About booking and BikeTours.com

• Is airfare included?

  No, airfare is not included. We also do not book flights.

• How can I contact you?

  You can call us:
  Toll-free (in the U.S.): 1-833-216-0635
  Local + international: 1-215-613-0874
  
  You can also email us!

• I forgot to enter something on my booking. Can I add some information now?

  Sure, please contact us.

• Do you offer discounts? AAA, military, senior, etc?

  No, we don't. When we have special offers or deals we'll share them in our newsletter, which you can sign up for at the bottom of any page on our site.

• Can I book with another person, but pay separately?

  If you would like to book with another person (or group) but pay separately, please submit a separate booking form from the other traveler(s).
  
  In your booking request, please note that you are traveling with another person who has booked separately from you. For example, state: “Bob’s cycling group” or “My travel partner is Stacy Smith.” That way we can submit your bookings together to ensure the same itinerary for your entire party.

• What are your terms and conditions?

  Please review them on our website, here.

• Can you send me a catalog?

  We do not offer a printed catalog.

  Because the local companies change their programs regularly, a printed catalog would quickly become obsolete.
  
  Additionally, not printing a catalog allows us to keep our own expenses low, which means we can continue to sell the tours at the same prices you'd pay directly to the local tour company.

• Do you offer discounts for kids?

  We waive booking fees for travelers aged 17 and younger.
  
  Additionally, some tour operators will offer discounts when booking children in the same room as two full-paying travelers. Please review the 'Prices' on the Dates and Prices tab of the individual tour pages for further details.

• Do you work with travel agents?

  We love working with travel agents and helping you look like a hero!
  
  Please review the details on our website and contact us if you have further questions.

• How is BikeTours.com different from other bike tour companies?

  BikeTours.com takes the overwhelming task of finding, choosing, and booking the right bicycle tour — from the seemingly endless options available online — and makes it easy for you. Read more about why you should book through us.

• What are the benefits of touring with local bike tour companies?

  Lower costs. These are primarily small, local companies with low overhead, and no North American-style marketing budgets and salaries. As they have many European clients, they're also able to amortize their overhead costs over a larger customer base.
  
  Knowledgeable staff and guides. You are helped by locals in the area, who know the area, and who can guide you, pointing out the gems on and off the beaten tourist track.
  
  On-the-ground support. They're local, so you can simply reach out to them if any issues or questions arise.
  
  International camaraderie. On group tours, your party is usually composed of people from all over the world. It's a wonderful way to make new friends around the globe. And on self-guided tours, you can choose (or choose not to) make friends with locals or other travelers.

• Why are your prices so much lower than other companies?

  Why are their costs lower? Low overhead, no need to transport staff and equipment across the ocean, no North American-style marketing budgets and salaries, and a larger client base, which allows them to amortize costs across more clients.
  
  The lower prices don't mean lower quality, though; you're often staying in the same hotels as travelers who paid two or three times what you did.

• How much do you charge for your services?

  We do not inflate the prices of our tours. A non-refundable booking fee of €25 ($30 if tour is priced in USD) per person will be added to your booking invoice.

  If you use a credit card, we pass along a non-refundable 4% service charge to cover what the credit card companies charge us.

  There's no charge for paying by check. Clients outside North America may prefer to pay by wire transfer; we will be pleased to provide the details of our receiving account, but there's an additional US$20 charge to offset our bank's fees, and we ask that you add that to your total balance due.

  However, we don't charge for international bank transfers to get payments to the tour operators, which can often be $25-35 if you did this on your own.

• Do you offer shorter, hourly tours?

  Yes! We are so excited to now offer Day Tours. These guided or self-guided tours can be taken by themselves or as an extension of your multi-day tour.

• Was your company formerly called "BikeToursDirect?"

  Yes. We changed our name in 2015 to make it easier for people to remember and find us online.

• Do I get a free trip if I organize a group?

  Sometimes! Unlike the larger North American bike tour companies that build in large margins and can afford to offer free trips, the small local bike tour companies we represent keep their prices as low as possible. They'll build in a small margin for themselves and a commission for companies like us. So they (and we, out of our commission) typically can't offer free trips for regularly scheduled tours. However, we can work with our overseas colleagues to develop custom programs that factor in either a discount or a free trip for you.
  
