The price of our vacations includes:
Transportation including seat reservations where required, recommended, and available.
Accommodations, including breakfast where stated/selected
Detailed trip guide with tickets and check-in details
WhatsApp support during business hours and a 24/7 emergency phone number
Free replanning in the case of disruption
Package protection through our ABTA (for UK customers) or SGR (rest of world) bond and 100% Covid refund guarantee
Deep travel and routing expertise and insight
The price of our trips doesn’t include:
Tickets for activities, ski or event passes.
Local car or bike rental
Pet-friendly or large-luggage-friendly itineraries, unless prearranged
Specific seating requests (e.g., top deck, window)
Local transfers, taxis, or buses you might choose to take within an area once you're there
Travel insurance - please arrange this separately in case you need to cancel
City/tourist taxes required to be paid at check-in at your accommodations
Any accessibility requirements not outlined by you in the accessibility form.
We know that you want to have a great vacation, and we want that too.
During your trip, you'll have direct WhatsApp support to ask the Byway support team any questions you have while you're away (or send us vacation photos—we love to see what you're up to). We'll send you an invite to the group 1-2 days before you leave.
Our team is active on WhatsApp Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM GMT (10:00 AM to 7:00 PM CET) and 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM GMT (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CET) on weekends. For urgent issues outside of these hours, please call our 24/7 emergency line at +44 3330916889.
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is a digital border control system that will record non-EU travelers’ entry and exit data, replacing passport stamps. It uses biometric and biographical information to strengthen security, detect overstays, and speed up border checks.
First-time travelers may face longer border checks due to biometric data collection (fingerprints and facial scans). After registration, future crossings should be quicker, with automated checks replacing manual passport stamping. However, as everyone will be going through this for the first time to start with, we expect longer lines at border control for at least the first few weeks after launch.
The EES is designed for a coordinated launch across all Schengen states, though practical readiness may differ by location. Therefore, please expect some discrepancies in the border experience from country to country, at least for the next few months. St. Pancras International originally had a launch date of October 12, 2025, but this now seems to be delayed. We'll keep you posted as we know more.
Your Trip Guide has all the information about each of your stays, including your confirmation number, room type, meal plan, and check-in and check-out times. Click the ‘see details’ button on each hotel entry for everything you need to know.
All you need to do is show up at your accommodations and give your name and/or confirmation number at the front desk, so no, you don’t need accommodation vouchers. Occasionally, vacation rentals or small B&Bs may have different check-in procedures. In those cases, we’ll provide you with the necessary information, such as key codes.
Sometimes you may be asked for your passport or ID to check into your stay—this is completely normal and nothing to worry about. In many European countries, it's a legal requirement for accommodations providers to register guests with local authorities. Usually you'll be asked for it when checking in, but sometimes hosts ask for this ahead of your arrival. When this happens, we'll let you know and provide you with their info so you can send it.
Many European countries charge a city/tourist tax that goes back into taking care of the city. You'll pay this at your accommodations, not in advance of your stay, and city taxes can't be included in your package. They're usually no more than a few euros per person per night. You might sometimes need to pay this tax in cash due to local regulations. Major cities in Italy and the Netherlands often charge a higher rate.
You can check tax policies online for the destinations you're visiting if you think you've been charged an unusually high amount.
Some hotels will ask for a pre-authorization amount or a damage deposit at check-in. This is to cover any room service requests, charges to your room that you might make, or damage to rooms. It’s standard practice for a hotel to ask for this, and you’ll be refunded upon check-out (it may take a few days to return to your account). The hotel may ask for this to be paid in cash or, more often, credit card, but debit cards are usually accepted. The "hold" amount varies between hotels, but is normally around €100 - €150.
It’s up to the hotel to decide whether they charge a deposit, and it’s not something that we control. When the hotel has provided the correct information, this will always be included in the hotel entry.
