Russian Railways has temporarily introduced a refund option for tickets purchased at non-refundable rates. Starting March 18, this can be done online if the ticket was purchased online through the Russian Railways website or app, reports Travel.ru.
The reason for this decision is that many passengers' travel plans have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. Non-refundable tickets can be returned until April 10. As with all Russian Railways tickets, a refund fee of 210.6 rubles will be charged. In other words, the standard rules apply to all tickets: to receive the full refund, you must return your ticket at least eight hours before departure (after this deadline, additional fees apply, depending on the ticket price).
If a passenger is unable to return a ticket on time due to quarantine, this can be done later, but only if they present a corresponding certificate from a medical institution to the ticket office.
As a reminder, the outbreak has led to the effective closure of borders in dozens of countries and the cancellation of virtually all international train services from Russia. Reductions are also threatening domestic routes, both trains and planes.
Passengers and tourists planning any travel in the coming weeks should carefully consider the necessity and feasibility of travel. Borders may be closed at any time (including, in some cases, internal administrative borders), making returning home difficult or impossible. Some countries are blocking not only entry but also exit, including for foreign citizens. All flights, including domestic ones, may also be suspended.
Not only border closures and mass flight cancellations can pose a problem, but also quarantines, which are imposed almost daily by various countries for passengers arriving from certain destinations (and in some countries, for all incoming travelers). Furthermore, quarantine may also be imposed upon returning home. Finally, the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus significantly increases while traveling compared to staying at home.
It's worth keeping in mind that many foreign airlines are already in financial crisis and are unable to pay refunds for air tickets. They are only offering rebookings for other dates or destinations. This is due to a virtual lack of revenue, as few people are buying air tickets right now.
The timeline for a return to relatively normal transport service remains unclear. Judging by the example of Asian countries that experienced lockdowns earlier, it could take several months.
Source: travel.ru