Before you go

Booking, confirmation/invoice and tickets

A deposit is required to reserve any of our holidays. Bookings can be made over the phone by contacting our Reservations team on (01904) 521936, directly on the website, or via selected Travel Agents. Once your booking is confirmed we will send you a confirmation summarising the arrangements made on your behalf, the outstanding balance and the date by which it must be received by us. Please check these details carefully and contact us immediately if there are any inaccuracies. Ensure that the title, initials or forenames and surnames shown on the confirmation match those on your passport, as we will make your travel reservations using this information and any inaccuracies will cause problems at a later date. As your holiday approaches, we write to you again approximately 10-12 weeks prior to your departure to remind you of certain points concerning your holiday. Your travel documents are sent out approximately 2 weeks prior to departure, although in most cases the tickets will be held by your Tour Manager and handed out as required.

No surcharges - guaranteed

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.

Foreign Office advice

Global and political situations do change. Your safety is our first consideration and if the Foreign Office advises against travel to a certain country, we act on this advice. The Foreign Office issues regular advice and updates. You are advised to check this information on their website www.fco.gov.uk or contact the FCO Travel Advice Unit on 0845 850 2829 before you travel.

Luggage

Taking the right luggage on holiday can make the difference to your enjoyment. Although we try and arrange porterage where we can, you will usually need to lift your own suitcase onto and off trains, and as many European trains do not have a specific luggage carriage, you will have to stow your case in the designated area within the carriage or in the rack above your seat. You may also need to carry it some distance between platforms/stations or to hotels. With this in mind, we recommend that you take one small suitcase and one piece of hand luggage per person. A good tip is to try lifting your luggage up and down the stairs at home to see how comfortable you are transporting your luggage while on holiday.

As a guide, we recommend one suitcase and one small piece of hand luggage per person, and suggest the popular 'vertical' suitcases with built-in wheels and a retractable handle measuring around 61cm x 38cm x 23cm - (24" x 15" x 9"). For our worldwide holidays, all luggage must adhere to the strict luggage restrictions imposed by the scheduled airline used on our holiday.

If you would like to avoid carrying your cases from home, across London, and all the way to your holiday destination, Great Rail Journeys/Treyn is pleased to recommend the services of both "Carry My Luggage" and "The Baggage Man". Both independent companies offer a cost-effective and reliable door-to-door luggage collection and delivery service. Your case will be collected from home a few days prior to the holiday departure so that it can be waiting for you at your main hotel. On the way home, you can leave your case behind in the hotel to be collected and returned home. The services are available either one-way or return. Further details of these services are available on request.

What to pack

Casual dress is acceptable on the majority of our holidays, there is no pressure whatsoever put upon our customers to conform to one strict dress code - it is your holiday and you should feel comfortable. People do tend to dress slightly more formally, especially in the evenings, on cruises, or for gala/farewell dinners. We have tried to give you an indication of the dress code on cruises. Where there is a specific dress requirement, we will advise you within your holiday documentation.

Passports, visas & insurance

Passports & travel documentation

Please note that you are entirely responsible for ensuring that everyone in your party has the necessary correct and up-to-date personal documentation before you start the holiday. We do not accept any liability if you or any member of your party is refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.

It is your responsibility to ensure that each person travelling in your party has a current valid passport plus any visas required for non-UK/EU citizens. For British Citizens, a standard 10-year British passport is required for all holidays which must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of return travel. If your passport expires before this, or if your passport is endorsed in any way, it may still be acceptable, but you should contact your local passport office or the consulate or embassy of the country/countries you plan to visit/transit through, for detailed advice. Further information can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.fco.gov.uk). Non-British citizens should also check passport and visa requirements with the relevant consulate(s). Customers applying for a first British passport should allow at least six weeks to obtain one as they are now required to attend a personal interview with the Passport Office. Customers renewing their passport should allow a minimum of two weeks. However, in all cases, please apply as far ahead as possible so as to allow time for unexpected delays.

Visas

We will advise British Citizens with a British passport at the time of booking of any visa requirements. If you have a British passport issued outside of the UK or if you are not a British Citizen, you must check immigration requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate of the country/countries that you plan to visit or transit through.

We indicate in the 'What's Included' section of each tour whether British Citizens require a visa to enter the country or countries included in the holiday. The countries for which a visa is needed (by British Citizens holding a British passport) are listed below.

The process of applying for holiday visas with embassies can often be confusing, tedious and time consuming as rulings change on a regular basis. We therefore recommend a Visa Agency who are an established and experienced Visa Agent; saving you time and worry. Dealing with this Visa Agent avoids costly trips to London to visit embassies to spend several hours queueing or making endless telephone calls.  The agent takes care of all the necessary paperwork; and importantly they make sure you get the right visas on the right dates for the holiday that you are travelling on. Whilst you are free to apply with embassies directly, many customers have mentioned that peace of mind is the biggest advantage that the agency offers through their service, knowledge and efficiency - money well spent. 