If your hotel requires a deposit, you’ll find this information in the reservation notes section on the hotel entry on your Trip Summary page and in your Trip Guide. In the rare case that your hotel charges you a deposit and this hasn’t been mentioned in your guide, please let us know so that we can update the hotel’s information for future travelers.
Your vacation package doesn’t include transfers between accommodations and stations/ports. Most of your stays will be within walking distance of your arrival/departure point, but you may prefer to get there by public transportation or taxi. Sometimes there are taxi stands at the station, or we can provide map links with directions or taxi numbers on request. If you'd like to pre-arrange taxi services with your accommodations, you'll find information on how to get in touch with them in your Trip Guide.
If one of your trains is delayed and you're worried about making a connection, don't worry. You can get a stamp called a "HOTNAT" (hop on the next available train), which allows you to do exactly that on high-speed transfers between Railteam members. Railteam members include Eurostar, SNCF, DB, OBB Railjet, Thalys, and TGV Lyria.
Ask the staff on your train to provide you with proof of delay. Once you've got this, head to the ticket counter at the station when you arrive and request a new reservation for an alternative service to your destination.
If you need a hand, don't hesitate to drop us a message on WhatsApp and we'll be happy to guide you. If you miss your train for any other reason, we'll assist in making alternative arrangements, and we always cover the cost in case of disruption. Upgraded alternatives such as taxis may be subject to additional charges.
There’s nothing better than having a bite to eat on the train as you look out the window. Some trains, especially high-speed and long-distance ones, have café cars onboard or offer a café cart service to your seat, while others don't offer any food service at all.
You might want to pick up some snacks to take onboard with you, just in case services aren't available onboard (it’s usually a bit cheaper than buying food on the train anyway). For those traveling in Eurostar Plus or Eurostar Premier onboard Eurostar, a light meal will be delivered to your seat.
When looking for stations on departure boards, the names will often be in the local language. Your trip guide should have the station names as you see them on the departure board, but let us know if it doesn't. It's always best to go by the train number, which can be found on your ticket.
Cross-border trains between countries may have different names for the same destinations. For example, Hendaye in France is listed as Hendaye, but in Spain it will be listed as Hendaya, or Hendaia in San Sebastian/Donostia. To avoid any confusion, look for the train number on the departure board and on your ticket.
For more information about specific European train stations, and guides on various aspects of train travel, visit the Seat61 website.
Most of your tickets will be e-tickets, but sometimes there may be local services on your trip that can't be booked in advance and will need to be purchased on the day of travel.
If relevant, your trip guide will tell you which ones these are. Fares range from £2 to £5 on average, but can go up to €20 in Corsica, and we recommend carrying cash to pay for these just in case.
Whether your overnight trip is on a train or ferry, the experience will be pretty similar. You’ll be booked into a standard private cabin that’ll likely feature bunk beds (unless you’ve upgraded).
Ferry and upgraded train cabins will usually have private bathrooms, while restrooms are located at the end of the cars for standard train cabins.
Specifics about your sleeper booking and what’s included will be detailed in your trip guide if relevant.
Interrail is a European rail travel program that offers travelers the chance to travel throughout Europe (including the UK) with one main ticket for all journeys. Some journeys (such as Eurostar, many high-speed services, and sleeper trains) will require additional seat reservations, which we buy for you.
As of September 2026, Eurail has been retired and folded into Interrail. It's now one brand, sold as Interrail worldwide, regardless of where you live. If you bought a Eurail pass before the switch, nothing about your trip changes. Both use the same app, now called the Interrail Rail Planner, and the setup and terminology are identical.
Using an Interrail pass can be a much more cost-effective way to travel than buying individual standard tickets, with savings of around £400 on average.
For most people, that's a great deal for something that only takes about 30 minutes to set up. The pass also lets you travel on a huge number of regional services at any time of day. For example, if you want to spend a few more hours at a cafe in Varenna, you might decide to catch a later train to Milan. You'd have to buy a new ticket if you were booked on a standard fare, but with an Interrail pass, it's totally free. All you need to do is add the later trip to your pass in the app, giving you more freedom and flexibility.
