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Rail passengers that face long delays on
European cross-border journeys will be compensated if proposals from the
European Commission get the green light.
The laws would enable passengers to claim a refund that is dependent on
the length of their delay. Rail companies could also find they have to
compensate passengers for expenses arising from a delay such as missed
connections, or accommodation and meal costs incurred.
Rail companies will not have to pay up when the delay is the result of a
force majeure, i.e. beyond the control of the company, like weather
conditions or a medical emergency. The proposals do not apply to
domestic rail journeys.
A spokesman for Eurostar told businesstraveller.com that the train
operator believes its current compensation policy is already an example
of best practice. The operator offers a free single or half price return
ticket for delays over one hour and a cash refund for delays over three
hours. He added that each case is reviewed individually.
In addition, Eurostar says that punctuality has not been less of an
issue since the introduction of the fast railway line in September. The
spokesman said that 90% of trains are now punctual, up from figures of
around 70% before the line was installed.
German operator, Deutsche Bahn has reportedly said that the proposed
compensation could lead to an increase in rail fares. The lobbying
group, the Community of European Railways, says the proposals would
bring further administrative burdens for rail companies, threatening
competitiveness.
The compensation scheme is similar to the one introduced by the
Commission for air passengers who are delayed or bumped off full
flights. Ryanair was one of a number of airlines fighting the law,
saying that the same should apply to other transport mediums like
ferries and rail.
The initiative is part of a move by the Commission to open up
competition on Europe’s railways in a similar way that it is doing with
airlines. It says that rail companies and low cost airlines are
increasingly chasing the same market, so they should compete on a level
playing field. Hence, the Commission has suggested, among other
proposals, that rail companies be allowed to pick up and set down
passengers at any station on an international route.
The Commission says it hopes the laws will be in place by 2010, but the
proposals are still subject to approval from the European Parliament and
European member states.
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