Train Ticket Transfer Guide
Rail tickets split into two completely different worlds: bearer tickets and nominative tickets. Deutsche Bahn's Flexpreis is a bearer ticket — no name, no ID check, anyone can travel on it. DB's Sparpreis is the opposite: your name is printed on it, you need photo ID on board, and it cannot be transferred under any circumstances. Eurostar sits firmly in the nominative camp — your passport is checked against the booking at St Pancras and Gare du Nord, so a name mismatch means you're not boarding. SNCF TGV inOui tickets are personalised by law under French rail regulations. Trenitalia is the rare exception: most fares allow free name changes up to departure, except Super Economy. If you're using Trainline as an aggregator, your ability to change depends entirely on the underlying operator, not Trainline. Print-at-home e-billets are often the easiest path for secondary-market buyers. This guide covers 12 operators across Europe and North America.
Transfers Allowed
Trenitalia
Transfers AllowedTrenitalia allows free, unlimited name changes until the departure of the booked train on most fare types.
Fare-Dependent
Deutsche Bahn
Fare-DependentDB Flexpreis tickets are bearer tickets usable by anyone. Sparpreis (saver) tickets are nominative and non-transferable.
Renfe
Fare-DependentRenfe allows name changes for €40 on most long-distance trains, but AVLO (low-cost) tickets are excluded.
ÖBB
Fare-DependentÖBB standard tickets are bearer tickets usable by anyone. Sparschiene (saver) tickets are non-transferable.
Italo
Fare-DependentItalo allows name changes depending on fare type — Flex tickets are free, while promotional fares cannot be changed.
NS (Dutch Railways)
Fare-DependentNS domestic tickets are bearer tickets usable by anyone. International NS tickets are nominative and non-transferable.
Rail Europe
Fare-DependentAs a booking platform, Rail Europe's name change policy depends entirely on the underlying train operator.
Not Transferable
Eurostar
Not TransferableEurostar does not allow name changes on ticketed bookings. If someone else wants to travel, they must book a new ticket.
SNCF (TGV inOui)
Not TransferableSNCF tickets are nominative and cannot be transferred. You must prove your identity when your ticket is checked.
SBB (Swiss Railways)
Not TransferableSBB does not allow ticket name changes. You must cancel and rebook.
Amtrak
Not TransferableAmtrak allows minor name corrections but does not permit transferring tickets to a different passenger.
UK Rail (LNER / Avanti)
Not TransferableUK Advance tickets are non-transferable and tied to the named passenger. Name changes after purchase are not permitted.
Whether a train ticket is transferable depends primarily on the fare type, not the operator's general policy. The same carrier (e.g. Trenitalia) may allow unlimited free changes on one fare and block all changes on another. Eurostar applies passport-level ID checks at boarding — a name mismatch will result in denied boarding regardless of what any third party tells you. Always verify the specific fare conditions with the operator before listing. Last updated: March 2026.