Contact Us

This questionnaire collects the information we need to help you to and from your trip.

There are 5 questions to answer. Follow-up questions are asked if you reply “yes” to any of the basic 5.
To save verbage, all questions are asked in the singular. If two or more are travelling, we assume answers apply to both / all, unless you tell us otherwise.

Questions 1 and 2 concern your travel before your cycle trip with us.
Questions 3 and 4 concern your travel after your bike trip.
Question 5 pertains to the Paris airport train.

If you do not want our help getting to your trip’s start point, or away from its end point, read no more.
In that case, please send us a one-sentence note, to the effect: “I’ll find my own way to Monforte,” or, “I'll get out of Voss on my own at the end of the trip.” While we may doubt the wisdom of your choice, we will happily respect it, and bother you no further.

Suggested Use

1. Copy the 5 questions, and paste them into an e.mail. Then answer each in some distinct manner (ALL CAPS, or bold, or whatever).
The goal is that we be able to pick your replies out of the message, without inadvertently overlooking one.

2. Please answer even questions that don’t pertain to you, with a simple “no.”
This is our way to tell that you have seen the question, and addressed it (as opposed to not yet knowing your plans). If you answer “no,” we assume you are set on this point, and stop worrying about you. Thanks!

3. Send your composed e.mail to us: info@bluemarble.org.
Don't forget to tell us who you are, what trip you are on, and where you are joining and leaving your trip.

4. Do not hesitate to send us partial information as you have it.
For instance: you know you need the pre-trip hotel in the trip’s start city, but don't yet know from where you will catch your train? Tell us that! Or, your pre-trip plans are set, but not your post-trip plans? Tell us that. It may permit us to make some precautionary reservations, and avoid your getting shut out of a key train.

To jump directly to any of the questions, click on their links.

(1) Pre-Trip Trains
(2) Pre-Trip Hotels
(3) Post-Trip Trains
(4) Post-Trip Hotels
(5) Paris Airport Tickets

Prices of the things you are requesting on the “Access Package” page for your trip’s start or end city.
To get to the relevant page, go to the “Access Package” table, and select your start or end city.

1. Pre-Trip TRAINS
This concerns travel prior to your trip, whether you are going directly from an airport city to the trip start point, or travelling independently before going to the trip.

Would you like tickets from us to get you to your trip start?

If the answer is “no,” continue to question 2, “Pre-Trip HOTELS.”

If the answer is “yes,” please fill in the following section, questions I - VI (section V pertains only to people coming from London). If you are making multiple pre-trip rail journeys, please reply to these questions for each of your trips....

I. What is your travel itinerary (for example, “Paris - Dijon”)?_________________________________
If you are coming from London, please see the special section concerning London - Paris or London - Brussels travel, Section V, below. Please indicate your “Eurostar” choices, for travel from London to the continent, there.

II. What is your departure date?________________________
Remember, if you are taking an overnight train to reach your trip, this date will be the eve of your arrival at destination.
If you are coming from London, and stopping over in Paris or Brussels on the way to your trip, please give us your London - Paris / Brussels information in section V, below. The date you give us above should be the date on which you leave Paris or Brussels to travel onwards.

III. At what time would you like to travel? Please fill in your answer below.
- If you are travelling via overnight train, there is generally only one schedule choice. In that case, just tell us “overnight.”
- If you have requested the “Ride the Bike Train Discount,” your schedule is outlined in your Access Package information. You may still tell us your choices here, since they will be useful in the case where there is more than one bike train, or where the discount is not available.
- If you would like an “open” ticket for your trip (no seat reservation), please tell us “open.”
See your Access Package page for service information: most long-distance lines require seat reservations (and thus that you choose a precise train). However, seat reservations can be made locally on a space-available basis, if you wish to keep your plans open.

