Terms and conditions

TERMS OF USE

All prices in this web site are correct at that time.
Rail Plus Australasia Pty Ltd and Rail Plus New Zealand (Rail Plus) reserves the right to change prices without notice whether such changes are related or not to alterations in rates of exchange.

Contents:

• Refunds
• Lost Tickets
• Delivery
• Rail Protection Plan
• Payments
• Advance Booking
• General Terms & Conditions
• Responsibility & Liability

REFUNDS

1. Refund applications must be submitted to the office where the pass or ticket was purchased with appropriate, original documentation, such as all components of the original pass. Any refundable amount is subject to a minimum 25% cancellation charge. A 100% cancellation fee will be applied for couchettes and sleepers if space is not cancelled and the vouchers were not endorsed with a railway official stamp.
2. Handling fees and seat reservations are non-refundable.
3. Lost or stolen passes and tickets are neither refundable nor replaceable. Passes may only be refunded if none of the components of the pass or package have been used and the pass or the package is not validated. Refunds when applicable, will only be paid if a pass or ticket is returned to the issuing office, totally unused, prior to validation and in its original jacket.
4. All Eurail, Eurail Selectpass, and National European passes* may be presented for application for a refund up to one year from the date of issuance. (*Some regional passes can only be refunded up to 6 months from the date of issuance - refer to ticket cover at time of issue).
5. Refunds for unused Eurail and Britrail sector tickets or sleeper reservations may only be considered if the ticket is returned prior to the commencement validity date on the tickets or otherwise endorsed by a European or British railway office as ‘unused’, prior to last day of ticket validity. This may be arranged at any respective European or UK railway station. Tickets not so endorsed cannot be refunded after the validity commencement date.
6. Refunds for Britrail passes will be granted if an unvalidated pass is returned to the office from which it was purchased within six months from the date of issue and bears no evidence of having been tampered with. No refund can be made in Britain or if the pass cannot be produced or if lost or stolen. No refund will be made on a validated unused pass.
7. In general, a minimum cancellation fee of 25% is imposed on unused passes. Higher cancellation fees apply to Luxury Rail Journeys and Premier Train products. Travel documents must remain in their official ticket cover to be eligible for travel or refund application.
8. No refund is available on City Pass products.
9. No refund is available on a Japan Rail Pass once the Exchange Order has been presented for the issuance of the official travel pass.
10. Additional local processing and amendment fees may apply to any change, cancellation or refund. Cancellation fees in Australia are subject to 10% GST.
11. Travel insurance providing appropriate cover is strongly recommended.

Refund Requests

Refund requests accompanied with the original travel documents can be sent to:

In Australia: Rail Plus Level 6, 51 Queen Street Melbourne Vic 3000

In New Zealand: Rail Plus Level 2, 6 Kingdon Street, Newmarket, Auckland.

Travel documents must be received by Rail Plus within the specified refund period.

LOST TICKETS

Rail Plus is not responsible for passes, tickets or vouchers which are lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed. Refunds cannot be authorized in such cases. Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Rail Plus offers a Rail Protection Plan which will compensate travellers for passes and tickets lost or stolen in Europe. Refer to the following section “Rail Protection Plan” for full details.

Delivery

1. Customer means the person who engages the services of Rail Plus by purchasing a pass or ticket.
2. The customer authorises Rail Plus, as agent of the customer, to arrange for Australia Post (Post option) or Toll Holdings (courier option) to transport the tickets to the customer.
3. Delivery of the passes and tickets occurs when Rail Plus delivers the documents to Australia Post or Toll Holdings.
4. Risk in the pass or ticket passes to the customer when delivery occurs in accordance with clause 3.
5. The obligations of Rail Plus in relation to arranging transport (where authorised by the customer to do so) is limited to arranging (as agents for the customer) transport of the passes or tickets by Australia Post or a reputable courier. Rail Plus assumes no liability and is not responsible for any loss, theft, expense or delay once a ticket has been collected from Rail Plus premises, whether by the customer or another person.
6. The customer acknowledges that when Rail Plus, as agent for and on behalf of the customer, concludes any contract with a third party, such agreement is concluded between the customer and the third party on the third parties standard terms and conditions which may include exclusions or limitations of liability.
7. An additional charge applies if tickets are required to be sent directly to the airport.

RAIL PROTECTION PLAN

The Rail Protection Plan is only available with the following products issued by Rail Plus:

• Eurail Passes, Eurail Selectpass, Europe National and Regional passes, Britrail Passes, Eurail and Britrail Point to Point tickets (excludes reservation fees), Swiss Rail Tour Packages, Norway Excursion tickets and Paris Day Tour.
• Under the Rail Protection Plan, if your rail pass/ticket is lost or stolen in Europe, upon your return to Australia/ New Zealand you will be reimbursed for the unused portion of your original rail pass/ticket.
• The Rail Protection Plan must be purchased at the same time the rail pass/ticket is issued.
• The Rail Protection Plan fee is non-refundable and non-changeable.
• Please read the actual description of coverage below.

