Terms and Conditions

HOLIDAY PACKAGE BOOKING AGREEMENT

The following terms and conditions constitute an agreement between you and Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd. By booking a holiday package/trip with us, you will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions of this agreement. Therefore please read the following agreement carefully.

Travel on all Great Southern Rail train services is subject to certain additional Conditions of Carriage which you accept when you travel with Great Southern Rail. The full Conditions of Carriage (“the Conditions”) may be obtained from your booking agent or any office of Great Southern Rail upon request, and can also be found on Great Southern Rail’s website at www.gsr.com.au

Package fares are quoted in Australian dollars inclusive of GST, and are for travel from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010. Packages and prices are subject to change without notice.

Fitness For Travel
Before making a reservation, you must advise Great Southern Rail if you are ill, injured or have a medical condition which may make it unsafe for you or other guests travelling on board our trains. The full terms and conditions of the Great Southern Rail’s Fitness For Travel Policy may be obtained from your booking agent or any office of Great Southern Rail upon request, and can also be found on Great Southern Rail’s website at www.gsr.com.au

Bookings & Payment Conditions

For bookings made more than 60 days prior to travel, a non-refundable deposit of 10% per person is required within 7 days of us confirming your reservation or the booking will be automatically cancelled. Full payment of your holiday must be made at least 60 days prior to travel.
For all bookings made 60 days or less prior to departure, full payment is required within 2 days of us confirming your reservation.
Bookings cannot be made less than 7 days prior to the date of travel. Different Booking and Payment Conditions may apply to special offers. These will be advised at the time of booking. Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd reserves the right to accept waitlist bookings if you fail to comply with these payment conditions.

Concession Holiday Package Fares

Pensioners, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders and Children must meet the following respective criteria to be eligible for Concession Holiday Package Fares:
Pensioner Fares: Must hold a valid Australian PCC Card.
Australian Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holder: Must hold a valid card.
To receive concessional travel fares, Great Southern Rail is required to confirm your eligibility for the concession electronically with Centrelink. If you do not want this to happen you will need to contact Centrelink to obtain a Pension Concession Letter as proof of your eligibility for the concession and provide this directly to Great Southern Rail before the concession can be given.
Pensioner and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holders may be entitled to Concession Fares that are partly or fully funded by the Commonwealth or State governments. To qualify for Concession Fares, Australian Pensioner or Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards must be presented at the time of booking, must be valid as at the time of travel and must be carried at all times during travel. Not all sectors are included in arrangements for the funding of concessions. Funding for concessions may be withdrawn subsequent to the printing of this document and any prices quoted may therefore change without notice.
Child Fares: are available to children aged 4-15 years inclusive or where a child occupies a seat or berth.

Cancellations & Amendments

The following fees apply in the event of cancellation:
More than 42 days before departure: Loss of any deposit which has been paid
7-42 days before departure: 50% of total package cost
Less than 7 days before departure and after departure: No refund
Individual tour operators payment terms and cancellation conditions may vary from those stipulated by Great Southern Rail. In this event the individual operators conditions will be disclosed at time of booking and apply accordingly to your booking.

Refunds

Lost vouchers/tickets are not refundable. Unused trip/holiday/package components are not refundable. Claims for refunds will be subject to a minimum processing fee of $50. Refunds and substitutions are offered with the express understanding that the receipt by the customer is a waiver of additional remedies. No refunds will be payable in connection with airline or train delays, unused services, or other acts beyond the control of Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd.

Amendments

Modification of a confirmed booking may result in you incurring an Amendment fee of $30 in addition to any costs charged by operators.
Modification of a confirmed booking can not be made less than 7 days prior to the date of travel. An amendment is a change to an existing booking with the same inclusions. A transfer to another package may be treated as a cancellation, in which case the cancellation fees set out above will apply.

Airlines

There are a number of airfares that can be booked in conjunction with your holiday package. Strict ticketing deadlines and conditions apply. Airfares are subject to availability at time of booking. Airlines are involved in trips/holidays as carriers only. The airlines carry no responsibility for statements made in this brochure relating to the trips/holidays.