You may answer the question in any of the following ways:

“I wish to depart my starting city around / no earlier than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)__________________”
“I wish to reach my / our destination around / no later than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)__________________”
I would like to ride the “Bike Train” from Paris, if the discount is available (check here)____
If you are making a plane-train connection: “My flight lands at_________; please book a train departing my airport city no earlier than_________.”
You must fill in both times: we will not estimate your de-planing time for you, since they are too unpredictable, and you’ll get mad at us if we get it wrong. The amount of time you allow should take into account at least the following factors.
(1) How painful would it be for you to buy a new, replacement train ticket (in turn a function of the cost of a full-fare, walk-up ticket, plus the state of your finances).
(2) Have you invested in a (higher cost) refundable / exchangeable ticket to begin with? If you have, you can risk a tighter connection.
(3) What is the journey time from airport to city center (assuming your arrival airport does not have a rail station)?
Our advice: allow ample time to connect from a flight to a train. Remember that planes are notoriously unreliable; arrival time refers to “touchdown” time (not to the time you are finally allowed out of the metal tube); customs, immigration and baggage all require unpredictable chunks of time....

If you prefer a direct train (or one with the fewest possible connections), even if it means leaving a couple of hours earlier____ or later____, please check appropriately.

If you prefer an exchangeable (modifiable) ticket, even where these are more expensive (see the relevant information for your trip), please check here: ____

IV. What class of service would you like?
Our base Access Package prices presume 2nd class seats on daylight trains, regular couchettes on overnight trains. The “Ride the Bike Train” discount may require travel in 2nd class. Otherwise, economical upgrades are often available, and worth the extra funds. Follow this link for a general discussion of train upgrades. Detailed options and prices can be found on the pages concerning your trip start and end cities.

Daylight train(s). You may answer the question in any of the following ways.
If you are coming from London, please see section V, below, and indicate your “Eurostar” choices there.

“I would like...

____ ...to upgrade to a 1st class seat (or seats) only if seats are available at the discount rate listed on the sheet pertaining to my trip.”
Almost all of our rates are discounted, but if you check this despite the fact that no specific discount rates are offered, we will leave you in 2nd class, to avoid spending your money in ways you don’t want us to.
____ ...to take a 1st class seat in any case [the lowest available fare will be used].”
____ ...to stick with 2nd class tickets.”
If you would like to nuance your reply in some way (for instance, to upgrade on one train but not on another), please comment here:

Overnight train(s). Skip / erase this section if you are not taking any. Otherwise, please indicate your order of preference, marking each acceptable choice with a number: 1, 2, 3, and so on.
“I / we would prefer....

_____...the 2nd class couchette or other berth included in the base price of the trip.”
_____...a “Comfort Couchette”
_____...a berths in single-sex quad or triple sleeping car cabins.
Only one of these two cabin types will be available on any given train.
_____...a berth in a double sleeping car cabin (not available to solo travellers within Spain).
_____...a berth in a deluxe double sleeping car cabin.
_____...a private single sleeping car cabin.
_____...a private deluxe single sleeping car cabin.

- If you would prefer to share a cabin with someone from your trip, and are willing to go either UP_____ or DOWN_____ a comfort level to do so, please check accordingly. If you are willing to do either, mark a “1” and a “2” to indicate your order of preference.
- If you are willing to share with a trip-mate of opposite gender (and prefer this to sharing with strangers of your gender), please check here_____.

If you would like to nuance your reply in some way (for instance, to upgrade on one train but not on another), please comment here:

V. Applies only if you are coming from London.
This section pertains only to the trip on the Channel Tunnel TGV (high-speed train), called the “Eurostar.” Please give us information on your connecting continental trains (if any) above.

What is your departure date from London?_______________________
If you are travelling thru to your trip on the same day, this should be the same date as the date of the trip specified above. If you are stopping over for a night or more in Paris or Brussels, it should be a different date.

At what time would you like to travel?
You may answer this question in any of the following ways:

“I would like to depart London around / no earlier than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)____________________”
“I would like to arrive at my destination (Paris or Brussels) around / no later than than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)____________________”
Or, “Please book a train departing from London such that it safely connects to my ongoing train” [check here]_____
We allow an hour for the Paris station change, or for a station change in Lille if it is required. We allow 20 minutes for the same-station connection in Lille or Brussels. Tell us if you wish to allow more / less.

