European Commission modernises rights for European Rail Passengers

The European Commission has updated the European rules on rail passenger rights to provide adequate information for passengers, improve rights for disabled passengers, and protect rail operators from compensating passengers under strict circumstances. The Commission has outlined five key areas in its proposal to the existing rules of passengers. Firstly, that long-distance domestic and cross-border regional services
September 29, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

The 1690 European Commission has updated the European rules on rail passenger rights to provide adequate information for passengers, improve rights for disabled passengers, and protect rail operators from compensating passengers under strict circumstances. 

The Commission has outlined five key areas in its proposal to the existing rules of passengers. Firstly, that long-distance domestic and cross-border regional services are no longer exempt from a unified application of passenger rights. In addition, Passengers must know whether rights apply to a whole journey when using connected services with separate tickets. Secondly, for disabled passengers to have the right to assistance on all services and full compensation for loss or repair of mobility equipment. Also, an enforcement on complaint handling with clear deadlines, and finally, a force majeure clause exempting rail companies from having to pay compensation to passengers for delays caused by natural catastrophes.

Karima Delli, chair of parliament’s transport said: “Only truly enforceable passenger rights and compensation in case of delays can help increase the popularity of trains and boost low-carbon multimodal travel.”

She added that MEPs will carefully examine which exemptions for the force majeure exemptions will be granted.

Enforcement

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Prowag signals change to vision statement
    February 15, 2024
    New pedestrian signal requirements designed to make crossings safer for the visually impaired mean that accessible signals are no longer just an option for US cities and municipalities. They now have the backing of the law, explains Andrew Stone
    Read More
  • Apps help passengers avoided overcrowded public transport
    May 30, 2013
    David Crawford reviews innovations in the comfort zone. Anyone who rides public transport knows that, perhaps second only to delays, overcrowding is a critical part of the passenger experience,” says Nir Erez, CEO of Moovit, the Israel-based social transportation app developer. The app is aimed at taking real-time user feedback on transit and making it available to a wider audience of travellers. Currently available on iPhone and Android, it plans to add Windows 8 and other platforms in the future. Moovit i
    Read More
  • Monitoring, detection and control systems inside tunnels can do much to improve traveller safety
    August 6, 2013
    ITS technology can do a great deal to improve tunnel safety, as Colin Sowman discovers. It was back in April 2004 that the European Parliament adopted the EU Directive which lays down the Minimum Safety Requirements for Tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network (2004/54/EC). This was the first unitary legislation setting minimum safety standards for European road tunnels and was designed to harmonise the management of tunnel safety at a national level. Operators of existing tunnels have until 30 April 201
    Read More
  • MaaS by any other name
    February 6, 2020
    Has the roll-out of Mobility as a Service stalled - or could it just be that multimodal travel is simply happening under a variety of different names?
    Read More

Highlighted Content