Terms and Conditions
Big Country Express - July 2021
Travelations Pty Ltd t/a Cruise Express (herein referred to as the Facilitator) is a member of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), an accredited member of the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS) and a member of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). We are committed to the provision of excellent service and quality travel products.
PRICING & ITINERARY: All prices are in Australian dollars and are based on operator prices correct at the time of publication. In the event that operators or service providers alter prices, the Facilitator reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update fares, fees and surcharges at any time, up to and including the day of departure, without prior notice. No changes will be made to pricing prior to Friday 4th June 2021.
The Facilitator will use all reasonable endeavours to provide the tour you have booked in accordance with the advertised itinerary. However, due to the nature of travel, it may not always be possible for the Facilitator to adhere strictly to the original itinerary. When circumstances beyond the control of the Facilitator occur, the Facilitator reserves the right to make alterations to the tour or itinerary accordingly, before or after the commencement of the tour. Any changes to the itinerary will be notified to you
- if prior to your tour departure date, by phone, email or post or
- if during your tour, personally by your Tour Manager
To the maximum extent permitted by law, you agree that the Facilitator is not liable to you for, and you release the Facilitator from, any cost, claim, loss, damage or expense whatsoever arising either directly or indirectly in connection with any alteration to your itinerary or substitution carried out in accordance with this clause. This includes without limitation any claim for distress, disappointment or loss of enjoyment arising from the alteration(s). This is also applicable to any personal expenses incurred by you including food, beverages and personal items or costs associated with any other travel arrangements affected by the changes, including any costs and expenses incurred by you for cancelling or changing those other arrangements or arising from a failure to meet a connection.
BOOKINGS: All bookings must be made directly with the Facilitator and are subject to availability of the appropriate services (eg. rail seats, hotel accommodation and coaches) at the time of booking.
DEPOSIT PAYMENT & BOOKING CONFIRMATION:
A deposit of $500.00 per person is payable at the time of booking.
This deposit is refundable up to 4th June 2021 only in the event of a Covid 19 related incident directly impacting the tours ability to operate. After the 4th June 2021 If the trip is cancelled by the Facilitator due to Covid 19 incident such as border closures or other restrictions directly related to the pandemic a future rail credit will be provided.
Based on your online booking information, a confirmation will be sent by email within seven days of booking. Additional paperwork may also be sent by email between booking and departure date.
Payments may be made via direct deposit into our bank account, credit card (Visa or MasterCard - no processing fees apply) or by utilising a future rail credit certificate.
FINAL PAYMENT: Final payment will be due on Friday 4th June 2021, unless otherwise specified. You will be reminded prior to the date that final payment is due. Final documentation will be distributed by email approximately 1-2 weeks prior to departure, depending on group numbers and your location. Any further documentation will be distributed at the station on the day of departure.
VENUES: Some venues have yet to confirm the rules that may be applicable for social distancing and group sizes at the time of our planned visit. With your health and safety in mind, every effort will be made to supply the services and inclusions as stated in the itinerary. However, we will comply with the advice and guidelines of the applicable health authorities at the time of travel. If smaller group sizes are required at venues, the Facilitator reserves the right to amend the itinerary and venues visited.
TRAIN TIMETABLES: All train departure and arrival times are subject to change at any time and, where listed, are a guideline only. You accept that the Facilitator does not own or control any train, rail equipment or infrastructure and has no control over the operation of any railway tracks. Scheduled passenger and freight trains will at all times have priority over heritage trains and, as such, timetables can change at any time throughout each day of operation.
The Facilitator strongly recommends you do not make any personal arrangements on the dates of rail travel as departure and arrival times cannot be guaranteed. As far as possible you should therefore avoid making onward travel arrangements on the final day of travel. The Facilitator does not accept any loss or additional costs on your behalf for missed travel connections should trains or replacement forms of transport be delayed.