Accommodation

Accommodation bookings are only available in conjunction with rail travel aboard the Indian Pacific or The Ghan. All rooms subject to availability. Single rooms are available upon request and a supplement is payable. Triple room rates and child rates provided on application and subject to availability. The third bed may be a ‘foldaway’ or ‘rollaway’ bed for triple share rooms. Accommodation prices are subject to change without notice. Hotel rooms are assigned at the discretion of each hotel property. All rooms are not the same, and Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd has no control over room assignments. Alternative hotels of a similar standard to those outlined in packages within this brochure may be used without notice. The star rating system for hotels is provided as an indication of the standard of the hotels only, and the ratings are subject to change without notice.

Touring

Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd does not own, operate or control third party suppliers of services (eg. airlines, hotels/accommodation, sightseeing tour operators, transportation companies, restaurants, hire car operators). To the extent permitted by law, Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd is not responsible for any loss, accident, delay or irregularity whatsoever resulting from a third party supplier’s acts or omissions. The travel services provided by these suppliers are subject to the conditions imposed by the suppliers and their liability may be limited by their tariffs, conditions of carriage, and agreements. Seasonal conditions occasionally necessitate adjustments to touring.

Holiday Package/Tour Cancellations

Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd reserves the right to amend or cancel tours at any time.

Departure & Arrival Times

Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd does not guarantee departure or arrival times or the operation of any service. Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd is not liable for any delay, including without limitation any failure to meet connections with other services.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is strongly suggested to protect your holiday plans. Please enquire at the time of booking.

Luggage

Guests must abide by the following luggage limitations depending on the transport options to be utilised in their holiday packages:

Train Travel: Refer to Luggage section of “Train Travel Terms and Conditions”

Coach & Air Travel: Each guest is entitled to take one case. The sum of the case's length, width and depth must not exceed 140cm (54 inches), and a weight limit of 20 kilos (44lbs) applies. Personal items such as tissues, cameras, make-up, etc., should be carried in a travel bag. Over limit luggage cannot be carried. Baggage is entirely at “owner’s risk” and Great Southern Rail Travel Pty Ltd strongly suggests that you obtain travel insurance to cover any loss or damage to baggage. Airlines permit only 1 cabin bag per person to be carried on aircraft.

Brochure & Fare Validity

The accommodation and package prices in this brochure apply for travel from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, however packages and prices are subject to change without notice.

TRAIN TRAVEL TERMS & CONDITIONS

Timetables subject to change. Call 13 21 47 for current timetable information.

Conditions of Carriage

The terms and conditions appearing below are a summary only of the full terms of travel and conditions which you accept when you travel with Great Southern Rail. The full terms and conditions (“the Conditions”) may be obtained from your booking agent or any office of Great Southern Rail upon request, and can also be found on Great Southern Rail’s website at www.gsr.com.au. By booking train travel with Great Southern Rail, you agree to be bound by the Conditions.

Fitness for Travel

Before making a reservation, you must advise Great Southern Rail if you are ill, injured or have a medical condition which may make it unsafe for you or other guests travelling on board our trains. The full terms and conditions of the Great Southern Rail’s Fitness For Travel Policy may be obtained from your booking agent or any office of Great Southern Rail upon request, and can also be found on Great Southern Rail’s website at www.gsr.com.au

Train Fares

Fares are quoted in Australian dollars inclusiveof GST. Fares apply for travel from 1 April 2009to 31 March 2010, but are subject to change without notice.Return fares are generally double the one way fares. Discount fares may be advertised from time to time but these may carry different conditions.All fares include a fuel price surcharge.