“Eurostar” tickets are train-specific. Our discount fares are not refundable or exchangeable once ordered. They are also capacity-controlled, and not all fares are available on all trains.
If you prefer an exchangeable ticket (more expensive), please check here_____.

In what class (2nd, 1st, or 1st Premium) would you like to travel? Please check one.
An at-seat meal service is included on the Eurostar in 1st class (and, obviously, in 1st Premium, where the meal is presumably served on china by scantilly-clad waitrons).
In addition to the usual classes of service, second and first, “Eurostar” trains to Paris offer “First Premium.” More space, better food.... but a lot more expensive. If you have to ask how much, you can't afford it. We offer a 5% discount on First Premium fares published by Rail Europe.

_____1st class
_____2nd class
_____1st Premium

Would you like a metro ticket to make your station change in Paris without having to buy one? Yes____ No____

VI. Getting Your Pre-Trip Travel Documents
To travel by train, you usually need a paper document. We use e.tickets when we can, but they are still the exception, not the rule, on most routes. Even when they exist, they require that you print them out and show them on board the train. It is not enough to have identification.

If you are passing through Paris, we can have your ticket(s) waiting for you there. Otherwise, they are sent to you by some sort of traceable mail. Our standard shipping charges are here.

Please indicate here how you would like to gain possession of your train tickets.

____ “I will pick them up in your Paris office”
____ “Please send them to my home address, the one you have on file. I understand that the shipper will not require a signature for home delivery, with the result that my tickets may be eaten by monsters.” We prefer to send tickets to work addresses: a couple of home shipments a year do, in fact, go wrong, and there is no recourse....
____ “Please send them to my work address, where someone will be able to sign for them.” In this case, please provide us with the address you want us to use, and the phone number required on the shipping manifest.
____ “Please send them to my home address, by certified mail.” This is not registered mail, and provides no insurance if the tickets are lost or stolen. It simply proves that we sent them.

Tickets needed for travel after your cycle trip with us will be delivered to you by your trip coordinator, without additional charge.

2. Pre-Trip HOTELS
Would you like us to arrange lodging on any night(s) prior to your trip?
For a general discussion of our European hotels, see here.

• If the answer is “NO,” continue to question 4, “Post-Trip Trains.”
• If the answer is “YES,” please fill in the following requests, one per city. The first spot is Paris-specific.

I. PARIS (for other cities, see II and III, below)
For a general discussion of our Paris lodging options, see here.

What pre-trip dates would you like us to reserve in Paris (nights of...)?______________________________

Paris Hotel Preference
_____Our “Usual Economical Hotel”
_____Our “Usual More Comfortable Hotel”
_____Left bank hotel
_____One of our Paris guest apartments (check one: Citron____ — Soleil____ — La Bohème____ )
_____Less expensive hotel (3-night minimum stay)

Room Type, if in a hotel (check one):
____ Single
____ Double (one, double bed)
____ Twin
____ Triple
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise single
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise no reservation

Check here if you prefer a less expensive room, with hall shower and WC (only available in our “Less expenisve hotel,” option "v", above, and only available if you are booking an entire room) ____

II. Any City EXCEPT Paris (for Paris, please answer in section I, above): __________________________

What nights would you like us to reserve?______________________________

Room Type, if in a hotel (check one):
____ Single
____ Double (one, double bed)
____ Twin
____ Triple
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise single
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise no reservation

Check here if you prefer a less expensive room, with hall shower and WC (only available if you are booking an entire room) ____

If this hotel is part of one of our “Access Packages,” please check here, to receive appropriate pricing____
If you would prefer to upgrade to a 3* hotel where one is proposed, please check here____

Otherwise, where we offer both, would you prefer a 2*_____ or a 3*_____ level hotel?