Should any train be unable to run due to track conditions, weather, line blockage, signal failure, other train failure or any other circumstances outside the control of the Facilitator, the right is reserved to replace these services with coach transport. Unless a tour is cancelled outright there will be no refund for replacement of rail services.
TRAIN CONSISTS: Your tour includes travel aboard one or more heritage trains. All carriages are subject to change at any time, sometimes very close to departure. Should any piece of rolling stock become unavailable, the Facilitator will endeavour to replace it with alternative carriages or rail motors as close as possible to the original equipment that was scheduled to operate. Limited amounts of heritage rollingstock are available meaning that at times the Facilitator may need to replace equipment with alternative rolling stock to that originally advertised. You understand that heritage rolling stock has not been in commercial service for many years (several decades in some instances) and is largely maintained by small volunteer organisations. The onboard facilities such as toilets, seats and lighting are heritage, often as originally built, and therefore differ from modern trains. You acknowledge that this is part of the heritage rail experience.
PASSENGER SEATING: All train journeys have allocated seating. Your carriage letter(s) and seat number(s) will be shown on your ticket. As a general rule, seats are allocated so that parties of two are given one window seat and one aisle seat. Please be aware that any specific seating requests must be made at the time of booking and that although the Facilitator will endeavour to accommodate requests this may not always be possible. Actual seats remain the same throughout the journey, whether the direction of travel changes or not. This means that if the train reverses, a forward facing seat may become reversed for the return journey and vice versa.
There are very limited heritage rail carriages available and as such the train may be made up of differing carriage types including open seating and compartment cars. If you have seating issues on any travel day, please speak to the appointed Tour Manager. Should the train be seated at capacity, seat changes may not be possible. You may change seats of your own accord with agreement from fellow passengers.
TOUR INCLUSIONS: Heritage train journey, group transfers, hotel accommodation and meals as specified, sightseeing and other activities as specified and the services of a Tour Manager. Accommodation is on a twin-share basis unless otherwise requested and confirmed. Hotels are capacity controlled, subject to change and some room types may have additional costs.
NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR COSTS: All items not specifically referred to as Tour Inclusions including excess baggage, meals, gratuities and tips except where indicated, travel insurance, laundry, drinks and items of a personal nature.
TOUR MANAGER: It is intended that this departure will be accompanied by at least one Tour Manager nominated by the Facilitator. However, should minimum group numbers not be reached, the Facilitator reserves the right to operate the itinerary as an unescorted group departure utilising local independent tour escorts.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: It is recommended that each passenger have a current travel insurance policy. Because of the cancellation policies outlined above.
HEALTH, FITNESS AND PARTICIPATION: The Facilitator reserves the right, at the discretion of the Tour Manager and/or Train Manager to deny boarding to passengers who are, upon arrival at the railway station or start of the tour, physically unable to participate safely in the journey. No refund will be given in this circumstance so please carefully consider the following:
Passengers may NOT rely on the Tour Manager(s) or fellow passengers for personal physical assistance and warrant that they are in good health and/or fit to travel on tour. While this tour does not require a special level of fitness, for your own safety and the overall benefit of the group, all passengers must possess a moderate level of mobility, including the ability to –
* negotiate railway stations without wheelchair assistance
* embark and disembark trains, coaches and other methods of transportation without assistance
* climb and descend steps and stairs unaided
* handle your own luggage
* use combined shower/bath facilities (it is not possible to guarantee walk-in shower facilities)
Heritage trains were not designed to accommodate passengers who are confined to a wheelchair or need mobility equipment. You may be seated in a carriage without toilet facilities so you must be able to negotiate your way between carriages easily and without aid. Additionally the buffet or dining car(s) may be located several cars away from your carriage. At some stations the platform may be lower than the door of the train, requiring the ability to negotiate stairs up and/or down.
