When do I need to book?
I’ve seen a holiday I like: how do I find out what space is available?
How do I make a booking?
Can I book with my local Travel Agent?
How do I pay my deposit?
How do I pay my balance?
Which credit/debit cards do you accept?
Is there a charge for using a credit card?
May I pay by installments?
What information will I get before I leave?
What do Treyn Holidays do about special request for diets or rooms?
Can we extend our holiday by travelling out earlier/travelling back later?
What about other special requests?
Can I make this a surprise holiday for someone?
Is this the right holiday for me?
Will I have to carry my luggage?
Do you accept children on your holidays?
Is there an upper age limit on your holidays?
What currency will I need?
What type of suitcase should we take?
What about passport and visa requirements?
What time will we need to meet?
What do we do if we are delayed getting to St Pancras?
What if we need to stay in London the night before?
What is included in the price?
What are the excursions like?
Do we have to join in?
What facilities will my hotel have?
What do the Tour Managers do?
What about single travellers?
Why travel by train?
When is the best time to go?
How many people go on one of your holidays?
Are they holidays for rail enthusiasts?
On occasions travel is on Sundays or public holidays – can I expect extended journey times and disruption as in the UK?
What is the dress code?
Can you book me rail tickets so I can travel independently?
Do you organise rail holidays in the UK?
When do I need to book?
Each tour has a set number of departures with a limited group size. Many tours fill quickly so it is always advisable to book early to get your preferred choice of dates. We do not offer late booking discounts so there is no benefit in delaying booking your holiday. A completed booking form and deposit are needed to fully reserve the holiday.
I’ve seen a holiday I like: how do I find out what space is available?
This website is regularly updated with booking availability and additional departure dates - click on 'Availability and Booking' on your chosen holiday for a list of departure dates and an indication as to whether there are spaces still available. Alternatively, you can contact one of our Tour Advisors on 01904 734939 to check the availability of your chosen holiday.
How do I make a booking?
There are four ways to book a holiday:
- Directly from this website by clicking on the 'Book Now' button adjacent to your chosen departure date on the holiday page.
- By telephoning our Tour Advisors on the number shown with your chosen holiday on the website or on the relevant page in our brochure. Our Tour Advisors will be happy to complete a booking form with you and take your credit card details over the phone.
- By telephoning our Tour Advisors to make a provisional booking. We will hold the place(s) on your chosen holiday for you for up to 7 days, enabling you to complete the booking form yourself, then post or fax it to us with a cheque or your credit card details.
- We also sell our holidays through selected travel agents.
What happens next?
Once we have received your completed booking form and your deposit, you will receive confirmation from us within two weeks. Your confirmation will show the remaining balance and the date when it has to be paid. You may choose to receive this by post or email.
Can I book with my local Travel Agent?
Treyn Holidays have a number of appointed travel agents throughout the UK who will be happy to assist you with your booking. These include AITO specialist agents and most good independent agents.
Money Matters
How do I pay my deposit?
If you book online or by telephone, have your debit/credit card details ready. Alternatively, if you complete the booking form at the back of the brochure, please enclose a cheque or enter your credit or debit card details at the bottom of the form.
How do I pay my balance?
Your confirmation includes a payment counterfoil, which you may return to us with your cheque, credit card details or proof of bank transfer (details on counterfoil). Some customers like to come into the office to pay us in person. You are always welcome to pop in but please call us beforehand to let us know you are coming.
Which credit/debit cards do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Maestro (Switch) and Delta.
Is there a charge for using a credit card?
We do not charge for payment with a debit card. However, if you choose to make payment by credit card then a surcharge of 2% is added to your balance. For more information, please read our Booking Conditions, section 3 "Payment".
May I pay by installments?
We do not accept payment by installments.
Your holiday documents
What information will I get before I leave?
About ten weeks before your holiday you will receive:
- Departures and return times.
- Information about your holiday including weather information and tips on what to pack.
- Eurostar terminal guide
- A UK rail travel request form, which you can complete if you wish us to book your UK rail tickets.
- A leaflet about hotels in London bookable through us, should you wish to stay the night before or after your holiday.
- A reminder about your balance due date.
About 2 weeks before departure, you will receive an itinerary and your final travel documents. Check these immediately and contact us if anything is not clear.
Special Requirements
What do Treyn Holidays do about special request for diets or rooms?
Any requests for special diets or room allocations must be requested in writing on your booking form or - if booking online - at the time of booking. We pass rooming and dietary requirements on to the relevant hoteliers and suppliers, who will do their best to help.
Can we extend our holiday by travelling out earlier/travelling back later?
We can usually arrange for you to travel out a day or so earlier or return later but are only able to add nights to the beginning or end of the holiday. Details can be found in the "add-ons" page on this website or, if you have something specific in mind, give one of our Tour Advisors a call and they will be happy to discuss your ideas with you.
What about other special requests?
We do our best to provide a holiday that will suit your individual needs. Please do not hesitate to call one of our Tour Advisors to discuss any special requirements you may have, or enclose a covering letter with your booking form.