Please note that this Visa Agency is not affiliated with Great Rail Journeys in any way; this is simply a recommendation based on our experience.

We will forward full details about applying for your visa through our recommended agency in good time prior to your holiday in order that you may be able to apply and receive the relevant visas for your holiday in good time prior to departure.

We endeavour to keep the information regarding visa requirements up to date but costs and requirements change on a regular basis and we recommend that you check the latest position in good time before your departure.

Please note: When travelling on any of our cruise holidays, if you wish to explore the ports independently then you may need to obtain visas. Contact us for details.

We will forward full details about applying for your visa through our recommended agency in good time prior to your holiday in order that you may be able to apply and receive the relevant visas for your holiday in good time prior to departure.

We endeavour to keep the information regarding visa requirements up to date but requirements may change and we recommend that you check the latest position in good time before your departure.

Insurance and holiday duration

It is a condition of booking that you take out sufficient and appropriate travel insurance cover. We recommend you do this at time of booking so that your deposit is recoverable in the event of a cancellation covered by the policy.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all members of your party have appropriate travel insurance cover and that any insurance policy purchased is adequate for your/their particular needs and valid for the entire duration of the holiday. The duration of the holiday in the brochure includes the day of departure and day of return and is the period to be used for insurance purposes. Please remember to extend the duration of your insurance cover if you choose to extend your holiday. We do not check alternative insurance policies.

To take advantage of our insurance, please contact us for details. If you take out your own cover please advise us of the Insurance Company Name, your policy reference number and the 24-hour emergency telephone number. Read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday.

Health & Mobility

Disabilities, medical conditions and mobility

Although our tours are designed to be conducted at a leisurely pace, they can also be physically demanding and porterage is not always available. Regrettably, many of our tours are therefore not suitable for the disabled traveller. Please advise us before any booking is made if anyone in your party has a medical condition or disability that may affect your/their holiday arrangements or if there are any health or fitness concerns which may affect your/their ability to cope with a tour. If we are to help you choose the right holiday for your health and fitness, we must be aware of all details. Please note that Tour Managers cannot provide individual assistance with boarding trains or coaches, or handle your luggage.

It is your responsibility to provide us with full and accurate details of your mobility, health and fitness (including any disability) of all members of your party, so we can advise you on the suitability of tours. We have a Mobility team within the office who will be happy to provide guidance about our holidays and answer any further questions you may have about a specific holiday.  Please advise us before any booking is made if anyone in your party has a medical condition or disability that may affect your/their holiday arrangements or if there are any health or fitness concerns which may affect your/their ability to cope with a tour. Please also remember to advise us of any changes to mobility or fitness levels between booking your holiday and travelling

If you are in any doubt as to whether the holiday you hope to book is suitable for you, please discuss this with our Reservations Team at the time of making your booking. We want all our customers to enjoy their holiday to the full, and are here to help answer any mobility, disability, health and fitness issues concerns. You must also advise us of any change to your level of mobility between booking your holiday and joining your tour.

Health

The Department of Health's leaflet (T7.1) "Health advice for travellers" is available at Post Offices, by phoning 0800 555777 or online at www.dh.gov.uk, showing health requirements and advice for the countries you are visiting. We advise you to check with your doctor in good time prior to your departure as to which inoculations are necessary.

For European holidays, you should obtain the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for access to health care in many European countries. Further information is available from the NHS on 0191 218 1999 or online at www.nhs.uk. Please note: the EHIC card is not a substitute for comprehensive travel insurance.

Accommodation & meals

Accommodation

All our basic holiday prices are expressed in £ sterling and are per person, based on 2 people sharing (except for our programme of Single Traveller Holidays):

• Supplements for accommodation upgrades are usually expressed per room or cabin/sleeper, on the assumption that two people are occupying it  
• Single supplements or prices are naturally expressed per person and cover the full duration of the tour.
• In some hotels, triple or family rooms may be available and we are happy to provide a quotation accordingly. 
• A hotel room shared by two people may contain a double or twin beds. In some countries a double bed may consist of two beds pushed or linked together (termed as 'Continental Double').
• A single hotel room may be a 'true' single or may be a single occupancy of a double or twin room. Either way, the supplement shown is payable*.   We cannot guarantee single use of a double room unless this is specifically received in writing from our suppliers.
• Whilst we request for rooms to be to the same standard for all customers, hotel rooms, particularly in older properties, may differ in size and amenities offered.
• All of our hotels offer en-suite accommodation. En suite facilities always consist of a private WC with either bath or shower. Some of our sleeper train services offer shared WC and Shower facilities.
• Sleeping accommodation on our trains is likely to take the form of seating which converts into a berth at night.
• Rooms/cabins are not usually available before about 2pm on arrival day and must be vacated by about 11am on departure day. You may request a specific configuration, room type or room location but, while we pass on all requests to our hotel partners, neither we nor they can guarantee that what you want can or will be provided.