  Here's more on how we work with groups.

• When can I book a tour for next year?

  Contact us if next year's dates are not yet listed for the tour you want to book. We can put you on a waitlist and notify you when the next season's dates and prices become available.

• Why are tour prices mostly in local currencies?

  Rather than mark tour prices up in dollars to account for possible increases in exchange rates, we charge what our European tour operator partners charge. We convert the local currency price to US dollars on your confirmation/statement, and your final payment is based on the exchange rate when we receive your final payment.
  
  Please note: Any exchange rates or prices in other than local currencies shown on our site represent the purchase rate for local currencies. Many websites show the mid-point between buy and sell rates for major banks, and rates charged to consumers and small businesses are 3-8% higher. We charge you the purchase rates.

• Do you offer early bird discounts?

  Sometimes. You may find early bird discounts on various tours on our website. If you don't, and you find that the local tour company is offering early bird discounts, just let us know, and we'll match it. Our policy is that you pay the same whether you book through us or directly with the operator.

• Do you offer group rates?

  It varies with the more than 70 local tour companies we represent and from tour to tour. If you're interested in a specific tour, let us know, and we'll check.
  
  More about groups

• How do I organize a group?

  Taking a bicycle tour with a group of friends or family is a fun and memorable experience, and we make the planning and booking process easy.
  
  We've helped hundreds of clients put together great trips with groups from eight to 200+ people. Call us at (877) 462-2423 or contact us!
  
  More about organizing groups.

• Can you book as much as a year in advance?

  Some local bike tour companies we represent can book a year or more in advance, while others don't. If you have a specific tour in mind, it's best to contact one of our tour advisors, who can check for you.

• Can I check to see if space is available before I book?

  It depends on the tour.

  For guided tours and bike and boat tours, we can often check for availability. Please contact us and let us know the tour and tour date of interest.

  For self-guided tours, we can't confirm availability. This is because the tour operator does not have blocks of rooms reserved at hotels for every possible start date. Tours are 'on request', which means they must receive a booking request from us and will then check for availability at each hotel along the route.

  A final note - if you're organizing a larger party, many operators are willing to hold space for a short period of time to give everyone in your party time to book. Please contact us for further details.

• How do I book a tour?

  It's simple!
  
  Just click on the orange 'Book this tour' button toward the top right of the page for the tour you're booking, fill in the requested information, and hit submit. We'll take it from there!
  
  More details on how to book.

• COVID-19

  The World Health Organization has officially declared the end of the global health emergency after three long years.

  What does this mean for future travel? Well, it means we get to resume doing what we love, traveling and helping you plan the perfect cycling getaway! As travelers, we have always had a responsibility to adhere to the rules and regulations of our local tour operators as well as the country/countries that we are visiting when it comes to vaccines, visa requirements, etc. and that has not changed. Specific COVID-19 related policies vary by tour and by destination. It's important to be aware that if you test positive for COVID-19 while on a bike and boat tour, you may be asked to leave the boat immediately. We highly recommend a travel insurance policy that covers unexpected travel expenses due to COVID-19. We're happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have and will send you tour-specific policies on request. Please stay informed and up to date on all requirements prior to travel. We’ve compiled a helpful list of resources below:

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  Resources

  United States
  U.S. Department of State
  The U.S. Department of State issues travel advisories for a variety of reasons including crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, health, natural disaster/weather, and current events.

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  The CDC provides travel health notices to inform travelers about current health issues that may impact travelers’ health.

  Canada
  Government of Canada
  The Government of Canada Travel and Advisory page provides alerts and warnings for countries worldwide.

  European and Global Perspective
  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
  The ECDC identifies, assesses, and communicates current and emerging threats to human health for the EU.

  World Health Organization
  The WHO works worldwide to promote health and keep the world safe by providing travel advice and advisories.

  European Commission
  The European Commission provides links to each country’s website where you may find updates from the respective countries (please defer to English language site versions).