All matters concerning the booking process such as booking, rebooking, and cancellation can be done electronically on the Optima Tours website. Alternatively, all of these procedures can also be done by post. It is not possible to book, rebook or cancel any reservation on the telephone. Tickets are issued only after the payment of the full travel fee as a general rule. When booking online, it is possible to access your ticket immediately after paying with credit card. If you pay by invoice, your ticket will be issued after the payment has been credited to our bank account. It is also possible to pay for the ticket with a cash transfer to our bank account.
All passangers, regardless of their nationality, need a valid travel document!. If a visa is required for the journey, the passenger should apply for it on his own. Passengers without a required visa for any of the countries on the course of the train can be excluded from carriage. German nationals do not require any visa for the journey with Optima Express.
Since 10.05.2007, Turkish citizens with a residence permit for EU or Switzerland DO NOT REQUIRE VISA FOR BULGARIA. Thus, there are no visa requirements anymore on the whole Optima-Express route for Turkish citizens.
More information on visa requirements can be obtained from your travel agency.
As long as the national railway authorities have not decided otherwise, the passenger is required to load, unload and adjust his vehicle on the car transporter. The customer should pay the necessary attention.
Vehicles must be ready for customs clearance and to be loaded at the specific area designated by the railways at least Three hours before the depature time. Loading stops Two hours before the departure.
Keep in mind that you need to check-in at the Optima counter beforehand. The end of loading before the departure is regulated by the customs and police control.
After the closing time, neither passengers nor vehicles can be checked in for travel.
Vehicles not complying with the following dimensions and regulations can be excluded from transport. The final decision for this is made by the railway loading foreman in charge or the Optima Tours station manager. In case of an exclusion from transport, 100% of the ticket price is retained as compensation by Optima Tours.
The vehicles need to be officially qualified for traffic and roadworthy. Apart from the driver seat, they can have a maximum of 8 seats.
Vehicles in the category up to 198 cm are allowed to have an upper width of maximum 180 cm and must be at least 15 cm high from the ground. The maximum width of the whole vehicle must not exceed 205 cm and the axle track must be maximum 185 cm long. Vehicles not complying with these regulations may be damaged during loading and unloading as well as during the transport. Passengers are liable for any damages to the car transporter and to other vehicles which arise due to the violation of these regulations.
Every vehicles must be accompanied by a driver who is at least 18 years old and has a driving license. Every driver must be listed on the train ticket and have the necessary passports and visas.
Safety measures: the passenger must take every precaution to prevent damages. He should especially ensure that his vehicles is locked, the sunroof is shut, the ventilation calps are closed and the antenna is withdrawn. If the vehicle has an antenna which cannot be withdrawn (e.g. fiberglass antenna), it must be tied down in order not to exceed the maximum height for vehicles. Pipelines carrying the fuel must not be leaking. The same is also true for the fuel tank which also needs to be closed. As long as the vehicles are on the car transporter, it is not allowed to to extract or tank fuel into the vehicles. It is also forbidden to smoke, light a fire or work with lights on in the cars or in their vicinity. The whole electronics of the vehicle must be working and in a good condition. Objects carried on the vehicles – as long as they are permitted – as well as objects carried next to the vehicles such as boats or other sports equipments must be fastened so that they would not damage other vehicles. The use of car covers to protect the vehicle is forbidden. Important: we advise our passengers not to leave their items of value in the vehicles but to take them in the compartments which can be locked.
ATTENTION!
The vehicle owner undertakes to take the following precautions:
The vehicle must not be parked in neutral. It must be in an aisle run.
The vehicle must be parked with the handbrake on
If the car is equipped with a lifting and lowering system, the customer is obliged to report this to the Optima Express staff before loading the car.
Animals can be transported in the compartments provided that the owner booked the whole compartment for himself and for his companions.
For compliance with any official requirements (especially veterinary Conditions in the cross-border transport of animals) is the responsibility of the traveler.
When entering the EU with pets, the rabies titer determination and a valid pet passport must be carried along, in which the valid rabies vaccination and also the serological rabies test are entered.
Important: The animal must not be younger than three (3) months. Only dogs and cats are allowed. Birds and ferrets are not permitted.