If you have any special requests relating to your accommodation, please do not hesitate to bring these to the attention of our staff at the time of booking.

Meals

Please check the 'What's Included' panels to see what meals are included on each holiday.

• Hotels: Meals are generally taken in the restaurant of the hotel. We usually dine together, with a set 'table d'hote' style menu that will often feature regional dishes. Drinks are usually not included in our arrangements.
• Trains: On chartered trains most meals are included and are taken in the restaurant car of the train. If you are travelling in Standard Premier Class on Eurostar a light snack and drinks are included, served at your seat.
• Cruise Ships: Meals are normally included, and are taken in the ship's main restaurant.
• Special diets: If you have a specific dietary need please discuss it with us before you book. We will do our best to cater for special diets when notified in advance. The more information we have, the better, but even then, some suppliers find it difficult to satisfy every requirement.

If you have any special meal requests such as vegetarian, Ceoliac, low fat etc. please bring these to the attention of our staff as soon as possible during the booking process.

Tips

The price of your holiday usually allows us to reward staff who serve you during your time on a GRJ holiday and on some occasions, your Tour Manager will provide a gratuity on behalf of the group. However, there are instances when an additional gratuity may be appropriate, perhaps because it is customary in your host country, or because of the nature of the activity undertaken, or simply because you have received exceptional service.

Cruising has an established culture of tipping and your Tour Manager will be on hand to offer advice on this. Such additional gratuities will be on an individual basis and at your own discretion, however our river cruise partners recommend you should budget for tips of approximately €8-12 per person per day, provided you feel you have received good service. On ocean cruises there is often a fixed service charge of approximately US$10 per person per day plus a 15% gratuity automatically added to bar charges and wine purchases.

If you would like to show your appreciation of your Tour Manager by the payment of a personal gratuity to him/her, previous experience suggests that a reasonable guideline would be an amount of c. £1 per person per day. However, we would stress that any amount you may wish to give as your way of saying 'thank you' is entirely a matter for your own personal discretion.

Itineraries & travel arrangements

Tour itineraries

Our holidays are planned many months in advance. We do our best to follow the detailed itineraries shown, but reserve the right to make changes if we need to react to schedule changes or local conditions. The sightseeing tours and excursions described may also have to be amended to suit local conditions or Public Holidays. This can affect both the exact route travelled and the class of service in which we travel (and in rare instances both). For example, if scheduling congestion causes us to be unable to travel First Class through the Rhine Gorge, our rail planning department works to initially provide our groups with the same journey in Standard Class, should this not be possible an alternative route is found in First Class, or if both these solutions are impossible the last resort is to find an alternative route in Standard Class. However, we have over 30 years experience of planning European holidays by rail and the strength of our relations with European rail suppliers mean that our groups are rarely disadvantaged with the solutions to scheduling congestion we find.

We have included only a brief description of our optional excursions in the brochure. Full details, including prices, will be sent to you around 10-12 weeks before you travel. Please note that all optional excursions are subject to a minimum number of participants in order to operate, and the day of operation may change.

Rail reservations

We request rail reservations many months in advance but occasionally there are insufficient First Class (or equivalent) seats available. In these situations we will book Standard Class seats and refund the difference to you. Although we do our best to follow the routes noted in the itinerary there might be occasions when a different routing or departure time is necessary due to timetable variations or seat availability.

Increasingly, trains are 100% non-smoking, and reservations are requested in non-smoking accommodation, although at busy times we may be allocated some smoking seats. We cannot make specific requests for smoking seats.

Prices quoted in this brochure are based on special fares, negotiated with our rail partners for group travel. Should you wish to travel on any Eurostar or other rail service, other than that included as part of your group holiday, a rail variation charge of £20 per person per service will apply in addition to the difference in cost between our special group fare and the normal published fare applicable at time of request for the journey in question. Any change involving sleeper services will be quoted on an individual basis.

Eurostar departure times

Where possible we have included an idea of the departure time of the Eurostar service from St Pancras International within each itinerary. Please note, these times are provisional. We request Eurostar rail reservations many months in advance and on occasions it may be necessary to revise the departure time which has been stated in the brochure due to circumstances beyond our control, such as timetable variations or seat availability. Exact Eurostar departure times will be available approximately 10-12 weeks before your departure and we will write to you in the form of an Update Letter to confirm these to you.