Can I make this a surprise holiday for someone?
We will be happy to help you arrange a surprise holiday! Please note that we are not able to send out your documents in plain envelopes, so if you live at the same address as the person you wish to surprise, please supply us with an alternative address so that the Treyn Holidays envelopes don't give the game away! Any requests of this nature should be made either on your booking form or in a covering letter. Do make sure to give us a telephone number which it is "safe" to call, and remember to let us know when the secret is out!
Mobility and suitability
Is this the right holiday for me?
We are conscious that our holidays are not suitable for everyone, not only in terms of personal taste but in the ability to cope with the demands of a particular holiday. Although our tours are designed to be conducted at a leisurely pace, they can also be physically demanding. Typical issues include guided walking tours, the lack of a lift in a particular hotel, altitude, climatic conditions and so on. Please do read the section Essential Information advising you of what to expect on your journey and do not hesitate to contact our office on 01904 734939 if you wish to discuss a particular tour in more depth. We want to ensure that all our customers have an enjoyable 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.
Will I have to carry my luggage?
Yes, you will. Porterage is not available and so you will usually need to lift your own case onto and off trains, and onto luggage racks within trains. You may also need to carry it some distance between platforms/stations or to hotels. With this in mind, you are best to take one small suitcase and one piece of hand luggage per person. Please note that your Tour Manager cannot provide individual assistance with boarding trains or coaches, or carrying your luggage.
Do you accept children on your holidays?
Of course - though we feel it only fair to make it known that our clientele is generally drawn from a more mature age group rather than families and children may not necessarily enjoy the long train journeys and the types of activity that we organise.
Is there an upper age limit on your holidays?
What is important is not your age but your ability to manage the tour. If you have read Essential Information and you think you would be able to manage the tour, we will be glad to have you on board. Can you beat our current champion of 97 years?!
What currency will I need?
Which currency you need naturally depends on where you are going. Many of the European countries visited on Treyn Holidays tours use the Euro (€). Countries which do not use the Euro include Switzerland (Swiss Franc) and the Czech Republic (Czech Koruna).
What type of suitcase should we take?
As porterage is not included on our tours, you will need to carry your own case on and off trains, and find somewhere to stow it once on board. With that in mind, we suggest the following dimensions as ideal: 24"/60cm x 15"/40cm and weighing about 34lb/15kg. This seems quite small, especially for longer holidays, so here are some packing tips:
- If you are travelling with a companion, take a smaller suitcase each rather than a larger one between you. It is easier to find space on a luggage rack for two small cases than one large one.
- Suitcases with wheels are very, very useful.
- Remember that many of our hotels offer laundry service - perhaps you can take fewer clothes and have them cleaned.
- Most hotels have irons available, so don't worry about clothes being folded a few times.
- With some exceptions (eg. river cruises where more formal attire is expected), you may wear what you are comfortable with at all times.
What about passport and visa requirements?
For British Citizens, a standard 10-year passport is required for all holidays and must be valid for at least six months beyone your planned return date. 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/embassy of the country/countries you plan to visit or transit through for detailed advice.
Most of our customers are British Citizens holding UK passports and as such, any advice we give is for British Citizens. We indicate on the tour pages of our website and in our brochures if British Citizens require a visa for one or more of the countries visited on the tour. Where a visa is required, we give details of how this visa may be obtained and whether the cost of the visa is included in the cost of the holiday. Please note that entry requirements can change without us being notified, so for the latest information on visa requirements for a particular tour, please call a member of our team on 01904 734939.
What time will we need to meet?
We will confirm the time you should meet your Tour Manager and group in the travel documents sent to you prior to your holiday. Typically the meeting time is around 45 minutes before the departure of your Eurostar.
What do we do if we are delayed getting to St Pancras?
If you are delayed on your way to London to meet your group, please call our office as soon as you are able on 01904 734939 to advise us of your situation. If you are calling this number out of office hours, our recorded message will give you an alternative number to call.
What if we need to stay in London the night before?
We can book a wide range of hotels in central London for the night before you depart on your tour from St Pancras International and also for your return to the UK. We arrange these through Superbreak. Details of the hotels available and how to book will be sent 10 weeks before your departure. Alternatively, if you click on the 'add ons' tab in the Essential Information section of the website, you will find more information on the hotels available. You can contact us on 01904 734939 for more details.
What is a Treyn Holidays tour like?
What is included in the price?
Our holidays include return rail travel with appropriate transfers, hotel accommodation, a number of meals and the services of your Tour Manager as well as a selection of excursions. Optional excursions are often offered on a tour at an additional cost, giving you the opportunity to explore with the group or head out on your own. Itineraries and details of what's included are listed in full in the brochure which means there are no hidden costs lurking to take the shine off your holiday.
What are the excursions like?