Your Interrail pass is your main ticket, and the documents sent to you are seat reservations needed for specific trips (which often look like tickets). The reservation only becomes valid when added to the pass, and although some ticket inspectors might not ask for the pass, some will. If you haven’t added it to your pass and validated it in the morning before the trip, you might have to pay for a new ticket or risk a fine.
Some trips don’t need a seat reservation, but they'll still need to be added to your pass when you travel. Each trip in your Trip Guide will tell you whether a reservation is needed or not.
To avoid any issues, please set up your pass using the instructions in your Trip Guide under the blue 'Set up Interrail pass' section or by following this guide. We can't set up your pass for you, but you can set up multiple passes on the same device if you want.
For more information on Interrail passes, visit the Interrail website.
Some station names in the app don't match their standard names. For example, Paris Gare du Nord is listed as Paris Nord and Cologne Messe/Deutz is listed as Koeln Messe/Deutz. If you're struggling to find a station in the app, try searching for part of it, or just the city name, and it should appear in the list. If you still can't find it, let us know and we'll give you a hand.
Most of your tickets will be e-tickets. This means you don’t need to print them—you can show them on your phone and the barcode will be scanned by ticket inspectors onboard or at the gates. We’ll send you a document with all your tickets in case you’d like to print them.
As mentioned, most of your trips will be e-tickets, but sometimes operators still use paper tickets that need to be collected from a ticket machine before traveling. These are most common when you’re traveling to Scotland, but are sometimes used elsewhere. Your Trip Guide will have all the information you need to collect these tickets from the train station before departure. You’ll need to use a ticket machine and enter your collection reference, and then your tickets will be printed. A valid credit/debit card is required for ticket collection, but you won’t be charged.
If you’re traveling with an Interrail pass, some of your journeys will require seat reservations. These are highlighted in your Trip Guide (you can see them by clicking through the red button that says ‘see tickets’) and in the Rail Planner app. Please refer to your Trip Guide to see which are reservations and which are tickets. You must add all journeys to your pass that we’ve highlighted and must not add any journeys that we haven’t highlighted.
If you're traveling with someone else, we'll always try our best to seat you together, but in some cases seats are randomly assigned by the operator with Interrail.
You can show most of your seat reservations on your phone, but some operators require paper reservations to travel. If this is the case, these will be mailed to the address you supplied when booking. The rest of your tickets will be sent by email and attached to your Trip Guide, so don’t worry if only a few arrive in the mail.
Some of our ticket-buying experts use European reservation systems, and as a result, some of your tickets/seat reservations may be in another language like German, even if you're not traveling to Germany. This won’t cause any issues when you’re traveling, and the important information is on the ticket. If you’re unsure about any of the details, we can help.
Station names may be different on the ticket, so if you’d like to translate your tickets into English, DeepL Translate has a great translation tool (and app) that you can use.
Stasher offers luggage storage in over 2,000 locations across more than 400 cities worldwide. Book here and use the code byway10 to receive 10% off.
Most large stations throughout Europe also offer luggage storage facilities, which are especially useful if you're arriving early in the morning on a sleeper train and can't check into your accommodations right away, or just want to freely explore somewhere you're stopping for a few hours.
Accommodations with all-day front desks are also normally happy to hold your luggage for you while you wait for your room to be ready at check-in time.
One of the great things about traveling by rail is that, with a few limitations, you can pretty much take as much luggage as you can carry! Unlike airlines, there's no charge for excess baggage, and as long as your luggage can fit in the luggage racks or overhead spaces, you'll be able to take it with you. For Eurostar, the UK, and most European trains, the general rule is that you can bring two large bags and one smaller item, provided you can manage them yourself. You can check individual trains' luggage restrictions on their websites. Note that there are exceptions for oversized luggage like surfboards, musical instruments, or bicycles, so do let us know if you're hoping to take anything other than suitcases with you.