Joining Eurostar at Ebbsfleet International

It's not just London that can boast direct links to the Continent. Travellers from the South of England can also connect to the Eurostar at Ebbsfleet International, which is conveniently situated close to the M25 and other major road links, and has lots of parking spaces. For travellers who wish to avoid London, departing from Ebbsfleet International can get your holiday off to a hassle-free start.

Unfortunately not all Eurostar services to and from St Pancras International stop at Ebbsfleet International. Those people travelling from Ebbsfleet may have to travel on an earlier train from the group who depart from St Pancras International and meet them in Paris or Brussels.  If this is the case, a Rail Variation Fee of £20 per person will apply as we will be required to obtain an individual ticket for you.

Travel delays

In the event of any undue delay, the group will be looked after in accordance with the standard practice of the scheduled carrier or transport operator. 

The vast majority of flights operate without problems, although the reality of air travel in the world today is that congestion and economic pressures can lead to the possibility of lost luggage, delay, cancellation and overbooking. Crowded airports, queues, check-in, security and flights are often a test of patience and endurance, and customers should be prepared to cope with the consequences of disruption including delays. In the event of undue delay the group will be looked after in accordance with the standard practice of the scheduled carrier or transport operator. Travel Insurance policies can be worth their weight in gold under such circumstances and we strongly recommend that you take a fully comprehensive policy to cover you for your holiday.

Flights

International flights are provided by major airlines. If known at time of printing, we show the name of the airline we plan to fly with. The type of aircraft is not usually known at this point, but if it is of interest to you we are happy to provide this information when we can. Regardless of any information given in good faith, operational changes can be made by an airline at any point and we cannot be responsible for this.

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.

While we pass on any airline seating requests, no guarantees can be given by us or by the airline. The reality is that the only way to ensure additional leg-room is to purchase an upgrade.

Maintenance and development work

Every holiday visits a number of different destinations. There may well be maintenance, re-development, building, road works or track work in the vicinity of any of the hotels. If we know about such work and any associated disruption or noise which is reasonably likely to affect the enjoyment of your holiday, we make every effort to tell you about it as quickly as possible. Please appreciate that we are not the only passengers travelling on the trains or ships used in our holidays, nor the only guests staying in the hotels. We cannot be held responsible for the behaviour or noise of others.

Overseas standards

In some countries, you may experience laws and standards that might not be the same as you are used to in the UK. On some holidays we visit countries with less advanced infrastructures. Travellers with an open, yet cautious mind and a flexible approach should enjoy the experience.

ABTA, ATOL and AITO

Our ABTA membership

Great Rail Journeys/Treyn is a tour operator member of ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, and our ABTA number is V2170. ABTA's main aims are to maintain high standards of trading practice for the benefit of its members, the travel industry at large and the consumers they serve. Both ABTA and its members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan.

As an ABTA member, we are obliged and committed to follow the organisation's Code of Conduct. This ensures that our customers receive a high standard of service, fair terms of trading, and clear and accurate information on issues such as passports and visas, health requirements, and details of any alterations to your holiday. In the event of things going wrong, the Code of Conduct ensures that we respond to any complaint within strict time limits.

For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and also the independent arbitration scheme available to customers if you have a complaint visit www.abta.com or call 020 3117 0500. Alternatively, ABTA may be contacted at the following address:

ABTA
30 Park Street
London
SE1 9EQ

Tel: 020 3117 0500
Fax: 020 3117 0581

Email: abta@abta.co.uk
Website: www.abta.com 

ATOL protection

Our ATOL number is 3278. Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website and in our brochures are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website or in our brochures. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

Our AITO membership

Great Rail Journeys is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators, an organisation representing over 150 of Britain's best specialist tour operators. Members of AITO strive to create holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality, personal service and customer satisfaction. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating and all members are fully bonded for clients' protection, in compliance with UK and European regulations. Great Rail Journeys - like all other AITO members - are also bound by the organisation's Quality Charter.

For further information about AITO visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280.

Links to external websites

Throughout the website we provide links to external websites owned by third parties, for example the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department of Health. Please note that such third parties are not ABTA members and that Great Rail Journeys Ltd is not responsible for the content of their sites. For links to each page of this website, see our website sitemap.