III. Any City EXCEPT Paris (for Paris, please answer in section I, above): __________________________

What nights would you like us to reserve?______________________________

Room Type, if in a hotel (check one):
____ Single
____ Double (one, double bed)
____ Twin
____ Triple
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise single
____ Single bed in a twin / triple if available, otherwise no reservation

Check here if you prefer a less expensive room, with hall shower and WC (only available if you are booking an entire room) ____

If this hotel is part of one of our “Access Packages,” please check here, to receive appropriate pricing____
If you would prefer to upgrade to a 3* hotel where one is proposed, please check here____

Otherwise, where we offer both, would you prefer a 2*_____ or a 3*_____ level hotel?

3. Post-Trip TRAINS
This concerns travel after your trip, whether you are going directly from the trip end point to an airport city, or travelling independently after the trip.

Would you like tickets from us for travel after your trip?

If the answer is “no,” continue to question 4, “Post-Trip HOTELS.”

If the answer is “yes,” please fill in the following section, questions I - VI (section V pertains only to people travelling to London). If you are making multiple pre-trip rail journeys, please reply to these questions for each of your trips....

I. What is your travel itinerary (for example, “Como - Paris”)?_________________________________
If your final destination is London, please see section V, below, and indicate your “Eurostar” choices, for travel through the Channel Tunnel, there.

II. What is your travel date?________________________
Remember, if you are taking an overnight train to leave your trip, your arrival at destination will be the next day — think this through before booking a flight.

If you are going to London, and stopping over in Paris or Brussels on the way, please give us your Paris or Brussels to London information in section V, below. The date above refers to your trip as far as Paris or Brussels.

III. At what time would you like to travel? Please fill in your answer below.
- If you are travelling via overnight train, there is generally only one schedule choice. In that case, just tell us “overnight.”
- If you have requested the “Ride the Bike Train Discount,” your schedule is outlined in your Access Package information. You may still tell us your choices here, since they will be useful in the case where there is more than one bike train, or where the discount is not available.
- If you would like an “open” ticket for your trip (no seat reservation), please tell us “open.”
See your Access Package page for service information: most long-distance lines require seat reservations (and thus that you choose a precise train). However, seat reservations can be made locally on a space-available basis, if you wish to keep your plans open.

You may answer the question in any of the following ways:

“I wish to depart my starting city around / no earlier than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)__________________”
“I wish to reach my / our destination around / no later than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)__________________”
I would like to ride the “Bike Train” to Paris, if the discount is available (check here)____
If you are making a train-plane connection: “My / our flight departs at_________; please book a train that reaches my airport city no later than_________.”
You must fill in both times: we will not estimate your connection time for you, since some people like to be at the airport well in advance, while others like to cut it close. The amount of time you allow should take into account at least the following factors.
(1) How painful would it be for you to miss the plane? If waiting a couple of days for the next flight and paying a change fee is not that big a deal, then cut it close and sleep in. Though European trains are very reliable, small delays are not uncommon, and longer ones can happen....
(2) What is the journey time from city center to the airport (assuming your arrival airport does not have a rail station)?

If you prefer a direct train (or one with the fewest possible connections), even if it means leaving a couple of hours earlier____ or later____, please check appropriately.

If you prefer an exchangeable (modifiable) ticket, even where these are more expensive (see the relevant information for your trip), please check here: ____

What is your travel itinerary (eg., “Como - Zurich Airport”)? _______________________
(If your final destination is London, please see section V, below, and indicate your “Eurostar” choices, for travel through the Channel Tunnel, there.)

IV. What class of service would you like?
Our base Access Package prices presume 2nd class seats on daylight trains, regular couchettes on overnight trains. The “Ride the Bike Train” discount may require travel in 2nd class. Otherwise, economical upgrades are often available, and worth the extra funds. Follow this link for a general discussion of train upgrades. Detailed options and prices can be found on the pages concerning your trip start and end cities.

Daylight train(s). You may answer the question in any of the following ways.
If you are travelling to London, please see section V, below, and indicate your “Eurostar” preferences there.

