Rail passengers rights

European Regulation No. 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights and obligations (the "Regulation") entered into force on 7 June 2023. The provisions of this new text, applicable to Eurostar services, are summarised here:

Information about your journey: when you purchase your ticket, you have access to information about the General conditions applicable to the journey, Time schedules and conditions for all available fares, accessibility, access conditions and facilities available on board for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, on-board facilities (Wi-Fi...), possible delays or disruptions (planned and in real time).

Connecting journey. Through ticket or separate contracts of carriage? : When you purchase connecting tickets in the course of a single purchase, such tickets constitute a through ticket unless it is indicated on the tickets, on another document or electronically (so as to allow you to reproduce the information for future reference) that the ticket(s) represent separate contracts of carriage and you have been informed of this prior to purchase. With Eurostar, only journeys (i) connecting several Eurostar services (ii) and purchased in a single transaction are considered though tickets from the point of departure to the final destination of your journey. All other journeys involving a Eurostar service and another rail service are considered to be separate contracts of carriage. Issues relating to delays, missed connections, cancellations, compensation and after-sales will be handled accordingly.

Persons with disabilities and reduced mobility: If you have a disability or reduced mobility, you have the right to non-discriminatory access to rail transport. To be able to benefit from free assistance on board the train during boarding and disembarking, the deadline for prior notification of assistance requests is now 24 hours. The terms and conditions for booking the assistance service are available on our accessible travel page.

Liability for bodily injury or for your luggage and mobility equipment: Provided that the causes of the accident are not due to external circumstances, we must compensate you or your rights holders for damages resulting from injuries or death on the train, as well as when boarding or disembarking the train.

We are also responsible for:

1. Loss or damage to hand baggage in the event of injury or death of the passenger;
2. Any loss, damage or delay that results from the carriage of your baggage as registered baggage;
3. Loss of or damage to mobility equipment of a person with reduced mobility, such as a wheelchair or assistive device;
4. The loss or injury of an assistance dog.

In the event of a cancellation or foreseeable delay of more than 60 minutes at the arrival station of your ticket or through ticket, you have the choice between:

1. Deciding not to travel and obtain a refund of the ticket for the part not made, if your trip is no longer of interest in relation to your initial travel plan and, if applicable, free return to your place of departure;
2. Continue your journey with re-routing if necessary, as soon as possible or at a later date, at your convenience.

In the event of a delay of 60 minutes or more, we will make all necessary and adequate arrangements to offer you our assistance (accommodation and/or snacks), if necessary and subject to material possibilities.

Right to arrange re-routing: In the event of a disrupted situation and when no re-routing solution has been offered to you within 100 minutes of the scheduled departure time of your train, you have the right to arrange your re-routing yourself, subject to the use of public carriers (train, coach, bus). We will then reimburse you for the necessary, appropriate and reasonable costs incurred.

Delay compensation: If you experience a delay between the place of departure and the place of final destination indicated on your ticket or through ticket of 60 minutes or more, you are entitled to compensation (in the form of vouchers or cash) of:

1. 25% of the ticket price or through ticket in the event of a delay of between 60 and 119 minutes;
2. 50% of the ticket price or through ticket in case of delay of 120 minutes or more.

It should be noted that Eurostar maintains a higher compensation than that provided for in the Regulation if you choose compensation in the form of vouchers.

In addition, compensation is not due if:

• You were informed of the delay before purchasing your ticket;
• You have chosen not to travel and obtain a refund of your ticket;
• In exceptional circumstances (such as extreme weather, a major natural disaster, or a major public health crisis), your fault or the conduct of a third party
  

In the event of a complaint, you can contact,

As a first step, Eurostar customer service: https://help.eurostar.com/email?lang=en

Belgium:

Federal Public Service Mobility & Transport – Passenger Relay Service
Rue du progrès 56
BE-1210 Brussels

Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport - Passenger Relations Service
Rue du Progrès 56
BE-1210 Brussels

Tel.: +32 2 277 36 58 or +32 2 277 30 49

E-mail : PRS.DPF@mobilit.fgov.be

Site internet : https://mobilit.belgium.be

France:

Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control
59, boulevard Vincent Auriol
75703 Paris Cedex 13
Tel: +33 144 871 717
Website: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf

The Netherlands:

Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate
P.O. Box - 16191 2500 BD The Hague
Phone: +31 88 489 00 00
Site internet : https://e-loket.ilent.nl/en-GB/Account/Login.aspx

Germany:

Eisenbahn-Bundesamt
(Federal Railway Authority)
Heinemannstraße 6
DE-53175 Medal
Tel. : +49 228 30795-400
E-mail : fahrgastrechte@eba.bund.de