Concession Train Fares

Pensioners, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, Children that meet the following criteria are eligible for a Concession fare:
Pensioner Fares: are only available to Australian pensioners holding a valid PCC Card. Australian Pensioners holding travel vouchers may be entitled to further reduction. Please enquire.
To receive concessional travel fares, Great Southern Rail is required to confirm your eligibility for the concession electronically with Centrelink. If you do not want this to happen you will need to contact Centrelink to obtain a Pension Concession Letter as proof of your eligibility for the concession and provide this directly to Great Southern Rail before the concession can be given.
Australian Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holder: Must hold a valid card.
Pensioner and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holders may be entitled to Concession Fares that are partly or fully funded by the Commonwealth or State governments. To qualify for Concession Fares, Australian Pensioner or Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards must be presented at the time of booking, must be valid as at the time of travel and must be carried at all times during travel. Not all sectors are included in arrangements for the funding of concessions. Funding for concessions may be withdrawn subsequent to the printing of this document and any fares quoted may therefore change without notice.
Child Fares: are available to children aged 4-15 years inclusive or where a child occupies a seat or berth. Infants travel free on Great Southern Rail services unless the infant is to occupy a seat or berth. In this instance, the infant is to be booked as a child, and the Child fare applies.

Ticketing & Payment

Bookings for travel sectors less than $100 per person must be paid at the time of booking. Rail Saver fares and other special fares require full payment at time of booking. Red Standard and Gold Standard fares require full payment within 7 days of booking. Platinum Standard fares require 50% payment within 7 days of booking and the balance 60 days prior to travel. For Red Standard, Gold Standard and Platinum Standard fares for travel 7 days or less from the date of booking, full payment is required at the time of booking. Great Southern Rail reserves the right to charge an additional fee for transactions paid by credit card.

Cancellations & Amendments

The following schedule of fees (per person and/or vehicle) will be levied in respect of cancellation of normal fares. Cancellation fees are calculated against days from travel date.
More than 42 days before departure: 10% of total fare
7-42 days before departure: 50% of total fare
Less than 7 days before departure: 100% of total fare
Amendment Fees:
These apply where the value of the fare is decreased. The applicable fee is $20. Rail Saver fares are 100% non-refundable and non-transferable.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is strongly suggested to protect your holiday plans. Please enquire at the time of booking. If your car is being conveyed on our Motorail Service, it is suggested that you have transit insurance.

Luggage

40 kilograms of luggage per person may be conveyed free of charge in the luggage car. This allows 2 items not exceeding 20kg each and not exceeding 180 linear centimetres. Excess luggage prices on application. Due to space constraints, guests should only take on board hand luggage required for their journey. Remaining luggage should be checked in up to 60 minutes before departure. Unchecked luggage is carried at owner’s risk. Cardboard, plastic or wooden boxes, garbage bags or tea chests will not be accepted as baggage. Bags should be secured and carry the owner’s name, destination and contact phone number both inside and outside the bag. Explosive, combustible and inflammable materials are prohibited. Items such as foodstuffs, plants, animals and furniture cannot be accepted as personal luggage.
You may take the following luggage on board:
Platinum service – twin Berth and double Berth sleeper Cabins: May take one small suitcase not exceeding 10 kilograms per person plus hand luggage including garment bag, cabin bag, briefcase.
Gold service – twin Berth sleeper Cabin: May take one small suitcase not exceeding 10 kilograms per person plus hand luggage including garment bag, cabin bag, briefcase.
Gold service – single Berth sleeper Cabin: May take hand luggage including garment bag, cabin bag, briefcase.
Red service – sleeper Cabin: May take hand luggage including garment bag, cabin bag, briefcase.
Red service – day/nighter seat: May take cabin bag.
Due to cabin space constraints, it is recommended Gold Service guests take an ‘overnight bag’ containing the requirements for their journey with them in their cabin and check in all their luggage. Please note, checked in luggage cannot be accessed during the journey.

Smoking Policy

All Great Southern Rail services are entirely smoke free in accordance with relevant state government regulations. You agree to comply with Great Southern Rail’s strict No Smoking Policy.

Rail Terminal Locations

Adelaide
Adelaide Parklands Terminal
off Richmond Road or Sir Donald Bradman Drive
Keswick

Alice Springs Train Station
George Crescent
Alice Springs

Darwin Train Station
Berrimah Road
East Arm

Perth
East Perth Terminal
West Parade, East Perth
(off Zebina Street or Summers Road)

Sydney Central Station
Eddy Avenue
Sydney

Melbourne
Southern Cross Station
Spencer Street
Melbourne