You may need to change stations or walk to hotels, so packing light is always a good idea to make sure you’re comfortable as you make your way to your next stop.
Read our blog about how to pack for a train trip, or our guide to ferries.
Luggage is usually free on train or bus trips across Europe and the UK. However, in some countries, such as Croatia, there is a fee for storing bags on buses. This should be paid in cash, so we recommend carrying some with you.
The journey between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon (or vice versa) takes nine minutes on the D line metro (southbound from Gare du Nord, northbound from Gare de Lyon). You can see the journey on Google Maps. Allow at least 30 minutes for this transfer to make it a smooth one. See the Seat61 guide on YouTube for a handy walkthrough of the transfer. For more information on navigating the Parisian RER metro system, visit the RATP website.
Walking between Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est takes around 10 minutes and is much more efficient than taking a taxi. If you’d prefer to transfer using public transit, you can take the 54 bus (pay on board) from the main entrance to Gare du Nord (on Place Napoléon III) toward Gabriel Peri-Metro and get off at Gare de l’Est. Alternatively, you can take the 91 bus toward Montparnasse 2 and get off at Gare de l'Est.
For the trip from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord, it takes the same amount of time to walk. However, if you'd prefer to take public transit, you can take the 54 or 91 bus (pay on board). For the 54, take the bus from Rue du 8 Mai 1945 toward Gabriel Peri-Metro and ride for two stops. The 91 can be taken from Rue du 8 Mai 1945 and is a nonstop service to Gare du Nord. Both trips take around 10 minutes.
Many routes around Europe pass through Paris as it’s an excellent train hub. As a result, you might need to use the metro to get to different train stations around Paris. For example, the Eurostar gets in at Gare du Nord and many outbound trains depart from Gare de Lyon, a nine-minute metro trip away.
Physical tickets are required for the metro (you can’t just tap a payment card). There is no charge for children under four, and children aged four to nine pay half price. Your tickets are valid for a full trip, including any transfers within 90 minutes. If you're traveling by Eurostar or TGV to Paris, you can purchase metro tickets from the onboard bistro car. They're a little more expensive, but often worth it, as you can walk right past the busy ticket machines at the station. You can also buy metro tickets on the day of travel at machines in the station: select English, then follow the steps on the screen, and you can pay by card or cash.
Alternatively, you can buy them on your phone. Here's how to do it:
Option 1: Using your iPhone
Open your Apple Wallet on your iPhone and tap the “+” symbol in the top right
Tap “Transit Card” - Scroll down to France and tap “Navigo”
Select 1, 3, or 5 t+ tickets or a carnet of 10 t+ tickets
Tap “Buy and Pay with Apple Pay”
The tickets are now loaded in your Apple Wallet. Each ticket gives you one trip by metro, RER, or bus in central Paris. When entering the metro in Paris, hold your iPhone against the Navigo smart card reader on the ticket gates and they will open.
Option 2: Using an Android phone
Download the Bonjour RATP app and follow the instructions to buy and use tickets on your Android phone.
This works on newer Android phones with NFC capabilities. It may not work with older phones or older versions of Android.
Traveling on Spain's high-speed rail network means that you will have to pass through security checks before boarding. These don't take too long, but please arrive roughly 30 minutes before departure to give yourself plenty of time before your train departs. You can find a list of prohibited items here. These will be confiscated before boarding if they are in your baggage, so we recommend not taking any with you.
If you're traveling on a high-speed (AVE, ALVIA, AVLO) and/or long-distance (larga distancia) train through Spain, you're entitled to free use of the Spanish suburban commuter rail within the four hours on either side of your trip(s), which can be super handy for getting to and from the station and your hotel. To get your tickets for this line, get a Combinado Cercanías ticket at self-service kiosks or station ticket offices by scanning the barcode or entering the code in the top right of your ticket.
Remember: You can only use the Combinado Cercanías from four hours before departure and up to four hours after arrival at your destination.