Important information about Great Rail Journeys

Head office and contact address:

Great Rail Journeys Ltd
Saviour House
9 St Saviourgate
York
YO1 8NL

Tel: 01904 521900
Email: grj@greatrail.com

Registered in England No: 3208093
VAT Registration No: 870 3844 14

Premiums per person – for UK destinations

Premiums per person - for European destinations

Premiums per person – Worldwide destinations

Eligibility

Significant or unusual exclusions and limitations

Significant features and benefits

Duration of cover

Your right to cancel

Customer Service/Making a complaint

IMPORTANT NOTES

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS RELATING TO HEALTH & ACTIVITIES

Joining your holiday

London has so many attractions, activities and entertainment options... the theatres, the museums, the parks and the shops are all waiting to be explored! So why not begin your holiday by arriving there a day or more prior to the start of your tour? We can arrange so much - including travel to and from London and overnight hotels - to help you get the most out of your time and begin your tour in real style.

Door to door luggage

If you would like to avoid carrying your cases from home, across London, and all the way to your holiday destination, Great Rail Journeys is pleased to recommend the services of both "Carry My Luggage" and "The Baggage Man". Both independent companies offer a cost-effective and reliable door-to-door luggage collection and delivery service. Your case will be collected from home a few days prior to the holiday departure so that it can be waiting for you at your main hotel. On the way home, you can leave your case behind in the hotel to be collected and returned home. The services are available either one-way or return. Further details of these services are available on request.

Travelling to London

We appreciate that many of our customers travel from a variety of places in the UK to St Pancras International in London to join our European tours, some more distant than others. As our European tours generally commence at St Pancras International during the morning of the first day, it is often more convenient to make your way to London the previous day, so you are fresh and rested before joining your tour. Let us make it easy for you by booking rail tickets to London and an overnight hotel near St Pancras International.

UK rail connections

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.

London Hotels

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End, or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We are able to book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. The hotels listed below are some of the more popular hotels our customers book in Central London, others are available on request.

The prices above are from prices and are per room per night based on 2 sharing a twin/double room, subject to availability. Prices may change without prior notice. Booking conditions apply.

If you would like a quote for your particular holiday please contact us on 01904 521900

Travelling on Eurostar

Joining Eurostar at Ebbsfleet International

It's not just London that can boast direct links to the Continent. Travellers from the South of England can also connect to the Eurostar at Ebbsfleet International, which is conveniently situated close to the M25 and other major road links, and has lots of parking spaces. For travellers who wish to avoid London, departing from Ebbsfleet International can get your holiday off to a hassle-free start.

Unfortunately not all Eurostar services to and from St Pancras International stop at Ebbsfleet International. Those people travelling from Ebbsfleet may have to travel on an earlier train from the group who depart from St Pancras International and meet them in Paris or Brussels.  A Rail Variation Fee of £20 per person will applicable in this instance as we have to purchase an individual ticket for you.

Extending your European holiday

Many of our holidays include a final stopover in Paris or Cologne en route to London. Why not extend your holiday by enjoying an extra night or two in one of these attractive cities, returning to London in your own time? Or travel out a few days early and meet your group in one of these fantastic locations.

Paris

Mercure Terminus Nord, Paris

This 3-star hotel is full of character, in an exceptional location facing the Gare du Nord station. Bedrooms are well equipped with en suite bathroom, safe, hairdryer, satellite and pay TV as well as direct dial telephone. Decorated in typical Parisian style, the public rooms, including the bar, reflect the hotel's high standard.

Cologne

The Best Western Grand City Hotel or Grand City Hotel Cologne Centre, Cologne

Both the Best Western Grand City Hotel Cologne (formerly known as the Four Points Hotel) and the Grand City Hotel Cologne Centre are well appointed 4-star hotels with a bar, lounge and restaurant. Room facilities include en suite bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities (available on request), minibar with free soft drinks, cable TV, hairdryer and telephone. A laundry service is available at both hotels.

Brussels

Hotel Bedford, Brussels

Conveniently located between the Grand Place and Brussels-Midi Eurostar terminal, the Hotel Bedford is an ideal place to stay and explore Brussels. The spacious rooms include a hairdryer, cable TV and a safe. The hotel restaurant offers buffet and a la carte dining, and the hotel piano bar is a perfect place to relax on an evening.

Conditions of website use

1. Making your booking

2. Payment

3. Your contract

4. Holiday prices

5. Reservation and confirmation

6. Suitability of the Tour and behaviour

We reserve the right in our absolute discretion to terminate without prior notice the holiday arrangements of any customer whose behaviour is such that it causes or is likely to cause, in our reasonable opinion, or in the opinion of any Tour Manager or any other person in authority, distress, damage, danger or annoyance to any third party, or damage to property. In these circumstances all our obligations to you under this contract or otherwise shall cease, full cancellation charges apply and we shall not be liable for any refund, compensation or costs incurred by you whatsoever. Our tours can be physically demanding. We are also entitled to terminate your holiday where, in the reasonable opinion of any person in authority (including office staff or your Tour Manager when you join your holiday), your physical condition means you are unable or likely to be unable to cope with the tour or to experience significant difficulties in doing so. It is your responsibility to disclose an accurate account of your mobility and all other relevant information relating to your health and fitness at the time of booking. You must advise us of any change to your level of mobility or health and fitness between booking your holiday and joining your tour. See also clause 15.