Description of Coverage

Agreement

Rail Plus will by payment, reimburse the passholder(s) named on the rail pass/ticket for the theft or accidental loss of travel documents in Europe. Reimbursement will only be made for rail passes/tickets issued by Rail Plus subject to exclusions, limitations and conditions contained below.

Loss

Loss means the theft or accidental loss of the rail pass/ticket.

Effective Period

Effective Period means the time of arrival in Europe to 23:59 hours (11:59pm) on the last day the rail pass/ticket is valid. The Rail Protection Plan only applies to loss sustained during the effective period.

Exclusions

The Rail Protection Plan does not apply to any loss caused by:

• Delay, detention or confiscation by Customs Officers or Officials or Police or other Security Personnel.
• The Rail Pass/ticket is not in your actual possession at the time of loss.
• War, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection or military or usurped power.
• Any dishonest, fraudulent or criminal act by the Pass/ticket holder.
• Damage due to wear and tear or gradual deterioration.

Limits of Liability

Reimbursement will be based on the unused value of the lost pass/ ticket or the cost of the replacement tickets purchased in Europe, whichever is the lesser value.

The loss date shall be the date on which the pass/ticket holder first became aware of the loss of the rail pass/ticket or the date 24 hours prior to the reporting of the loss to the police, whichever is later.

To File a Claim

While in Europe / UK

• Report the loss / theft to the local police within 24 hours and obtain a police report.
• Purchase a new pass or tickets for the remaining days of travel/journeys required.
• Retain receipts for replacement pass/ tickets.

Within 30 days of returning to Australia or 6 months of original rail travel commencement, whichever is earlier, send the following:

• A notarized written report including the pass/ ticket holders name, the date the pass was validated, how many days were unused and a description of what happened to the pass.
• The official police report and receipts for the replacement pass/ tickets.
• Proof of purchase for your original pass/ ticket which was lost or stolen.
• A copy of your airline ticket/ boarding pass.

Send all of the required documentation to:

In Australia: Rail Plus Level 6, 51 Queen Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000

In New Zealand: Rail Plus Level 2, 6 Kingdon Street, Newmarket, Auckland.

PAYMENTS

American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

ADVANCE BOOKINGS

Please apply for your passes at least 15 days prior to your departure from Australia or New Zealand. Rail Plus will always try to help if less notice is given, but Rail Plus is not responsible for delays in delivery service or otherwise. If a product is ordered at short notice, Rail Plus will charge an additional fee for overnight delivery service.

GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions apply to all products offered on this website and should be read carefully. If in doubt, refer to the conditions section on the website page for the corresponding product or contact us webmail@railplus.com.au

Rail Plus Australia booking fees

Bookings made via email or our website: $9.00 segment fees capped at $45.00
Bookings made via phone or walk in: $50

Rail Plus New Zealand booking fees:

Bookings made via email or our website: $7.00 segment fees capped at $35.00
Bookings made via phone or walk in: $45.00

Eurail, Eurail Select, all other European Rail and Britrail Passes

Passes cannot be issued, purchased or used by residents of Europe, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia.

How to Validate and Use Your Pass

1. Passes are to be validated within 6 months from the date of issue and prior to the first day of use. To validate your pass present your passport and your pass to a railway official in a railway ticket office (not the conductor) from the country in which it is valid. The railway official will enter the first and last date of validity on the pass. This must be done before boarding a train, bus, boat or renting a car for the first time. In most cases validity runs from midnight to midnight for the period shown on the pass but check individual passes/countries for variations. All services, rail, rental car, air travel and travel bonuses must be used within the validity of the accompanying rail pass.
2. All persons listed on control vouchers/ passes must be present when validating a Saverpass, Twin pass or Britrail Party Pass.
3. Under no circumstances is the holder allowed to validate his or her own pass, nor should pass holders enter their own passport number. Tampering with or altering a pass renders the pass void and authorizes train staff to confiscate the pass and subjects passenger to a fine payable in local currency.
4. Passes are strictly non-transferable and are only valid for those whose name appears on the pass. Use by anyone other than those named will invalidate the pass and will result in a heavy fine in local currency and confiscation of the pass. It is compulsory to present passports to railway officials on request.
5. Passes are not valid on hotel trains, private or specialty trains unless otherwise stated.
6. On Flexipasses, before boarding the first train or ship of the day, you must enter the date in ink, in the appropriate calendar box on your pass. Failure to comply with validation and date of use regulations is considered travelling without a ticket and will result in a fine collected on board the train. Train personnel are authorized to confiscate the pass in addition to levying the fine.
7. Passes are available in first and second class unless stated otherwise. Passengers holding first class passes are also permitted to travel in standard/second class. Passengers holding standard/second class passes are permitted to travel in first class only if they pay the difference between the two fares as applicable locally.
8. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have all necessary visas and appropriate travel documents prior to their departure from Australia and New Zealand.
9. Travel documents must remain in their official ticket cover to be eligible for travel.