Some excursions are included in the price of your holiday, others are optional at an additional cost. The excursions are designed to give a balance of cultural, historical and social interest and to give you insight into the areas we visit. We try to use trains for excursions, however we sometimes utilise coaches or boats to get to places of interest. Where coaches are used, these are of high quality and aim to keep coach journeys to a maximum of 2 hours between stops. On most excursions, in addition to your Tour manager, we are accompanied by a local guide to impact specialist knowledge of the sights being visited. some excursions are to off-the-beaten-track destinations that simply would not be stumbled upon without this local knowledge.
Do we have to join in?
There is plenty of flexibility within the itineraries and options to dine and explore independently - and there is never any feeling that you are herded or just part of the crowd. There are always those who prefer to forego a particular excursion to relax at the hotel - it is your holiday after all!
What facilities will my hotel have?
Our hotels are carefully selected to provide keen value for money, a warm welcome with high quality service and comfortable rooms, all in convenient locations with amenities close at hand.
We indicate the official star rating and provide a short description of each hotel on the 'Hotels' tab found on our tour pages. The hotel description details its location and facilities to help you decide if the hotel is suitable for your needs. All hotel bedrooms on Treyn Holidays are equipped with a private bathroom, telephone and colour television. Many hotels also offer hairdryers, minibars, safes, tea and coffee making facilities and so on and where these are available, they will be detailed in the 'Hotels' section. If you have any further questions about the hotel included on your tour, please do not hesitate to telephone us on 01904 734939.
What do the Tour Managers do?
Your Tour Manager meets you at St Pancras International and remains with you throughout your holiday. Our Tour Managers have been chosen specifically for their friendliness, organisational skills and willingness to help, which means you can take the time to truly relax, safe in the knowledge that someone else has organised everything from train reservations to hotels and transfers. They are never far away if you need assistance and will provide suggestions for places to go and things to do when there's a free day. Should you wish to explore independently they will fade into the background.
What about single travellers?
Treyn Holidays are very suitable for people who are travelling on their own. The convivial nature of a group environment means there is always someone to share experiences with, should you choose to.
General information
Why travel by train?
Travelling by rail is a great way to experience the UK and the Continent. On a train you can get up and stretch your legs, visit the buffet car for refreshments, or simply sit back in your comfortable, reserved seat and enjoy the spectacular, ever-changing scenery as you speed to your destination. By rail you can experience sights that cannot be seen any other way: from panoramic coastal routes to a journey through majestic Alpine scenery or along spectacular gorges, the train provides the ideal viewpoint.
If you haven't ventured into Europe by rail before, you will be pleasantly surprised by how little time it takes to reach your destination. Travellers arriving at St Pancras International are whisked through check-in and can be relaxing in their seats on board Eurostar within half an hour. The journey to Paris now takes just over two hours and the journey to Brussels just under two hours.
When is the best time to go?
It depends entirely on your destination, and what sort of weather you like. If you prefer to avoid the hottest part of the year, then try not to travel in July and August - though northern Europe is generally cooler than southern Europe. The Alps also tend to stay a little cooler over the summer, thanks to their altitude. On the other hand, the closer to the main summer season you go, the better the chances of getting some sun!
Many of our winter tours are to countries with colder climates. Naturally we can't guarantee snow, but our Tour Advisors will help you choose a departure date to suit you - whether you want to see beautiful winter scenery under a blanket of snow, or meadows full of colourful springtime flowers.
How many people go on one of your holidays?
The maximum number varies from tour to tour, but it is usually between 30 to 35 people, except for our Short Breaks where we have around 25 people. The majority of our tours travel with a full complement and it is very rare that we have to cancel due to lack of numbers.
Are they holidays for rail enthusiasts?
Our customers book with us because they appreciate the comfort and relaxation of travelling by train and look upon the journey as part of their holiday, rather than because they are rail enthusiasts. Our holidays attract customers with a wide range of interests and they are not designed specifically for enthusiasts, however as many of the destinations included in our tours are selected for their excellent railway connections and excursions, rail enthusiasts will find much to interest them.
On occasions travel is on Sundays or public holidays – can I expect extended journey times and disruption as in the UK?
No. Other than in the UK, principal trains throughout the world run to the same schedules every day of the week. The infrastructure in place ensures that engineering works, including major renewals and upgrading, generally have little impact on train running.
What is the dress code?
Wear what you are comfortable in and what is appropriate for the tour, remembering that the more outfits you bring the heavier your cases will be! Customers generally find a sturdy pair of shoes they are able to walk in is useful - particularly for tours including sightseeing and guided walking tours. Other suggestions include a waterproof jacket and 'layers' so you are able to dress for the weather, whether that be sun, snow or both! Where more formal wear is required (e.g. gala dinners on the river cruises), we will inform you of this on the tour page on the website and in your holiday documentation.
Can you book me rail tickets so I can travel independently?
We only deal with our pre-booked group itineraries however our partner company, railselect.com, arranges independent, tailor-made holidays by rail around Europe. Visit their website www.railselect.com or call 01904 521921 for more information.
Do you organise rail holidays in the UK?
Yes! Our current programme features tours to Yorkshire, Stratford-upon-Avon and various destinations throughout Scotland.
