Quality & Value

Our aim is to give people the best rail holiday possible in terms of quality of content and value for money so please read our tour itineraries in detail to fully appreciate the level of planning involved and the extent to which we try and achieve the perfect mix of travel, railways, leisure, culture and substance in every escorted tour we run.

Planning & Passion

Our established and dedicated team of tour consultants go to great lengths to ensure the rail tours they create fulfil all expectations.

Travel – all travel is planned meticulously to optimise the time available without inconveniencing the traveller – our rail holidays are journeys for pleasure and leisure.

Hotels – we select hotels based on familiarity, location and facilities. We work closely with selected hotels, most of which are centrally located in cities and towns offering easy access to local transport and sightseeing.

Itinerary – our tour consultants are passionate about travel, railways and culture. Every element of a tour is carefully considered to ensure it is relevant, of interest, feasible and adds value to the holiday.

Value

The prices of our tours reflect the standard of service we provide. As a small company we listen to our customers and adapt to varying holiday requests where possible. Here are a few components that have become established features of our tours:

• First Class Swiss Travel passes used for most Swiss Grand and Connoisseur tours giving free unlimited travel whilst in Switzerland
• InterRail passes are used for most European tours giving free unlimited travel for the duration of the holiday
• Average tour group size is 18 people
• Flexibility to create add-ons to existing tours as per customer’s specifications
• Availability to upgrade flights and rail journeys within a tour (where possible)
• Dedicated consultant throughout the duration of an escorted or tailor-made holiday booking
• Option to change mode of departure transport (rail or flight) when possible
• No regimented group meals. Tours are generally B&B basis giving flexibility to ‘do your own thing’ if you want to. Meals are included where there is a lack of restaurants or due to a late arrival.

Quality

As a member of AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) we work with other holiday companies, who have a shared concern for quality and personal service, to strive to create UK and overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating. We actively seek feedback from all those who travel with us and this information is used to ensure we continue to maintain a quality product and service.

Our Booking Service

When you decide to book a holiday with us you have the comfort of knowing you will be dealing with the same person throughout the whole booking process. Our tour consultants are given designated tours to manage which means they will be responsible for providing key information, dealing with any additional requests from travellers as well as liaising with all suppliers. From the moment you call us, email us or send us a completed booking form the Ffestiniog Travel consultant will remain the same. We are always keen to deal direct with customers and actively encourage people to telephone and email us and our response time is efficient and regularly monitored.

Tour Leaders

When our tours depart the job of the Ffestiniog Travel tour leader becomes paramount. Their responsibilities are primarily to look after the well-being of the group and to take customers safely and efficiently from A to B. Our tour leaders also add value to the holiday by helping make the best use of any free time. They adapt to each group of travellers according to its needs so will not automatically provide a running commentary, nor intrude on travellers’ privacy and will be happy to melt away if individuals prefer to do their own thing. In a nutshell, our customers can have a private holiday within the security of a group. That’s the “Ffestiniog” way of doing things which is perhaps different from other companies.

Financial Protection

As an AITO member, holding an ATOL licence, we provide a level of security and financial protection to give our customers extra peace of mind when travelling with us. An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all holidays and other arrangements (including accommodation only) booked by customers. This financial protection applies to customers who are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to overseas customers who have booked directly with us. In doing so, we must comply with UK government regulations and are required to submit details of our financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis. For more information, please see Booking Condition no. 14.