Reservations for Seats, Sleepers and Couchettes

A pass does not guarantee a seat on a train, bus, plane, or boat. Seat reservations should be made in advance and are compulsory on Premier trains, some buses and boats. Reservations are also compulsory for all sleepers and couchettes, and should be made in advance.

Additional Charges

1. All rail passes are issued open dated. A Pass Issuance Fee will apply.
2. Seat reservations, sleepers and couchettes, travel on Premier trains, luggage checking and port taxes, are all subject to additional charges which are not covered by the passes. These, including meals and refreshments, are all to be paid separately. Luggage checking, port taxes, meals and refreshments as well as seat reservations, sleepers and couchettes reserved locally must be paid abroad in local currency.
3. Rail passes do not include the cost of admission fees to sightseeing venues/tourist attractions unless they are listed as a Bonus Travel Offer included with the pass.

Governing Rules

All transportation covered by those passes where use is intended for more than one country is subject to the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract for International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Rail (CIV). National and/or single-country passes are subject to rules and regulations of their specific countries. Neither the British or European railroads nor Rail Plus assume any responsibility for damages resulting from a strike.

Japan Rail, Amtrak USA & City Pass Products

General Conditions

1. For Japan and USA rail tickets, the passenger name on the ticket must correspond directly with the name in the passengers passport.
2. Detailed conditions for each specific product offered by Rail Plus are detailed in the accompanying transportation company documentation at time of ticket issue. Copy of such conditions may be requested prior to purchase. It is the responsibility of the customer to read all documentation prior to commencement of travel.
3. Payments must be made strictly in accordance with the requirements stipulated for each product at the time of booking.
4. In general, a minimum cancellation fee of 25% is imposed on unused passes. Travel documents must remain in their official ticket cover, unused and not validated/ not exchanged to be eligible for refund. Refunds must be submitted to the issuing office within the specified refund validity period.
5. There is no refund on lost, stolen or partially used passes. No refund is available on City Pass products or on a Japan Rail Pass once the Exchange Order has been presented for the official travel pass to be issued.
6. Fares quoted in AUD or NZD are subject to change without prior notice. Additional local processing and amendment fees may apply to any change, cancellation or refund. Cancellation fees in Australia are subject to 10% GST.
7. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have all necessary visas and appropriate travel documents prior to their departure from Australia and New Zealand.

RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY

1. Rail Plus acts only as a booking agent. Rail Plus has no control over, and is not responsible for, any of the tours, passes, attractions, hotels and other travel components listed in that site. All bookings are accepted and all passes are issued on the express condition that, Rail Plus is not responsible or liable for any loss (consequential or otherwise); damage (including but not limited to loss of, or damage to passengers' clothes, baggage, inconvenience or irregularity caused by, or arising out of, or in connection with, any defect in any vehicle or other, air, land or sea conveyance used, or traveled in; or through the negligence, willful misconduct, strikes or other acts, defaults or omissions of any carrier, hotel, restaurant, or any other provider of goods or services.
2. Every booking is accepted subject to the conditions, tariffs and regulations imposed by the air, rail, shipping, bus, car rental, hotel or other companies, firms or persons concerned.
3. Rail Plus reserves the right to alter, cancel or substitute any component of the package.
4. All items of a personal nature not specifically mentioned in the tour description, such as phone calls, tips, taxis, etc., are the responsibility of each passenger.
5. All prices and product information indicated in this website are effective from 1 January 2009 and subject to change without notice. All prices are exclusive of any goods and services tax (if applicable). All rail passes are issued open dated. A Pass Issuance Fee will apply. Rail Plus offers all tickets for sale in Australia or New Zealand dollars at recommended market prices, however, makes no undertaking that the prices paid for this ticket is the best applicable for the services provided. International sales conditions and distribution costs, fluctuating exchange rates, availability restrictions or other factors may reflect variance to domestic prices available in the country of travel commencement or elsewhere quoted by or on behalf of the operating railway company. Rail Plus will not accept any claim in respect of such price variance. For avoidance of doubt, Rail Plus Australasia Pty Ltd and Rail Plus New Zealand make no representation or warranty as regards the accuracy or correctness of any of the information contained in this website, or as given by its employees, staff, servants or agents from time to time, whether orally or in writing. Rail Plus Australasia Pty Ltd and Rail Plus New Zealand shall not be liable for any loss, damage or claim whatsoever arising out of, or in connection with, any reliance on such information.
6. All bookings are accepted subject to the conditions, tariffs and regulations as detailed in the passenger documentation and/or subsequently imposed by the rail companies, firms or persons concerned.
7. All our online credit card payments are protected by 128bit SSL encryption and handled directly by Direct Payment Solutions, New Zealand