Standard Booking Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions apply, in addition to Seven-O-Seven Operations standard conditions of carriage.

For bookings made on or after 7-April 2023:

Guest Cancellation

Bookings cancelled more than 60 days prior to departure: 75% Refund
Bookings cancelled 45 to 59 days prior to departure: 50% Refund
Bookings cancelled 15 to 44 days prior to departure: 25% Refund
Bookings cancelled within 14 days of travel: No refund.

For the avoidance of doubt, the day of departure is day 1 when calculating booking cancellation windows.

Guests who have purchased a Flexible Fare Upgrade:

Bookings cancelled more than 14 days prior to departure: Full Refund, minus the amount of any deposit paid (all deposits are non-refundable)
Bookings cancelled within 14 days of travel: No Refund

These cancellation charges are those charged by Slow Rail Journeys and do not necessarily include all airline and third party supplier charges. In the event that any third party supplier charges are in excess of the standard cancellation fee you accept that we have the right to on-charge these excess cancellation charges to you.

Deposits Terms

All deposits are non-refundable. For the avoidance of doubt, even if a Flexible Fare Upgrade is purchased the deposit amount will remain non-refundable. To receive a full refund after purchasing a Flexible Fare Upgrade the full fare must be paid upfront.

The full balance must be paid 90 days prior to departure. If the full balance is not paid 80 days prior to departure the deposit amount will be forfeited.

Guest Amendments

Bookings amended more than 60 days prior to departure: Full value of the fare credited to a new tour
Bookings cancelled 45 to 59 days prior to departure: 75% Full value of the fare credited to a new tour
Bookings cancelled 15 to 44 days prior to departure: 50% Full value of the fare credited to a new tour
Bookings cancelled within 14 days of travel: No amendments are allowed

For the avoidance of doubt, the day of departure is day 1 when calculating booking cancellation windows.

For guests who have purchased a Flexible Fare Upgrade

Bookings cancelled more than 14 days prior to departure: Full value a ticket transferred to a new tour
Bookings amended 8 to 13 days prior to departure: 50% of the value of a ticket transferred to a new tour
Bookings amended within 7 days of travel: 25% of the value of the ticket transferred to a new tour

You acknowledge that the amounts estimated under the Cancellation Policy are reasonable and a genuine pre-estimate of Slow Rail Journeys' loss.

Electronic Communications

All changes to dates, times and any other aspect of the tour, along with tickets, tour notes where available and other information will be sent via email and/or SMS to the email and/or mobile number nominated by the guest at the time of booking. You acknowledge that you are able to access email and SMS, and that there is no obligation on Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc to contact you in any other manner.

Date Changes

While we endeavour to run tours on their advertised dates sometimes operational needs such as track closures, activity provider availability and other items regrettably require us to change tour dates. Should a change be necessary on your Slow Rail Journey you will be notified by email and/or SMS (see above).

In the event of a date change your booking will automatically be transferred to the new date in the same cabin class.

If you are unable to travel on the new tour dates, you will have a period of 14 days after notification of a date change to either:

Agree to be rebooked onto a different tour; or
Obtain a full refund

If you do not contact Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc within 14 days of a date change notification, we will assume you have accepted the new tour dates and will automatically confirm your booking. After confirmation your booking will be subject to Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc's Cancellation and Amendment Policies (outlined in this document) based on your new tour date.

General Health Requirements

We require all passengers to be capable of self care during the tour, should you require assistance it remains your responsibility to supply a carer.

Fitness & Mobility

Our tour requires a reasonable level of fitness and a good level of mobility. Heritage trains are not designed to accommodate wheelchair bound or walker reliant passengers. You will need at a minimum to be able to walk unassisted through the train carriages. If booking a Premium Twin, Standard Twin or Twin Share Heritage cabin, one member of your party will need to be able to climb a ladder up to and down from the top bunk. You will need to be able to embark and disembark trains, coaches and other methods of transport, handle luggage, walk some moderate distances through stations etc., stand comfortably and walk up 5 or 6 steps.

Not included in Tour Price

Whilst every effort is made to have our tours as inclusive as possible, there are some things that are not included in our tours unless otherwise stated. These include:

Alcoholic drinks
Soft-drink and additional snacks and souvenirs (other than those provided as part of the on-tour meals)
Airport taxes
Passport fees
Visa fees
Meals not indicated
Alcoholic beverages
Optional sightseeing
Tipping, unless stated

Cancellation by Seven-O-Seven

Should a tour be cancelled by Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc for any reason passengers will be offered either a rebooking option or full refund. In the event of a cancellation by Seven-O-Seven Operations hotel bookings will be fully refunded or rebooked.

Minimum Numbers

Our tours have been prepared working on minimum numbers for each tour to operate. Should these minimum numbers not be reached, we reserve the right to cancel any tour. Should this occur we will provide a full credit of amounts you have paid for that tour, to be transferred to another tour operated by us, subject to availability. This will be done in consultation with the you.

