If there is no ticket office and no machine, you must be informed:

• how you can purchase a ticket by telephone, via the internet or on the train;
• where ticket offices and machines are.

For journeys with one or more connections, you should be informed before the purchase whether you will buy a through-ticket.

Through-tickets are one or more tickets representing a transport contract for successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings.

With through tickets, you are better protected if you miss a connection, you need assistance or if you request compensation after the journey for a delay experienced.

If you book a journey with a ticket seller (e.g. SNCB International) in one transaction involving several carriers, in many cases you will not receive a through ticket (e.g. a domestic journey with SNCB combined with a journey with Eurostar). In this case, if you miss your connection, you have no guarantee of being able to take the next train connection free of charge.

A number of railway companies have concluded commercial agreements that in some cases will still allow you to take the next available train free of charge. These are the HOTNAT agreement (Hop On The Next Available Train) and the AJC (Agreement on Journey Continuation). More information on these agreements can be found in this news item (in Dutch or French).