Can I get compensation for train delays?

Download the Delay Compensation Policy in the following languages:

• French
• Spanish
• Italian
• German

Dear passenger,

Rail carriers do their best to be always on time, but unfortunately, some trains still experience delays. We regret the inconvenience caused to you by the delays or cancellations of trains sustained during your journey with one of our rail passes. We apologise for this and would like to offer you compensation.

1. What is covered by Eurail’s delay compensation policy?

The objective of the Eurail’s delay compensation policy is to compensate you for the inconvenience caused as a result of disruptions during your trip.

The delay compensation policy applies to delays sustained while travelling with a railway company participating in the Eurail or Interrail Pass Products. The compensation policy applies to all types of Rail Passes, managed by Eurail, except for Complimentary Passes.

Compensation for supplements (e.g. reservations) and reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of the sustained delay (e.g. for alternative means of transportation, accommodation, etc.) fall within carriers’ individual conditions of carriage. If received, such claims will be forwarded to the reservation agent or the provider of carriage concerned for further processing.

Compensations for delays whilst travelling with benefit partners or some of the non-railway companies participating in the portfolio are also not covered by this policy. Yet, you may qualify for compensation according to the individual terms and conditions of those carriers. Therefore, we encourage you to check the details with the provider of the service concerned.

2. When am I entitled to a delay compensation?

A delay is a difference between the time you were scheduled to arrive in accordance with the published timetable and the time of your actual or expected arrival.

If you have experienced a delay of at least 60 minutes during your trip, you qualify for compensation.

Please note that you have to address your request for compensation within three months of the end of the last day of validity of your Pass.

3. How much compensation am I entitled to?

The amount of the compensation depends on the length of each individual delay, price, and validity of your Pass. You can find the compensation table here.

Please note that the minimal compensation level is €4,00. Any compensation lower than €4,00 will not be paid by Eurail. Compensations shall be paid in the form of money – in euros, through bank transfer. The maximum compensation amount is limited to 25% of the pass price.

4. How do I submit a compensation request?

Submitting a request for compensation is easy! You need to fill in an online form, which you can find here, attached copies of your Pass, Travel Diary, and any other supporting documentation and submit the whole case to us.

We shall try to get back to you at our first possibility, usually within 10 working days from the date we receive your claim.

5. Further reading

Our delay compensation policy is based on Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007 of the European Parliament and the Council of 23rd October 2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations (PRR), the General Conditions of Carriage for Rail Passengers (GCC-CIV/PRR).

6. Further assistance

If you have experienced problems whilst travelling with a Eurail or Interrail Pass and you would like to raise your issue with Eurail, you can contact our customer service department: customerservice@eurail.com.

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Last updated: February 28, 2019

Who we are

Eurail BV is the company responsible for the marketing, management and distribution of the Eurail and Interrail Pass products worldwide. Eurail BV is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands and is wholly owned by more than 35 European railway and shipping companies.

What is this privacy policy about

This privacy policy explains how your personal data is used and secured by Eurail BV (hereafter “Us” and/or “We”), supplied by you through the Eurail and Interrail Pass or the Delay Compensation form made available on our website.

What is personal data

In accordance with the General Data Processing Regulation (GDPR) and Dutch Data Privacy legislation, personal data is considered any information that relates to an identified or identifiable living individual. Different pieces of information, which collected together can lead to the identification of a particular person, also constitute Personal data.

What information do we use

From the Delay Compensation form that you may submit to us, we collect and process the following personal data – salutation (Mr. / Ms.), name, postal address, bank account number, IBAN and Swift / BIC code.

What is your information used for

The personal data that we ask you to fill in the Delay Compensation form is used for settling your request for compensation arising out of train delays, in accordance with the applicable conditions of use of the Pass. Collection and processing of this data is necessary for Us to carry out the requested payment, as well as for accounting purposes.

How does Eurail BV protect your information

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, We have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information We collect. These include irreversible anonymisation in database, transfer through secure network connections; limited digital and physical access on a need to know basis; conclusion of data processing agreements with third party data processors, such as shipping companies and digital payment providers.

Do we disclose any information to third parties

We do not sell and trade your personally-identifiable data. We transmit your personal data, shared with us in relation to Settling your compensation payment to trusted third parties, who assist us in carrying out the purposes described above, as long as those third parties agree to comply with this privacy policy. Such third parties are contracted for exercising postal, customer service and research activities. Furthermore, We may also release your information when the release is due by law.

Retention and deletion of your personal data

In accordance with Section 3 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), personal details will be kept for no longer than necessary.

Settling your compensation payment

Data collected from the Delay Compensation form and processed for the purpose of settling delay compensation payments and the related internal accounting is kept according to the periods prescribed by Dutch legislation, following which all copies of this data are irreversibly disposed of.

Your rights as an owner of the data

Upon your request your personal data can be amended or erased, provided that, this does not conflict with applicable laws. Requests for deletion of your personal data kept by us are handled within 30 days. Please note that erasure of your data may affect our performance of the requested service. Eurail BV waives all responsibility for rendering any request services following a requested erasure of your data.

If You have any questions or concerns or if You want to correct, block or erase your personal details, please contact Us by mail to the following address: customerservice@eurail.com.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

Any changes to and updates of this Privacy Policy will be published on this page. These changes, unless requiring your explicit consent, shall become applicable form the date of publication. While We undertake to inform you about major policy changes it is your responsibility to periodically review this page.