Rail Passenger Rights

Rail Passenger Rights Regulation is a set of rules issued by European Parliament to govern european journeys by train. It's a public document that is part of EU law. You can read the document here.

You are protected by Rail Passenger Rights if your train journey involves international and domestic trains operated within the European Union. This article contains all the information you need to know about Rail Passenger Rights.

What is a Through-ticket

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

Carriers that qualify as a sole undertaking* have the obligation to offer all their long-distance (international and domestic) or regional rail services as a through-ticket.

*"Sole railway undertaking" shall also include all railway undertakings which are either wholly owned by the same owner or which are wholly-owned subsidiary undertakings of one of the railway undertakings involved.

Missed connections or cancellations:

At departure or in case of a missed connection or a cancellation, the arrival at the final destination under the transport contract will be subject to a delay of 60 minutes or more, the railway undertaking operating the delayed or cancelled service shall immediately offer the passenger the choice between one of the following options, and shall make the necessary arrangements:

Reimbursement of the full cost of the ticket, under the conditions by which it was paid, for the part or parts of your journey not made and for the part or parts already made if the journey is no longer serving any purpose in relation to the passengers original travel plan, together with, when relevant, a return service to the first point of departure at the earliest opportunity.
Continuation or re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to the final destination at the earliest opportunity.
Continuation or re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to the final destination at a later date at the passenger’s convenience.

Delays:

A passenger is entitled to compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and final destination.

25 % of the ticket price for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes.
50 % of the ticket price for a delay of 120 minutes or more.

What is a Combined ticket

Combined ticket means a ticket or tickets representing two to more carriers, operated by different railway undertakings. These tickets represent separate transport contracts.

In the instance of delays, missed connections and cancellations:

Where tickets are purchased in a single commercial transaction and the ticket vendor has combined the tickets on its own initiative, the ticket vendor shall be liable to:

reimburse the total amount paid for that transaction for the tickets.
pay compensation equivalent to 75 % of that amount in the event that the passenger misses one or more connections.

Compensation shall be paid within 30 days after the receipt of the request.

This rule will not apply if this is clearly mentioned on the tickets, or on another document or electronically in such a manner that allows the passenger to reproduce the information for future reference, that the tickets represent separate transport contracts.

Force Majeure

A railway undertaking shall not be obliged to pay compensation if it can prove that the delay, missed connection or cancellation was caused directly by, or was inherently linked with:

Extraordinary circumstances not connected with the operation of the railway, such as extreme weather conditions, major natural disasters or major public health crises, which the railway undertaking, in spite of having taken the care required in the particular circumstances of the case, was unable to avoid and the consequences of which it was unable to prevent.
Fault on the part of the passenger.
The behaviour of a third party which the railway undertaking, in spite of having taken the care required in the particular circumstances of the case, was unable to avoid and the consequences of which it was unable to prevent, such as persons on the track, cable theft, on-board emergencies, law enforcement activities, sabotage or terrorism.

Note: Strikes by the personnel of the railway undertaking, acts or omissions by another undertaking using the same railway infrastructure and acts or omissions of the infrastructure and station managers are not covered by the exemption.

Rules

Equal Treatment of Passengers

Without prejudice to social tariffs, railway undertakings, ticket vendors or tour operators shall offer contract conditions and tariffs to the general public without direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of the passenger’s nationality or of the place of establishment within the Union of the railway undertaking, ticket vendor or tour operator.

People with disabilities or with reduced mobility

Please find here. our dedicated article about people with disabilities or with reduced mobility.

Other regulations

Please note that Rail Europe shall be considered as a ticket vendor as we simply issue tickets on behalf or rail operators, without facilitating the purchase of related travel services.

Therefore, the regulation on package travel governed by the French Tourism Code (article L.211-2 seq.) does not apply to us.