Austrian Trains International Travel- Advice

[sdrennan]

I booked 2 trains via Trainline.eu back in February (Pre-Covid-19)
1. Budapest- Vienna
2. Vienna - Prague
These are specific Train/Non refundable tickets
This is for early August but as you can imagine I am now cancelling my trip and trying to see what refunds I can get (Travel Insurance wont cover a pandemic)

Does anyone know if I will be able to get a refund and if so how?
Trainline site was not exactly clear

 

[Spoorslag '70]

Cancellation
ÖBB grants extensive goodwill arrangements beyond the regular reimbursement conditions for tickets bought until 15 march 2020:

• National ÖBB tickets: Tickets valid until 1 June 2020 can be exchanged for ÖBB vouchers.
• International ÖBB tickets: The refund of tickets depends, among other things, on the currently valid entry regulations of the federal government for the individual countries.

ÖBB is monitoring and analysing the development of the situation. If necessary, the goodwill arrangements will be adjusted.
Please contact ÖBB Customer Service by phone or e-mail.

(https://www.oebb.at/en/neuigkeiten/einschraenkungen-im-bahnverkehr#oesterreich)
I could imagine that if you were not allowed to travel to Austria (or indeed Hungary or the Czech Republic), the ÖBB will give a refund. Having booked through the trainline might be a small issue, but I'd hope some sort of arangement can be found.

 

[30907]

As trains on both routes are already running, I fear it is unlikely you will get a refund unless there is a second wave and the countries concerned close their borders again.
Incidentally, none of them has had serious outbreaks of Covid-19.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The Vienna to Ukraine isn't currently conveying the UA sleeping cars. However Austro-Hungarian international traffic is running even if at a reduced frequency.

 

[sdrennan]

(https://www.oebb.at/en/neuigkeiten/einschraenkungen-im-bahnverkehr#oesterreich)
I could imagine that if you were not allowed to travel to Austria (or indeed Hungary or the Czech Republic), the ÖBB will give a refund. Having booked through the trainline might be a small issue, but I'd hope some sort of arangement can be found.

Yes , All a bit of a nightmare now. Sounded good at the time booking a multicity trip as a DIY but now the main reason for going is cancelled (Hungary Grand Prix) and looks like the Vienna concert may be limited.
Not sure what will be available to do if we travel (Although would you want to...)
Currently have 2 flights, 2 train journeys, 2 Hotels (All paid in advance so refunds become a challenge) Fortunately my stay in Budapest is an AirBNB which can be cancelled

 

[30907]

Assuming (1) the FCO travel advice is relaxed to permit it, (2) the flights aren't cancelled and (3) you yourself are not shielding, you could do worse than to travel.

 

[dutchflyer]

Another, not yet mentioned reason might be (=not will) that those from UK, being thought of as source of Covid at the mo, will be banned or required to go in quarantine for x days if entering another country. Even more so, as its a kind of flux of it is yes/no in the EU still. And how that may work out in getting refunds etc??? Though going these sectors by bus or RailJet train cost me less as 10 eur each=not that high a sum to really worry about a lot.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I believe Austria still has a quarantine requirement if you don't present a recent medical certificate indicating you are free of Covid-19.
You can get a same-day test at Vienna Airport* if needed (costing €190); a negative result will allow entry, otherwise you go into quarantine.
There's time for this to change of course, but no way of knowing what the rules for UK travellers will be like in August.
AT/HU/CZ/SK/SI are removing local restrictions and border checks imminently, but only for residents of those countries.
https://www.viennaairport.com/pcrtest

*The web site has a map for the test centre, it seems to be in the complex immediately above the airport station.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Yes, i would have thought OEBB's customer service centre would be quite helpful (they normally are) particularly in this situations where it seems likely that COVID checks/quarantines will still be in place for those from the UK (bear in mind just how large the outbreak there has been and how chaotic the UK's response is perceived to have been to many in Europe).

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

Yes, i would have thought OEBB's customer service centre would be quite helpful (they normally are) particularly in this situations where it seems likely that COVID checks/quarantines will still be in place for those from the UK (bear in mind just how large the outbreak there has been and how chaotic the UK's response is perceived to have been to many in Europe).

I put on the Thello thread that we are due to go to Italy at end of July. Now Thello have cancelled we are looking at taking night train from Cologne to Innsbruck and then to Trento. Presuming UK citizens are allowed into Belgium/Germany and the Eurostar is running at normal-ish level, I was wondering if Austria don't allow UK citizens in would it allow transit do you think? If so I was thinking of Cologne to Munich night train and train to Trento (same Nighjet and EC trains)?

