Payment taken but booking unsuccessful

When you place an order with Rail Europe, we need authorization from your bank before we confirm your booking with the rail operator.

Sometimes bookings fail after your bank authorizes the payment, but before the payment is made. You will not be charged if this happens, but you may see a temporary "payment shadow" in your account.

How we capture payment

1: When the payment is authorized, your bank will allocate the money you need to pay for your tickets. This gives Rail Europe the right to collect your payment.
2: When a booking is successful, Rail Europe captures the money to pay for your tickets.

If the payment fails after the authorization, we cancel the payment request and remove the payment authorization. However, sometimes a "payment shadow" continues to show as a pending payment on your account. The money has not been taken, but may still affect your available balance.

How long will a payment shadow appear on my account?

The payment shadow usually disappears as soon as the payment authorization is removed. However, for some banks, payment shadows can remain for up to 6 days, but 48 hours is often the limit.

If you are worried about your available balance being affected, you should contact your bank and explain that the payment authorization has been removed by Rail Europe. In some cases it is possible for us to provide an authorisation code for you to pass to your bank, so that they can identify the transaction and remove the payment shadow sooner.

Please contact your bank before contacting Rail Europe. If a payment fails, we remove payment authorization immediately so there is nothing more we can do without involvement from your bank.

In case the booking has been charged for twice, without a double booking please get in touch with our customer care team. In case you have made a double booking, please get in touch with our Customer care team, and they would check on the possibility of the refund (though not guaranteed). In both of these instances, please get in touch with us up-to 4 working days before the first date of travel by train.)