Changes

From time to time changes are required to tour itineraries, locomotives and rolling-stock. As Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc operates a fleet of heritage locomotives and carriages, unscheduled faults and maintenance can occur at short notice. Seven-O-Seven is not liable and is not obligated to provide full or partial refunds should such an event occur (for example an advertised locomotive being substituted due to unforeseen technical issues).

Upgrades

Seven-O-Seven Operations reserves the right to upgrade passengers at its discretion (for example from a single to a sole use twin cabin). If you do not wish to be considered for an upgrade please contact Seven-O-Seven Operations post booking.

Travel Insurance

While travel insurance is highly recommended it is not included in your fare. Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc reserves the right when necessary to change aspects of the tour such as the date so we highly recommend travel insurance if you are booking flights or other arrangements around your Slow Rail Journey.

Unused Services

There is no refund for unused services or portions of the tour arrangements that are missed. Cancellation fees also apply to additional accommodation, airfares or any pre or post touring booked as part of this tour.

Twin Cabin Bunks

All twin cabins (Premium, Standard and Heritage) have lower and upper bunks. By purchasing a twin cabin you acknowledge that you are able to safely utilise the top bunk including the ladder to access it.

Air and Other Travel Arrangements

Slow Rail Journeys is not responsible if an airline cancels, reschedules or delays a flight for any reason. If you miss any flight or connecting transportation it is your responsibility and cost to work with the airline or transport company to reach your destination. Slow Rail Journeys is not responsible for any additional expenses incurred as a result of any changes by airlines or other transport company.

Please ensure you allow plenty of time between connections to and from your Slow Rail Journey. Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc cannot be held liable for late arrivals, or for any cost incurred due to the late running or late return of your Slow Rail Journey.

Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc will not be liable for any change, cancellation or other fees, for hotel cancellation fees or accommodation should your Slow Rail Journey be late arriving back in Melbourne.

Itinerary Changes

Whilst we have made every effort to ensure that the itineraries are correct at the time of printing, there are times were we do need to make changes. These changes will always be made in the interest of the overall tour, but may include a change of tour dates if necessary. We reserve the right to make these changes at any point up to and whilst on tour. We will make every effort to inform passengers of these changes.

Responsibility

Seven-O-Seven Operations, Inc and Slow Rail Journeys (hereinafter called the Operator) acts only as an agent for the hotels, transport companies and other principals involved, and all coupons, exchange orders, contracts and tickets issued by the operator are issued subject to any and all tariffs, terms and conditions under which any accommodation, transportation or any other services whatsoever are provided by such hotels, transport companies or contractors.

The Operator shall not be liable or responsible for death or injury to any person or loss of or damage to any property or otherwise (including baggage) whether due to it, or its servants agents or employees negligence or otherwise arising out of or in connection with any accommodation, transportation or other services or resulting directly or indirectly, from Acts of God, fire, breakdown or failure in machinery or equipment, acts of government or other authorities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, theft, pilferage, epidemics, delays or cancellations of or changes in itinerary or schedules or over bookings or defaults from any causes beyond the Operator's control or through the acts or defaults of hotels, transport companies or contractors providing the accommodation, transportation or other services and that neither the Operator nor its servants agents or employees shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expense or liability sustained or incurred by the passenger as a result of any foregoing causes. All prices quoted are subject to change without notice. Unused services cannot be refunded or exchanged. The operator reserves the right to cancel the tour and/or modify the itineraries in any way it thinks desirable and to substitute hotels where necessary.

The Operator reserves the right to decline to accept any person or group on any tour and also to require any person, whether a member of a group who has chartered a vehicle for the purpose of a tour or otherwise, to withdraw from any tour at any time if the Operator or its servants deem his or her acts or conduct to be detrimental to or incompatible with the interests, harmony, comfort or welfare of the tour as a whole.

Passengers booking on any tour must be capable of self care and mobility, and in the interest of other passengers the operator reserves the right to ask that person to withdraw from the tour if the lack of self care or mobility becomes detrimental to the tour as a whole. Should it become necessary to remove a person from a tour under these circumstances, no refund shall be made nor shall the Operator have further obligation or responsibility for the person concerned. The Operator shall not be liable for nor shall refunds be made in respect of a passenger, who voluntarily leaves any tour and in this regard, the non show of a passenger, including at the original point of departure at times nominated by the Operator or its servants agents or employees throughout the tour shall be considered a voluntary termination of the tour by the passengers concerned. All persons effecting bookings through the Operator or its agents thereby warrant that he or she has the authority of the persons therein designated, whether by name or not, to make the booking on their behalf. The payment of monies by way of deposit or balance of the fare to the Operator or its agents shall be deemed consent to the above conditions.