 

[30907]

I put on the Thello thread that we are due to go to Italy at end of July. Now Thello have cancelled we are looking at taking night train from Cologne to Innsbruck and then to Trento. Presuming UK citizens are allowed into Belgium/Germany and the Eurostar is running at normal-ish level, I was wondering if Austria don't allow UK citizens in would it allow transit do you think? If so I was thinking of Cologne to Munich night train and train to Trento (same Nighjet and EC trains)?

If the Trento area is your destination it's a nicer route anyway. As for transit, it's anyone's guess ATM, but I'd be surprised if it made a difference where you changed trains.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Re Rynastait24, I would have thought getting into Belgium would be the issue. If that frontier is open to travellers from the UK, then it is likely that the German and Austrian ones will be as well (I believe that that AT, DE, CH and FR are opening their respective land frontiers this weekend). Getting back from Trento could be an issue, given the scale of Italy's outbreak (particularly in that region). I would hold off bookings until early July to see how the situation unfolds.

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

Re Rynastait24, I would have thought getting into Belgium would be the issue. If that frontier is open to travellers from the UK, then it is likely that the German and Austrian ones will be as well (I believe that that AT, DE, CH and FR are opening their respective land frontiers this weekend). Getting back from Trento could be an issue, given the scale of Italy's outbreak (particularly in that region). I would hold off bookings until early July to see how the situation unfolds.

Thanks Gerald and agree. From Trento we go to Berlin afterwards so hopefully that will be Ok if we do make it there in the first place.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

OEBB's website reports that they are planning to reinstate the EC service from Innsbruck to Bologna via Trento from 26th June and local stopping trains will resume from 4th July: https://www.oebb.at/en/neuigkeiten/einschraenkungen-im-bahnverkehr.

There is a high chance that this is what will happen but I would check with the OEBB in a couple of weeks to see the latest situation, given the major impact that Coronavirus has had in Northern Italy. Fortunately, AT has been much less affected than many other countries.

The UK continues to advise UK citizens not to travel to other European countries unless absolutely essential and it is now known when they might change that position. So the ES from the UK to BE (and back again) will most likely be the 'weakest link' of your planned journey! It is still only running 1 train per day to Brussel/Bruxelles.

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

OEBB's website reports that they are planning to reinstate the EC service from Innsbruck to Bologna via Trento from 26th June and local stopping trains will resume from 4th July: https://www.oebb.at/en/neuigkeiten/einschraenkungen-im-bahnverkehr.

There is a high chance that this is what will happen but I would check with the OEBB in a couple of weeks to see the latest situation, given the major impact that Coronavirus has had in Northern Italy. Fortunately, AT has been much less affected than many other countries.

The UK continues to advise UK citizens not to travel to other European countries unless absolutely essential and it is now known when they might change that position. So the ES from the UK to BE (and back again) will most likely be the 'weakest link' of your planned journey! It is still only running 1 train per day to Brussel/Bruxelles.

Thanks again Gerald. Our end destination is Calceranica in Trentino where the death rate has been low but I agree Eurostar may be the problem. Hopefully with quarantine likely to be lifted by the end of June and with the school holidays starting they may put on a few more trains if Belgium let us in. If not there is the option to fly to Munich from BHX but that kind of defeats the object of doing the trip by train.....

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Many European frontiers opened on Monday, including UK to Belgium and the Brenner pass so in principle your trip is now possible. However, you will still be covered by the 14 day quarantine period on re-entry to the UK.

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

Many European frontiers opened on Monday, including UK to Belgium and the Brenner pass so in principle your trip is now possible. However, you will still be covered by the 14 day quarantine period on re-entry to the UK.

I would imagine the quarantine will be lifted at the end of June so, yes, things are looking more likely now

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

I would imagine the quarantine will be lifted at the end of June so, yes, things are looking more likely now

So we are all booked for 2 weeks on Saturday. Eurostar to Brussels. Brussels to Cologne with DB. Nighjet to Innsbruck and then EC to Trento followed by local train to Calceranica.

 

[43096]

So we are all booked for 2 weeks on Saturday. Eurostar to Brussels. Brussels to Cologne with DB. Nighjet to Innsbruck and then EC to Trento followed by local train to Calceranica.

Have you checked the entry requirements for going into Austria?

Austria travel advice

FCDO travel advice for Austria. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.

www.gov.uk

Specifically:

• On entry into Austria, you will need to present a medical certificate which confirms that you have had a negative molecular biological SARS-CoV-2 test in the last 4 days.
• If you arrive from the UK without a valid medical certificate, you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

 

[sdrennan]

Since kicking off this thread I contacted OBB.
My tickets were non refundable for the 4th and 7th of August.
They took a couple of weeks to rely but have given me vouchers to the full value which are valid for 10 years

 

[ryanstait24@gm]

Have you checked the entry requirements for going into Austria?

Austria travel advice

FCDO travel advice for Austria. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.

www.gov.uk

Specifically:

We are only there for 2 hours and transit is allowed with proof of final destination which we have