“I would like...A reminder regarding train / plane connections

____ ...to upgrade to a 1st class seat (or seats) only if seats are available at the discount rate listed on the sheet pertaining to my trip.”
Almost all of our rates are discounted, but if you check this despite the fact that no specific discount rates are offered, we will leave you in 2nd class, to avoid spending your money in ways you don’t want us to.
____ ...to take a 1st class seat in any case [the lowest available fare will be used].”
____ ...to stick with 2nd class tickets.”
If you would like to nuance your reply in some way (for instance, to upgrade on one train but not on another), please comment:

_____...the 2nd class couchette or other berth included in the base price of the trip.”
_____...a “Comfort Couchette”
_____...a berths in single-sex quad or triple sleeping car cabins.
Only one of these two cabin types will be available on any given train.
_____...a berth in a double sleeping car cabin (not available to solo travellers within Spain).
_____...a berth in a deluxe double sleeping car cabin.
_____...a private single sleeping car cabin.
_____...a private deluxe single sleeping car cabin.

- If you would prefer to share a cabin with someone from your trip, and are willing to go either UP_____ or DOWN_____ a comfort level to do so, please check accordingly. If you are willing to do either, mark a “1” and a “2” to indicate your order of preference.
- If you are willing to share with a trip-mate of opposite gender (and prefer this to sharing with strangers of your gender), please check here_____.

If you would like to nuance your reply in some way (for instance, to upgrade on one train but not on another), please comment here:

If you would prefer to share a cabin with someone (or people) from your trip, and are willing to go UP_____ or DOWN_____ a comfort level to do so, please check accordingly. If you are willing to share with someone (or people) of opposite gender (and prefer this to sharing with strangers of your gender), please check here_____.

If you would like to nuance your reply in some way (for instance, to upgrade on one train but not on another), please comment here:

V. Applies only if you are travelling to London.
This section pertains only to the trip on the Channel Tunnel TGV (high-speed train), called the “Eurostar.” Please give us information on your connecting continental trains (if any) above.

What is your departure date from Paris or Brussels?_______________________

At what time would you like to travel?
You may answer this question in any of the following ways:

“I would like to depart Paris / Brussels around / no earlier than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)____________________”
“I would like to arrive in London around / no later than than (erase / cross out whichever does not apply, or give us both times)____________________”
Or, “Please book a train departing from Paris / Brussels such that it safely connects from my arriving train” [check here]_____
We allow an hour for the Paris station change, or for a station change in Lille if it is required. We allow 20 minutes for same-station connections in Lille or Brussels. Tell us if you wish to allow more / less.

“Eurostar” tickets are train-specific. Our discount fares are not refundable or exchangeable once ordered. They are also capacity-controlled, and not all fares are available on all trains.
If you prefer an exchangeable ticket (more expensive), please check here_____.

In what class (2nd, 1st, or 1st Premium) would you like to travel? Please check one.
An at-seat meal service is included on the Eurostar in 1st class (and, obviously, in 1st Premium).
In addition to the usual classes of service, second and first, “Eurostar” trains from Paris offer “First Premium.” More space, better food.... but a lot more expensive. If you have to ask how much, you can't afford it. We offer a 5% discount on First Premium fares published by Rail Europe.

_____1st class
_____2nd class
_____1st Premium

Would you like a metro ticket to make your station change in Paris without having to buy one? Yes____ No____

4. Post-Trip HOTELS
For a general discussion of our European hotels, see here.

Would you like us to arrange lodging on any night(s) after your trip disbands?
For a general discussion of our European hotels, see here.

• If the answer is “NO,” you are done (or continue to question 5, “Paris Airport Train).”
• If the answer is “YES,” please fill in the following requests, one per city. The first spot is Paris-specific.

I. PARIS (for other cities, see II and III, below)
For a general discussion of our Paris lodging options, see here.

What post-trip dates would you like us to reserve in Paris (nights of...)?______________________________

Paris Hotel Preference
_____Our “Usual Economical Hotel”
_____Our “Usual More Comfortable Hotel”
_____Left bank hotel
_____One of our Paris guest apartments (check one: Citron____ — Soleil____ — La Bohème____ )
_____Less expensive hotel (3-night minimum stay)