish to drive, in which case it is important you contact us for information on parking. Many of our UK hotels offer parking, however we cannot always guarantee this, and it may be the case that we direct you to alternative parking instead, which will likely be payable locally.
We will confirm the time you should meet your Tour Manager and group in the travel documents sent to you around 10-14 days prior to your holiday. For departures leaving after 7:45am, we recommend you meet your Tour Manager and our St Pancras greeters, at our Great Rail Journeys office, 120 minutes before your tours scheduled departure time.
For departures leaving before 7:45am, please arrive 90 minutes prior to your departure. Please note, the office will only open from 5:45am for early departures.
In the case of UK tours, it will most likely be on the morning of Day 1.
If you are delayed on your way to meet your group, please call our office as soon as you are able to on 01904 521 936 to advise us of your situation. If you are calling this number out of office hours, our recorded message will give you an alternative 'emergency on-call' number to call. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for our customers.
We can book a wide range of hotels in central London for the night before you depart on your tour from St Pancras International, and also for your return to the UK. Details of the hotels available and how to book will be sent 10 weeks before your departure.
This depends on the holiday, and on the airline used. Here is a brief summary of what is available with each airline featured throughout our programme and what the upgrade entails. Prices for upgrading vary massively depending upon the availability. If you are interested in upgrading from economy class, please contact a member of staff for an up to date quotation.
Airline |
Upgrade |
Aeroflot |
Premier Class (Business Class)
|
Air Canada |
Executive First
|
Air New Zealand |
Premium Economy
Business Premier
|
British Airways |
World Traveller Plus
Club Europe
|
United Airlines |
United BusinessFirst
|
Delta |
Economy Comfort
Business Elite
|
Jet Airways |
Premiere
First Class
|
KLM |
Economy Comfort
Business Class
|
Qantas |
Premium Economy
Business Class
|
Scandinavian Airlines |
Business Class
|
South African Airways |
Business Class
|
Virgin |
Premium Economy
Upper Class
|
Prices quoted in this brochure are based on special fares offered to us by the airlines for group travel. These represent a reduction on the normal IATA fares which generally include greater flexibility. Should you wish to book our holiday using a flight other than that shown in the brochure, a flight variation charge from £40 per person will apply in addition to the difference in cost between our special fare and the normal IATA fare for the flight(s) required. Tickets at our special fare are valid only on the airline and dates shown and do not automatically entitle passengers to switch to another carrier in the case of a flight cancellation, delay or technical problem with the aircraft or the reservation.
We can usually organise add-on flights from your local airport. Prices are from £180 per person return and are subject to availability, and will be quoted on request. Please contact us if you would like a quote from your local airport.
Extensions are available on many of our Worldwide tours, and we can also offer a tailor-made service. Let us know in good time and we should be able to book your flights as requested but you would normally have to fly one way with the group. We can also book extra nights in the hotels we use at the start or end of a holiday. Please note, though, that you will need to arrange your own transfer to the airport if you are not taking the transport we arrange for the group. Also, make sure you have insurance to cover the extended length of your stay.
If you have a question that is not in this Frequently Asked Questions page, please contact us on the number at the top of the page.