Limited first aid facilities are available on all trains. Passengers should carefully consider their own ongoing medical requirements, especially when the rail journey includes travel to remote areas. Passengers found to be unfit or unwell during the journey may be disembarked without refund for the unused portion of the holiday.
The Facilitator cannot guarantee facilities such as refrigeration are available on all trains for those passengers dependant on insulin or requiring safe storage of other medication. Please check with the Facilitator at the time of booking.
DINING ON BOARD: Onboard meal services are dependent on your travel route, the type of train used, provision of utilities and access to re-stocking, and therefore on very rare occasions may be subject to revision from what has been advertised. The Facilitator will endeavour to cater for allergies and medical needs but cannot guarantee that all foods will be totally free of specific allergens such as nuts, dairy or gluten.
Specific dietary preferences will be noted however with limited facilities available aboard most trains, specific food preferences may not be available. Where meals are included the Facilitator will endeavour to provide vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free meals only but this cannot always be guaranteed.
ALCOHOL: Under no circumstances may passengers bring and consume their own alcohol aboard any train. Passengers found to be doing so may have such beverages confiscated and returned to them at the conclusion of the journey.
STATION FACILITIES: Please be aware that the Facilitator does not have control or influence over where or when station platform toilet facilities are open and available. All trains will have appropriate toilet facilities available onboard.
TRAIN FACILITIES: Heritage trains largely retain their original bathroom/toilet facilities and are either traditional lavatory or pull-down pan type. Should these facilities receive heavy use they may from time to time run out of water and therefore be put out of service. The Facilitator, together with the train operator, will endeavour to have the train water tanks refilled at the next available opportunity. You accept that heritage equipment is being used and may from time to time experience a failure of one type or another. The Facilitator will endeavour to rectify such issues as soon as is practicable.
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Your heritage train(s) may have limited space for luggage, in which case large suitcases cannot be accommodated. Guests should limit their packing to one small bag each and must be able to handle their own luggage at all times.
PASSENGER BEHAVIOUR: As the tour involves travelling in a group you agree to accept the full authority of the Tour Manager designated by the Facilitator. Passengers are expected to behave in a courteous manner toward other passengers, staff, train volunteers and other persons with whom they have contact during the tour. Any passenger exhibiting rude, offensive or aggressive behaviour may be disembarked at the next available station. In such circumstances the Facilitator will not be liable for any refund, compensation or additional costs incurred by you and/or your travelling companions.
NOTICE OF RESPONSIBILITY: The Facilitator is not itself a carrier or hotelier, nor does it own trains, hotels, coaches, airlines or cruise ships. The services that the Facilitator supplies consist of arranging and coordinating train travel, accommodation, transfers and tours, flights and cruises, making bookings and issuing documents to be redeemed by suppliers. The Facilitator exercises every care in the selection of reputable rail, transfer and tour operators, hotels, airlines and cruise lines. However, it is important to note that all bookings with the Facilitator are subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of liability imposed by the rail operators, hoteliers, transfer and tour operators, airlines and shipping and cruise companies whose services we utilise, some of which limit or exclude liability in respect of death, personal injury, delay and loss or damage of baggage.
The Facilitator does not accept any liability of whatever nature for the acts, omissions or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of those rail operators, hoteliers, transfer and tour operators, airlines or shipping and cruise companies or other entities or persons providing services in connection with your travel arrangements pursuant to a contract between themselves and yourself (which may be evidenced in writing by the issue of a ticket, voucher, coupon or the like) and over which the Facilitator has no direct and exclusive control.
The Facilitator does not accept responsibility in contract or in tort for any injury, damage, loss, delay, additional expenses or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by force majeure or other events which are beyond its control or which are not preventable by reasonable diligence on the part of the Facilitator, including but not limited to pandemic, war, civil disturbance, fire, flood, unusually severe weather, acts of God, acts of Government or any other authorities, accidents to or failure of machinery or equipment or industrial action (whether or not involving our employees).
Please read all booking terms and conditions carefully.
