Train travel is having a moment. Tired of airport chaos, people are seeking a more affordable, more laid-back way to get from A to B. Rail travel is also better for the Earth, with the lowest emissions per passenger mile of any way to travel.¹

Options for train travel are multiplying. In the U.S., Amtrak has proposed a $75 billion expansion plan with 39 entirely new routes, so that almost every major city in the US would get passenger rail service within 15 years.² At least five new high-speed trains are also in the works.³

In Europe, we’re seeing new investment in overnight train service between major cities. Austrian Federal Railways has just introduced swanky new sleeper cars with private baths that one travel pro compares to a “Japanese-style capsule hotel on rails.”⁴

However, even the most luxurious train journey isn’t guaranteed to go smoothly. If you’re thinking about traveling by train for your next big trip, insurance is a must.

4 reasons why you should buy travel insurance for train travel

1. Travel insurance can reimburse you for covered cancellations.

If you have to cancel your trip at the last minute, will the railway company give back your money? Train travel refund policies vary.

• At Amtrak, reserved fares can be refunded in full if you cancel within 24 hours of your purchase. Unreserved fares must be canceled within 1 hour of purchase. Beyond that window, the cancellation policy is based on the type of fare purchased. Flex, Business and First Class fares may be refunded in full if you cancel before departure. For Sale, Value, and private room fares, you’ll only get back a portion of what you paid.⁵
• Eurail gives refunds for canceled rail passes, minus a 15% cancellation fee, as long as you haven’t activated your pass. Most reserved tickets are not refundable. Get the details on Eurail cancellation policies.
• You can apply for a refund of an unused Japan Rail Pass, but the process can be long and requires you to return the pass by mail.⁶

If you have travel insurance with trip cancellation benefits, you don’t have to worry! You can be reimbursed for prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel your train trip for a covered reason.

2. Travel insurance makes it easier to deal with a train delay.

Many people choose to travel by train to avoid aggravating flight delays. But we’ll let you in on a little secret: In the US, domestic flights and Amtrak trains have a similar on-time rate: about 75%.^{7, 8}

That means no matter which way you choose to travel, there’s about a 1 in 4 chance your trip will be delayed. On some Amtrak routes, interference by freight trains pushes the on-time rate below 30%. And on one particularly unlucky Amtrak Auto Train, a freight train derailment resulted in a nearly 20-hour delay.

Does travel insurance cover train delays? In many instances, yes! Your travel delay benefits can reimburse you for additional accommodation, meals or travel expenses and lost prepaid expenses you incur because of a covered travel delay. So if a snowstorm cancels your train home, travel insurance may cover an extra hotel night while you wait. Or if a mechanical failure leaves you stranded on the tracks, your benefits can reimburse you for the purchase of a sandwich and coffee in the club car.

Here's another option: You can get an automatic payment for a covered travel delay if you have   (Payment amount varies by plan; SmartBenefits are not available in all states.)

3. Travel insurance can protect your possessions on train journeys.

Unlike airlines, railways don’t often lose track of checked baggage. But bags do get lost, damaged, and stolen. When that happens, travel insurance is your best friend.

Baggage delay benefits can reimburse you for the reasonable additional purchase of essential items during your trip if your baggage is delayed or misdirected by the railway or another carrier for the time period specified in your plan. Baggage loss/damage benefits can reimburse you for the actual price, actual cash value, repair or replacement of lost/damaged items—whichever is less—based on the limits in your insurance policy’s letter of confirmation.

Here's one quick tip: If your suitcase or backpack gets stolen while you’re on board the train, check the bathrooms. Thieves sometimes rifle through stolen bags in the restrooms, pocketing what’s valuable and discarding the rest.⁹ Don’t forget to notify the conductor and file a police report as well.

4. Travel insurance can save the day when your train journey gets thrown off track.

For as long as you can remember, you’ve dreamed of taking a trip aboard the legendary Trans-Siberian Express and Trans-Mongolian Railway, from Moscow to Ulan Bator. Now, you’re finally doing it! But halfway through your trip, you start feeling a sharp pain in your side. Just as you feared, it’s a kidney stone. The pain gets worse and worse, forcing you to disembark in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk to seek medical help.

Without travel insurance, you’ll have to navigate the city on your own, try to find a reputable hospital with English-speaking staff, and pay upfront for the care you receive.

With Allianz Travel Insurance, help is on the way! All you have to do is call 24-hour assistance or contact us via the Allyz® TravelSmart app. Your assistance coordinator can arrange and monitor your medical treatment, provide an interpreter, update your loved ones on your condition, and even issue advance payments for your medical care, if you’re going to be hospitalized for more than 24 hours. Your emergency medical and dental benefits can reimburse the cost of care for covered medical and dental emergencies that occur during your trip. And your trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for the missed portion of your train journey, as well as the additional costs to resume your trip.

Bonus train travel insurance FAQ

Does travel insurance cover train strikes? A travel carrier strike can be a covered reason for trip cancellation, trip interruption, or travel delay. (Coverage for a strike does not apply if the strike was threatened or announced when you bought yout plan, or when the striking workers are employed by the travel carrier, or an affiliate of the travel carrier, from which you purchased your plan.)

Does travel insurance cover train accidents? If your train travel is delayed, canceled, or interrupted because of an accident, your travel delay or trip interruption/cancellation benefits may apply. If you get hurt in a train accident while traveling, emergency medical benefits can reimburse you for the cost of covered medical care. Travel accident coverage, available with select plans, can provide cash payment for covered losses due to death, loss of limb(s) or sight as a result of a covered travel accident.

Does travel insurance cover a missed train? That depends. If you miss your train because of a covered reason named in your plan, such as a local public transportation delay or lost travel documents, you may be eligible for travel delay or trip interruption/cancellation benefits. If you miss your train because you overslept or ran into traffic, travel insurance would not be able to reimburse you for your losses.

Allianz Travel Insurance is proud to partner with Amtrak to provide travel protection for passengers. Whether your next train journey is in the U.S. or overseas, we’re here to look out for you. Get a quote for your next trip!

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