The Rail Passenger Rights Regulation 2007 (EC) No 1371/2007 gives railway passengers basic rights in EU law to refunds and minimum levels of service. It has mandatory application, without implementing legislation. Before this many countries, such as the United Kingdom, had no rights set in law for rail passengers. The Regulation creates minimum rights which every member state law, and every rail undertaking, may improve upon.
The Regulation will be succeeded by Regulation (EU) No 2021/782. Which will become applicable on June 7, 2023.[1]
Contents
The following is a summary of the Regulation's provisions:
- article 3, definitions
- art 5, enable bikes on trains if it does not adversely affect rail
- art 6, obligations to passengers under this Regulation cannot be waived, but duties can be more favourable
- art 7, info on discontinuing services
- art 8, travel info, set out in Annex I and II
- art 9, tickets and reservations by ticket offices, machines, telephone, web or on board
- art 10, travel info and reservation
- art 11, liability for passengers and luggage under Annex I
- art 12, insurance, obligations in Directive 95/18/EC art 9.
- art 13, advance payments
- art 14, if a railway contests responsibility for injury it should make every effort to help a passenger in claiming from a third party
- art 15, delay liability, Annex I. A passenger facing a delay of an hour or more may request a partial reimbursement of the price paid for the ticket
- art 16, reimbursement and re-routing
- art 17, compensation of ticket price: 25% of the ticket price for a 60-119 min delay, 50% for 120 min or more. Season tickets in accordance with company policy. Threshold claim is €4.
- art 18, assistance, kept informed. For delay over 60mins, free meals and refreshments if can reasonably be supplied on train or station, hotel or accommodation, transport from the train to railway station if blocked.
- art 19, disabled right to transport
- art 20, information
- art 21, accessibility
- arts 22-25, assistance on board, etc
- art 26, manager risks of security
- art 27, companies shall set up a complaint handling mechanism and make contact details widely known
- art 28, service quality standards
- art 29, info and enforcement
- arts 32-37, final provisions
- Annex I, Extract from Uniform Rules concerning the contract for international carriage of passengers and luggage by rail (CIV)