Booking Information

HOW TO BOOK

All seats must be booked in advance. Bookings can be made online or:
BY PHONE: on 01438 715050 (10.00 to 16.00 Mondays to Fridays)
BY POST: UK Railtours, PO Box 350, Welwyn, AL6 0WG

Bookings will be acknowledged on receipt via email. The final timings, tickets and any other important information will usually be emailed to you about ten days before departure.  If you do not have an email address then the same information will be dispatched in the post. Please bear in mind that these details cannot be sent until the final timings are confirmed by Network Rail.

PAYMENT

We accept payment by credit or debit card or by cheque. Full payment is due at the time of booking although, if the total amount exceeds £100, you can on request pay a deposit of £50 per person with the balance due six weeks before travel. We will make contact by email or phone at this time to request payment. Failure to provide full payment when requested will forfeit the booking. Our online payment processing is provided by Fiserv Clover.

Different payment terms apply for tours of more than one day. Details can be found at the bottom of this page.

We do not store payment card details nor do we share customer details with any third party.

CANCELLATIONS

We highly recommend all customers have travel and cancellation insurance. Applications for refunds including transfers to other dates or itineraries can be accepted up to two weeks (or four weeks for bookings made on or after 26th July 2024) before the date of travel less an administrative charge of  ten percent (twenty percent for bookings made on or after 26th July 2024) of the total ticket price but after then no refunds or transfers are normally available. In the unlikely event of a trip being cancelled all monies shall be refunded but no other liability shall be incurred.

Different cancellation terms apply for tours of more than one day. Details can be found at the bottom of this page.

TIMING

All advertised timings remain provisional until tickets are posted. They should be treated as a general guide only.

MEALS AND DRINKS

In First Class Dining accommodation your meals are included in the tour price and drinks are charged as extras. In line with usual restaurant practice we do ask guests not to bring their own drinks. On Belmond British Pullman excursions some drinks are also included, as shown in the menu. Dining accommodation is not considered suitable for children under eight years old. When booking please mention any special diet requirements (e.g. vegetarian, allergies) or dislikes for all your party. Please note that all ingredients are handled in the same kitchen so we are unable to guarantee your dish will be 100% allergen free. We are unable to provide meals that require particular religious observance.

SEATING

In First Class Dining or Non-Dining, if two of you are travelling you will be sharing a table opposite two other guests. Alternatively a separate ‘table for two’ may be guaranteed for a supplement of £35 per person (up to end of June 2024), or £40 per person (from July 2024). These tables tend to become fully booked early.

ACCESSIBILITY

Due to the age and construction of our trains it is not possible to board whilst seated in a wheelchair, however we will be pleased to convey passengers of limited mobility whenever possible, provided they can step onto the train from the platform and move to their reserved seats with the help of an able-bodied carer, the wheelchair then being folded by you and stored at the end of the carriage. We are unable to convey mobility scooters or non-folding wheelchairs due to the age and design of the trains used.  Due to timing restraints at joining stations all mobility issues which require the use of walking aids or impact a passenger’s ability to board or disembark with ease must be confirmed and discussed prior to travel. Please note that not all of our destinations are suitable for those with limited mobility.

Trained assistance dogs are welcome onboard our tours. We ask that customers wishing to book with an assistance dog contact the office by telephone or email so that we can best accommodate your needs. Please also bear in mind that some of our tours involve extended periods onboard with no opportunity to disembark for a canine ‘comfort break’ and our trains have no facilities onboard for such.

We want to be able to welcome everyone aboard our tours. If you’re in any way unsure about whether our tours are right for you, please contact the office and we’ll be happy to discuss the suitability of specific railtours with you.

GENERAL NOTES

We are sorry but pets and bicycles are not accommodated. Smoking and vaping are not permitted in any part of our trains, nor on railway stations or connecting coaches. We cannot accept unaccompanied minors aboard – all under 16’s must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult (18+). There are no baby changing facilities onboard.

OPERATING ON THE RAIL NETWORK

All advertised details (including but not limited to haulage, routing, coaching stock, timings) are given in good faith and every effort will be made to ensure that tours run as advertised, but UK Railtours cannot accept responsibility for changes imposed outside our control. Many factors can affect the running of trains so punctuality and any implied onward connections cannot be guaranteed. Passengers are carried in accordance with the conditions of carriage of the Train Operating Company.

Whenever steam traction is advertised we reserve the right to offer an alternative steam locomotive should circumstances require, with no liability incurred. All steam locomotives are subject to a ‘fitness to run’ exam no more than 24 hours prior to running on the main line which can lead to substitutions. In the event where it becomes necessary to substitute a diesel or electric locomotive instead of an advertised steam locomotive, a goodwill credit of £20 (Standard Class) or £30 (First Class) will be available. No other liability will be incurred nor will refunds be available.

UK Railtours accepts no liability for delays, curtailment, alteration or other event that may occur on the day of operation as a result of circumstances outside of our control. In the event of curtailment we will make every reasonable step to return customers to their joining stations, possibly using alternative transport.

MAKE UP A PARTY

We would be delighted to discuss group discounts for parties of twelve or more. Early application is essential.

ARE OUR TOURS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Ideally we would like to welcome everyone aboard our trips, but as with all activity days out or longer breaks there are some practical limitations which need to be considered carefully – before you decide to book. Our tours vary, but many involve quite a full day which some might find tiring. Most trips require a fair amount of walking at stations, as venues and coach connections are sometimes a few minutes walk away from the train, not necessarily on the level or step-free.

Most of our excursions utilise heritage carriages that do not permit access by customers in wheelchairs. Many stations have platforms shorter than the train, and you need to be able to walk easily through the train in order to join and alight as required. Station stops are often of one or two minutes duration only, so as not to disrupt other train services. Some stations at which we stop have platforms accessible only by a subway or a footbridge, with no alternative to stairs. Many of our tours involve transfers by road vehicle, sometimes heritage vehicles without modern accessibility features such as lowering suspension. We’ve no wish to frighten people away unduly and most people will have no problem, but neither do we want to cause disappointment and distress to anybody on the day.

TOURS OF MORE THAN ONE DAY

We occasionally operate tours including overnight accommodation (e.g the Edinburgh Tattoo). Places for these tours are reserved on payment of a deposit of £250 per person, with the balance payable eight weeks before the departure date. On these excursions refunds can be entertained up to the date on which the balance is due, less an administrative charge of £50 per person. After then a cancellation fee of £250 per person is payable, but no refunds can be entertained less than four weeks before departure. We do require every guest to hold appropriate travel and cancellation insurance.

UK Railtours is a trading name of Clare Farrow. Registered address: Gary J Cansick & Co (Chartered Accountants), Janelle House, Hartham Lane, Hertford, SG14 1QN.