FAQ: What do the different price categories mean?
Most operators of night trains and night buses use three price categories. However, the conditions of these categories may vary slightly depending on the operator.
To make it easier for you to compare different offers, nightride.com uses uniform price categories for all operators:
- Reduced: non-refundable/non-changeable
- Semi-flexible: partially refundable/changeable, with a time limit and possible fees
- Flexible: fully refundable/changeable free of charge
The following overview shows which nightride.com price categories correspond to the respective operator price categories and the conditions of each operator's price categories.
Important: When booking a ticket, double-check the terms and conditions in the ticket shop!
List of operators
Trenitalia
With Trenitalia, you can choose from three price categories:
| nightride.com Price Category | Trenitalia Price Category |
|---|---|
| Reduced | Super Economy |
| Semi-flexible | Economy |
| Flexible | Base |
Super Economy (nightride.com: Reduced)
| Change of date/time | ❌ |
| Cancellation / Refund | ❌ |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
| Passenger change | ✔️ Free and unlimited until the train's departure. Not permitted afterward. |
Economy (nightride.com: Semi-flexible)
| Change of date/time | ✔️ Allowed upon payment of the price difference to the new ticket with Base category |
| Cancellation/Refund | ❌ |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
| Passenger change | ✔️ Free and unlimited until the train's departure. Not permitted afterward. |
Base (nightride.com: Flexible)
| Change of date/time | ✔️ Allowed upon payment of the price difference for the new ticket |
| Cancellation/Refund | ✔️ Subject to a fee |
| Boarding of another train | ✔️ Possible on trains along the same route, with an additional charge |
| Passenger change | ✔️ Free and unlimited until the train's departure. Not permitted afterward. |
You can find more information about Trenitalia's price categories on the Trenitalia website.
ÖBB
With ÖBB/Nightjet, you can choose from three price categories:
| Price Category nightride.com | Price Category ÖBB/Nightjet |
|---|---|
| Reduced | Sparschiene / Non-Flex |
| Semi-flexible | Sparschiene Komfort / Semi-Flex |
| Flexible | Standard-Ticket / Flex |
Sparschiene / Non-Flex (nightride.com: Reduced)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ |
| Cancellation/refund | ❌ |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
Sparschiene Komfort / Semi-Flex (nightride.com: Semi-flexible)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Cancellation/refund | ✔️ Free of charge up to 15 days before departure; after that, a fee of 50% of the ticket price applies until one day before departure |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
Standard-Ticket / Flex(nightride.com: Flexible)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Cancellation/refund | ✔️ Free of charge until one day before departure; not possible afterwards. |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
You can find more information about ÖBB/Nightjet's price categories on their website.
DB
With Deutsche Bahn, you can choose from three price categories:
| nightride.com Price Category | Deutsche Bahn Price Category |
|---|---|
| Reduced | Super saver |
| Semi-flexible | Saver |
| Flexible | Flexible |
Super saver (nightride.com: Reduced)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ |
| Cancellation/refund | ❌ |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
Saver (nightride.com: Semi-flexible)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Cancellation/refund | ✔️ Up to one day before departure, subject to a fee |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
Flexible (nightride.com: Flexible)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Cancellation/refund | ✔️ Free of charge up to one week before departure, after that subject to a fee |
| Boarding of another train | ✔️ Possible on trains along the same route on the same day |
| Special | ✔️ Depending on the departure and arrival location, a City-Ticket for local transport is included; access to the DB Lounge at train stations with a 1st class ticket |
You can find more information about Deutsche Bahn's price categories on the Deutsche Bahn website.
Regiojet
Night trains
Regiojet's night trains have only one price category. On nightride.com, we show it as the price category Flexible: You can cancel any ticket for free or a small fee until shortly before departure. After that, you must pay the full price.
You must cancel the ticket and book a new one for name and date changes.
Night buses
Regiojet's night buses have only one price category. On nightride.com, we show it as the price category Flexible: You can cancel any ticket for free or a small fee until shortly before departure. After that, you must pay the full price.
You must cancel the ticket and book a new one for name and date changes.
European Sleeper
Easy Night (nightride.com: Reduced)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ |
| Cancellation/refund | ❌ |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ |
Good Night (nightride.com: Semi-flexible)
| Change of date/time/passenger | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Cancellation/refund | ✔️ 100% cancellation up to 1 month and 50% up to 15 days before departure |
| Boarding of another train | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
Flex Night (nightride.com: Flexible)
| Änderung Datum/Zeit/Reisende*r | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
| Stornierung / Rückerstattung | ✔️ 100% cancellation possible up to 48 hours before departure |
| Benutzung anderer Züge | ❌ Cancel ticket and book a new ticket |
SNCF
With SNCF, you can choose between two price categories:
| Price Category nightride.com | Price Category SNCF |
|---|---|
| Semi-Flexible | Standard 1ʳᵉ classe / 2ᵉ classe |
| Flexible | Flex 1ʳᵉ classe / 2ᵉ classe |
Standard 1ʳᵉ classe / 2ᵉ classe (nightride.com: Semi-Flexible)
| Change of date/time/traveler | ✔️ Exchangeable until 7 days before departure (price difference may apply) |
| Cancellation / Refund | ✔️ Free cancellation up to 7 days before departure, then cancellation fee applies |
| Use on other trains | ❌ Not possible |
Flex 1ʳᵉ classe / 2ᵉ classe (nightride.com: Flexible)
| Change of date/time/traveler | ✔️ Free exchange up to 30 minutes after departure |
| Cancellation / Refund | ✔️ Full refund up to 30 minutes after departure |
| Use on other trains | ✔️ you have to exchange the ticket |
You can find more details about SNCF fare categories on the SNCF website when selecting your ticket (click on “Fare details, exchange and refund conditions”), in your customer account or here.
Caledonian Sleeper
Caledonian Sleeper has only one price category. On nightride.com, we show it as Semi-Flexible:
| Change of date/time/traveler | ❌ Cancel ticket and rebook |
| Cancellation / Refund | ✔️ Up to 7 days before departure: 100% of the ticket price. From 7 days before until 12:00 on the day before departure: 50%. After that, you pay the full ticket price. |
| Use on other trains | ❌ Cancel ticket and rebook |
You can find more information on the Caledonian Sleeper website, including how to cancel your ticket.