7. Alterations to your booking

8. Cancellation by you

9. Charges and cancellations by us

10. Force majeure

11. Our liability to you

12. Complaints and problems

13. Arbitration

Disputes arising out of, or in connection with your contract which cannot be amicably settled may be referred to arbitration if you so wish under an arbitration scheme arranged by ABTA and administered independently. The scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on you in respect of costs. Full details can be obtained from the ABTA website (www.abta.com). This scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000 per person. There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or its consequences. The scheme can however deal with compensation claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,000 on the amount the arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. Your request for arbitration must be received by ABTA within 12 months of the date of return from the holiday. Outside this time limit arbitration under the scheme may still be available if we agree, although the ABTA Code does not require such agreement. Alternatively, AITO's Independent Dispute Settlement (details on request from the Association of Independent Tour Operators, 133a St Margaret's Road, Twickenham, TW1 1RG) may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and amicable solution.

14. Conditions of suppliers

15. Special requests and medical conditions/disabilities

16. Excursions, activities and brochure/website information

17. Flights

18. Denied boarding regulations

If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your flight ticket is downgraded or boarding is denied by your airline, depending on the circumstances, the airline may be required to pay you compensation, refund the cost of your flight and/or provide you with accommodation and/orrefreshments under EC Regulation No 261/2004 - the Denied Boarding Regulations 2004. Where applicable, you must pursue the airline for the compensation or other payment due to you. All sums you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline concerned by virtue of these Regulations represent the full amount of your entitlement to compensation or any other payment arising from such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding. This includes any disappointment, distress, inconvenience or effect on any other arrangements. The fact a delay may entitle you to cancel your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight. We have no liability to make any payment to you in relation to the Denied Boarding Regulations as your entitlement to any compensation or other payment (as dealt with above) is covered by the airline's obligations under the Denied Boarding Regulations. If, for any reason, we make any payment to you or a third party which the airline is responsible for in accordance with the Denied Boarding Regulations, you must, when requested, assign to us the rights you have or had to claim the payment in question from the airline. If your airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Air Transport Users' Council on 020 7240 6061 www.auc.org.uk. Please note, your rights under clause 9 ("Changes and Cancellations by Us") and clause 11 ("Our Liability to You") of these booking conditions are not affected by the above Denied Boarding Regulations except that we are entitled to argue that the amount you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline is sufficient to meet any compensation obligation we may have to you as your tour operator as a result of any such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding.

19. Rail reservations

20. Your financial protection

The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 require us to provide security for the monies that you pay for the package holidays booked from this brochure or our website and for your repatriation in the event of our insolvency. We provide this security by way of an ATOL (ATOL number 3278) administered by the Civil Aviation Authority for packages which include a flight and a bond held by ABTA (ABTA number V2170) for packages that do not include a flight (www.abta.com). 

When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday* from us, you will receive an ATOL Certificate*. This lists the flight, accommodation, car hire and/or other services that are financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).

*Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website and in our brochures are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website or in our brochures. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. For more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate.

If your holiday does not include flights, ABTA will financially protect your holiday by ensuring you receive a refund or, if your arrangements include return travel to the UK (other than flights) you are returned to the UK in the event that your holiday cannot be provided as a result of our insolvency. Please go to www.abta.com for a copy of the guide to ABTA's scheme of financial protection.

21. Data protection

Great Rail Journeys Limited are a data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal information you give us. This information will be passed on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. It may also be provided, either by us or by the suppliers of your travel arrangements, to public authorities such as banks and credit card companies, customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies or insurance providers. The above applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements but we will obviously only pass these on where necessary to do so to provide the service you have requested. If we cannot pass on this information as set out above, we may be unable to provide your booking or other services you have requested (for example, travel insurance). In making your booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons who may be outside the EU/European Economic Area. If you travel outside the EU/ European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in the UK. We would like to use your details for marketing purposes (e.g. sending you our brochures) and to pass them on to other companies within our group who may also contact you for marketing purposes. If you do not wish to receive any further information from us or other companies in our group please let us know this at the time you give us your details or, if you do not do so then, at any time subsequently. You are generally entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) what details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. We promise to respond to your request within 40 days of receiving your written request and fee. In certain limited circumstances we may be entitled to refuse your request. To improve our service, calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

Terms of Insurance Business

About us

Great Rail Journeys Limited of Saviour House, 9 St Saviourgate, York, YO1 8NL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.  Our Firm's Registration Number is 488024.  We are permitted to arrange, advise on, deal as an agent of insurers and clients, and assist in claims handling but only with respect to Connected Travel non-investment insurance policies.  You can check these details on the FSA's Register by visiting the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/register/ or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234.

