Connecting train journeys to discover European destinations

• If you're travelling on two Eurostar trains booked together in one transaction, your tickets are covered by a single contract of transport (a ‘Through ticket’). That means if one train is delayed or cancelled, any refund or compensation will apply to your whole journey.
• If your trip involves a Eurostar train and a connecting train operated by another company (SNCF, SNCB, or DB for example), each part of your journey represents a separate contract of transport, even if it’s booked in one transaction. That means if one train is delayed or cancelled, each part of the journey will then be considered separately, without taking into account the other part of the journey. For example, compensation will be based on the delay of the affected part of your journey only - not the overall delay to your final destination.

You can exchange or cancel your connecting journey according to the exchange and refund policy applicable to each leg of your journey. If you wish to exchange or cancel the entire journey, please use Manage Your Booking.

If you wish to exchange or cancel part of your connecting journey only, please contact our customer service team via the Contact Us form.

The exchange and refund policy applicable to Eurostar trains is available here fare, fees and conditions page.

Exchanges and cancellations apply to all passengers in your booking. To allow passengers to make separate changes, please make individual bookings.

There are three main hubs for catching a connecting train:

• Paris (Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Bercy, Paris Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare St Lazare). To find out how to get to your connecting train station in Paris, please read our Paris Gare du Nord station guide.
• Lille (Lille Europe and Lille Flandres)
• Brussels (Brussels-Midi/Zuid)

How do I change trains in Brussels or Lille?

Please check the departure boards at your first opportunity. The departure boards can be found on the concourse. Please follow signs to the stairs / escalators or lift for the platform indicated on the departure boards. Staff are available at all stations where Eurostar has connections. Staff may not work directly for Eurostar, but they can help resolve any issues you may have.

When booking, make sure that you allow enough time to transfer, including the time needed for assistance. If you book a Eurostar to non-Eurostar connection and you need more time, you can choose a later train (subject to availability).

After booking, please contact us no later than 24 hours before departure to arrange assistance. We’ll make sure it’s organised for all legs of your journey.

For more information, see our Accessibility Connections page.

HOTNAT (opens in a new tab) is a service offered by Railteam, an alliance of European rail companies operating international high-speed trains within Europe (Eurostar, DB, SNCF, ÖBB, SBB, NS and SNCB). If you miss your connecting high-speed train because your first train is delayed, HOTNAT lets you catch the next available train leaving the same station at no extra cost. Speak to the train manager on your delayed train or a staff member at the station for any assistance.

The following conditions apply:

• Your missed connection must be between two high-speed trains operated by members of the Railteam alliance.

• You must catch a connecting train from the station your missed connection departed from (if you’re catching a connecting train in Paris, Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Gare de l’Est, Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris Montparnasse are considered one station).

• You can only catch the next train with availability, with no seat or onboard service guaranty.

Just so you know, at busy times the next available train might be later the same day or the following day. HOTNAT does not give you the option to:

• Postpone the journey to a later date
• Get your ticket refunded
• Get free accommodation if the next available train is the following day.

We're also part of the AJC programme. That means you can catch the next available connecting train on the same operator at no extra cost. So, if a delay on a Eurostar train means miss your connecting regional or local NS train in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, you can get on the next available NS train to the same destination.

Similarly, were you to miss your Eurostar connection from Amsterdam or Rotterdam due to a delay on your NS train, you’ll be booked on to the next available Eurostar train. Speak to the train manager on your delayed train or a staff member at the station for any assistance.

There are 19 participating rail companies across continental Europe in the agreement, you can find out more here (opens in a new tab) (opens a PDF).

Just so you know, at busy times the next available train might be later the same day or the following day. AJC does not give you the option to:

• Postpone the journey to a later date
• Get your ticket refunded
• Get free accommodation if the next available train is the following day.

Unfortunately not. But don't worry if you miss your connecting train. Thanks to agreements between Eurostar and other rail companies (called AJC and HOTNAT), you can hop on the next available train at no extra cost, even if the tickets you bought represent separate contracts of travel.