| GENERAL TERMS AND
CONDITIONS |
| GENERAL POLICIES
|
| All rail pass orders are subject to a non-refundable
handling fee. Italian Railpasses are subject to a non-refundable US $15.00
issuing charge per pass. DER Travel Services accepts credit card payment
through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Dinners
Club. |
| REFUNDS |
| Lost or stolen rail passes are
neither refundable nor replaceable. Handling and/or issuing charges are not
refundable. Unused rail passes are refundable within one (1)year from issue
date (or six [6] months from issue date for BritRail passes or where so stated)
provided the passes have not been validated, or, if they have been validated,
have been canceled and so stamped at a rail station in Europe prior to the
beginning of the validation period. All refunds are subject to a 15%
cancellation charge. Unused vouchers of combination packages (those combining
rail with other travel programs such as car rental) are not refundable if any
of the services of the entire combination package have been wholly or partially
used. |
| EXCHANGES |
| Rail passes may be exchanged for
an additional US $10.00 per pass and a $10.00 shipping fee. Exchanges must be
made within six months from the date of purchase. After six months from the
purchase date a refund is available (15% cancellation
charge). |
| GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
RAIL PASSES |
| NOTE: The following Terms and
Conditions apply to all rail passes offered by DER Travel Services Inc. and
should be read carefully. Every effort has been made to ensure all information
appearing herein is correct and exact. However, DER Travel Services Inc. cannot
accept responsibility for human or printing errors or changes in prices that
may be imposed on DER Travel Services Inc. after publication by European Rail
systems, or other providers of services mentioned herein. All products featured
online must be purchased in North America. All prices indicated are effective
January 1, 1997, and are subject to change without notice.
|
| Eurail Passes may not be issued
to residents of Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (the former
Soviet Union), Turkey, Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia. |
| Passes are to be validated within
6 months from the date of issue and prior to the first day of use. Validity
starts only when the pass is endorsed by a railway official at a railway ticket
office - not a conductor - from the country in question with your passport
number and the first and last days of travel. This must be done before boarding
the train for the first time. In most cases, validity runs from midnight to
midnight for the period shown on the pass. |
| Under no circumstances is the
holder allowed to validate his or her own pass. Any tampering or altering of
passes will invalidate them and could incur a fine in local currency levied by
train personnel. On Flexipasses, the holder must enter the date of each day of
travel, in ink, in the appropriate box before boarding the first train of the
day. Failure to comply with validation and date-of-use regulations will result
in a fine collected onboard the train. Rail/Drive packages may require
pre-validation. For complete details, see Conditions of Use as printed on each
pass or pass cover. |
| Passes are available in
first-class and second-class unless stated otherwise. Passengers holding
first-class passes are also permitted to travel in second-class. Passengers
holding second-class passes are permitted to travel in first-class only if they
pay the difference between the two fares as applicable locally.
|
|
A rail
pass does not guarantee a seat on a train, bus or space on a ship, and
reservations should be made in advance. While seat reservations are recommended
for all long-distance trains, they are required for certain high-speed trains.
Travel in sleepers or couchettes always requires advance reservations.
|
|
Seat
reservations, sleepers and couchettes, travel on certain high-speed trains,
luggage checking, port taxes, meals, beverages and refreshments, are all
subject to additional charges, which are not included in the price of the rail
passes, and which must be paid separately. |
|
Passes
are strictly non-transferable and are only valid for those named. Use by anyone
other than those named will invalidate the pass and will result in a heavy fine
in local currency. It is compulsory to present passports to European railway
officials on request |
|
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 the rules and regulations of their
specific countries. The European railroads are not responsible for damages
resulting from strike. |
| RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY
|
|
(1)DER
Travel Service Inc. acts only as booking agent and has no control over, nor
responsibility for, the passes, carriers and other travel accommodations or
printed materials. All bookings are accepted and all tickets, passes and
vouchers are issued on the express condition that DER Travel Services Inc. is
not responsible nor liable for: any loss (consequential or otherwise); damage
(including, but not limited to, loss of, or damage to passengers' clothes,
baggage, property whatsoever); death, injury, delay, inconvenience or
irregularity caused by, or arising from, or in connection with, any defect in
any vehicle or other land or sea conveyance used, rented or traveled in; or
through the negligence, willful misconduct, strikes or other acts, defaults or
omissions of any carrier, car rental company, hotel, restaurant or other
provider of goods or services. |
|
(2) Every
booking accepted is subject to the conditions, tariffs and regulations imposed
by the rail, shipping, bus, car rental, car insurance or other companies, firms
and persons concerned. |
|
3. Travel
Insurance is Recommended. |
|
(4)
Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they have all necessary travel
documents and visas. |
| OPTIONAL RAIL PASS
PROTECTION PROGRAM |
|
An
optional Rail Protection Plan is available for $10 per pass to reimburse the
rail pass holder in the event of loss or theft of the pass while traveling in
Europe. Insurance is non-refundable and must be purchased at the same time as
the rail pass. Rail/drive packages may be included under the Rail Protection
Plan for $15. The Rail Protection Plan is available for any pass purchased from
DER Travel Services Inc. |
|
>How
the Rail Protection Plan Works |
|
When your
pass is lost or stolen while in Europe, report the loss or theft to the local
police within 24 hours and obtain a police report. Purchase point-to-point
tickets for the remainder of your trip. Within 30 days after returning to the
U.S. file a claim for reimbursement. |
|
>The
claim should include: |
| A notarized written report of the
circumstances of loss or theft, official police report, receipt for replacement
tickets. You will then be reimbursed for 100% of the unused portion of the
pass. |