Your duty of disclosure

Your insurance is based upon the information provided to the insurance company and you must ensure that all such information is complete and accurate, and that any facts that may influence the insurer's decision to accept the policy and what terms are applied must be disclosed,

Failure to disclose material information, including all existing or new medical conditions arising pre-departure, to the insurance company may invalidate your insurance and could mean that part, or all of a claim may not be paid.

How to cancel

You may have a statutory right to cancel this policy within a short period.  If you cancel within 14 days you will receive a full refund of premium.  Please refer to your policy summary or your policy document for further details.  If you wish to cancel outside that period you will not receive a refund of premium except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of our insurer.

Protecting your information

All personal information about you will be treated as private and confidential (even when you are no longer a customer), except where the disclosure is made at your request or with your consent in relation to administering your insurance, and except where law requires us.

Some or all of the information you supply to us in connection with your insurance proposal may be passed to insurance and other companies for underwriting, claims and premium collection purposes.  Your data will be held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, under which you have a right of access to see personal information about you that is held in our records, whether electronically or manually. If you have any queries, please write to the Customer Relations Manager at the above address.

How to claim

Please refer to your policy summary or your policy document if you need to notify a claim.  You should contact the insurer direct as soon as possible using the contact details provided, If in doubt about whom you should contact, please contact us on 01904 521900.

Block transfers

In respect of some classes of insurance we may operate block insurance arrangements in order to provide competitive terms.  On occasions it will be necessary for us to transfer such blocks from one insurer to another where this is beneficial for our clients.

This Terms of Insurance Business document constitutes both your acceptance that we may do this and your prior request for us so to do.

Protecting your money

Prior to your premium being forwarded to the insurer, and for your protection, we either hold your money as an agent of the insurers (in which case your policy is treated as being paid for), or we hold it in a client bank account on trust for you.

We may extend credit to other customers from this account and we may transfer your money to another intermediary in some cases.  However, you money will be protected at all times because of the requirements of FSA rules.  We also reserve the right to retain interest earned on this account.

By accepting this Terms of Insurance Business document, you are giving your consent for us to operate in this way.

Complaints

It is our intention to provide a high level of service at all times,  However, if you have reason to make a complaint about our service you should contact the Customer Relations Manager at the above address or ring 01904 521900.  You may be entitled to refer the matter subsequently to the Financial Ombudsman Service.  You can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service by telephone on 0845 080 1800 and further information is available at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/ If you do decide to refer any matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service your legal rights will not be affected.

Compensation arrangements

We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.  You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations.  This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim.  Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the first £2,000 and 90% of the remainder of the claim, without any upper limit.  For compulsory classes of insurance, insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the claim, without any upper limit.  Further information about compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCAS on 020 7892 7300 or by visiting www.fscs.org.uk/

Great Rail Journeys Limited are a data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal information you give us. This information will be passed on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. It may also be provided, either by us or by the suppliers of your travel arrangements, to public authorities such as banks and credit card companies, customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies or insurance providers. The above applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements but we will obviously only pass these on where necessary to do so to provide the service you have requested. If we cannot pass on this information as set out above, we may be unable to provide your booking or other services you have requested (for example, travel insurance).

In making your booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in the UK. We would like to use your details for marketing purposes (e.g. sending you our brochures). We would also like to pass your details on to other companies within our group who may also contact you for marketing purposes. If you do not wish to receive any further information from us or other companies in our group please let us know this at the time you give us your details or, if you do not do so then, at any time subsequently.

You are generally entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) what details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. We promise to respond to your request within 40 days of receiving your written request and fee. In certain limited circumstances we may be entitled to refuse your request. To improve our service, calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

Great Rail Journeys use cookies on our website to track details such as the source of our online visitors, products viewed and also to pass relevant details through each stage of the booking journey. This information is only used to enhance our customers' online experience and the information will not be shared with any third parties. You may disable cookies by amending your browser settings or alternatively please feel free to make you enquiry or booking through our call centre.

What is a cookie?

Cookies are files sent to your Internet browser that are stored on your computer. Cookies identify a computer browsing a website, not an individual.

How does Great Rail Journeys use cookies?

Cookies simplify your booking by saving you from resubmitting your information, and help us keep track of a booking between pages. Neither your password nor any other information is stored within a cookie.

To help us improve our website and the services we provide, we conduct trend analysis using information about computers browsing our website. This is not profile-building of individual customers.

