(Finance) – The new European standards on the protection of rail passengers, who now enjoy better protection in the event of journey disruption. Railway undertakings must guarantee a smooth travel experience for passengers with reduced mobility, as well as share traffic and mobility data in real time, in order to propose a more competitive offer.
Adina ValeanCommissioner for Mobility and Transport, said: “This new set of passenger rights is a key step to better and sustainably connecting European citizens. We need robust and modern rights to attract more users to the railway transport and contribute to the achievement of climate objectives. The new rules will improve the protection of passengers who incur delays, cancellations and missed connections. In addition, they better respond to the needs of disabled people or people with reduced mobility”.
If passengers miss a coincidence due to one disturbance of the trip and do not receive an alternative solution within 100 minutes, they will now enjoy a new one right to autonomously organize alternative itineraries. This means that they can arrange the onward journey by train or bus themselves and obtain the reimbursement the “necessary, adequate and reasonable” cost of the additional ticket.
Some railway companies will have to provide tickets cumulativewhich give passengers more rights in the event of a missed connection, such as ticket refund or compensation, access to accommodation if it is not possible to continue the journey on the same day, etc.
The new rules also improve the availability of information about real-time travel for ticket sellers and tour operators. By facilitating access to railway undertakings’ reservation systems, they will also allow vendors and operators to offer more innovative offers, such as ticket packages from different carriers or the possibility of combining connections not previously offered.