For personalised marketing purposes, Great Rail Journeys contacts customers who have submitted their email address. We provide an opt-out with every communication we send to you.

Great Rail Journeys offers a personalised browsing experience while you are visiting our site, by using cookies stored on your computer during previous visits to recommend services you may be interested in.

You may experience advertisements from us when browsing other websites. These are effected by cookies that do not hold personal details and that are based on your browsing during visits to our website.

If you wish to manage, block or remove cookies then your Internet browser will allow you to do so. This may detrimentally affect your browsing experience.

Which cookies does Great Rail Journeys have?

The following are the main cookies we use:

Where is my personal information stored?

Any and all information you provide to us will be stored in secure databases at our secured offices, and prohibited from unauthorised viewing and usage.

What does Great Rail Journeys do with the information collected?

Great Rail Journeys only receives information about you when you submit such information to us by making a booking or requesting a brochure. We do not collect personal information about you while you are browsing.

Details such as your name, address and credit card details will be collected when you book your holiday with us. We will only disclose your information to external parties in order to complete your booking with us and exercise our responsibilities to you as our customer. It may also be necessary to share your information for associated administration, or seeking professional advice related to your booking.

Great Rail Journeys may use details you have submitted to our site to contact you about your booking.

We may also use the information you have submitted to us to contact you about our offers, which are updated regularly. If you would rather we did not use your information to contact you about offers you can indicate this using the options we have provided. If you would like to receive further offers but have already opted out then please contact us at Great Rail Journeys, Saviour House, 9 St. Saviourgate, York, YO1 8NL.

When you visit our site by selecting a link from another, we may store the name of the site you have navigated from for internal administration purposes. Any communication you have with Great Rail Journeys may be recorded for the purposes of training and monitoring.

How will I know if you change this policy?

Any and all changes to our Privacy Policy will be reflected in the information listed on this page. By continuing to browse the Great Rail Journeys website you consent to any changed Terms and Conditions of use held in this policy.

Accessibility

It is possible to alter the size of text on our webpages for maximum visibility and readability.

All standard Internet browsers provide options to increase or decrease text size. Find your browser below for instructions:

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Select 'View' from the menu bar and move your cursor to 'Text Size'. To choose from 'Largest' to 'Smallest' click on the size you wish to use.

Mozilla Firefox

Select 'View' from the menu bar, move your cursor to 'Zoom' and select 'Zoom Text' Only. Select 'View' from the menu and then 'Zoom' once again. Click on 'Zoom In' or 'Zoom Out' to alter the text sizing on a page you are viewing.

Google Chrome

Select the wrench, or spanner, icon on the menu bar. Select 'Settings', move to 'Show advanced settings' and then the section labelled 'Web content'. The font size drop-down menu allows you to select a comfortable reading size.

Apple Safari

Select 'Preferences' from the Safari menu, then choose 'Appearance'. Go to 'Select', located alongside 'Standard Font', and choose the text size you wish to display by clicking on a number in the 'Sizes' column. You will also need to select a size from the 'Fixed-width font' option.

Website Terms & Conditions

This website is controlled and operated by Great Rail Journeys Limited, Saviour House, 9 St. Saviourgate, York, YO1 8NL. Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully before continuing with your use of this website. By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. The Terms are meant to protect all of our website visitors and your use of this website indicates your agreement with these Terms & Conditions.

Use of the Website

This website may only be used for your own personal use. None of the material may be
copied or used for any commercial purposes.

You may not copy, distribute, alter, transmit, sell or reproduce any of the material on this website.

Copyright and Website Material

All copyright and other intellectual property rights in material (including text, photographs and videos) contained in this website are either owned by Great Rail Journeys Limited or have been licensed for use on this website. You may only use this website and the material contained as set out above. If you wish to do anything else, you must obtain the written permission of Great Rail Journeys Limited.

The trademarks, logos and service marks displayed on this website belong to us or other third parties. You are not permitted to use these without written permission.

Links to Other Sites

This website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the content of these sites.

Video Content

We endeavour to keep the video footage shown on this Site as up-to-date as possible, but we accept no liability for any changes which may occur between the time of filming and the time you come to view the footage.

Statement on Cookies

We use cookies on our website to track details such as the source of our online visitors, products viewed and also to pass relevant details through each stage of the booking journey. This information is only used to enhance our customers' online experience and the information will not be shared with any third parties. You may disable cookies by amending your browser settings or alternatively please feel free to make you enquiry or booking through our call centre.

For more information on how we use cookies on our website please read our Statement on Cookies.

Privacy

Any information that we receive from you via this website will be used and held by us in accordance with our Privacy Statement.

Great Rail Journeys Limited reserves the right to modify or update these Terms at any
time. By using this website you are accepting these Terms & Conditions.