Óscar Gómez, General Manager of Business and Operations of Renfe, has assured Cadena Ser that there are more than 15,000 affected by the cancellation of 22 train trips during the past weekend. The incident was caused by the derailment of a vehicle at Chamartín station which, due to a gauge problem, is still on the accident track.
The derailment has affected the rail connection between Madrid and the Levante area, causing 3,200 passengers on Saturday and 13,700 on Sunday to have to find a substitute transport service on their own despite having paid for a train ticket in advance.
What can affected passengers claim?
In 2023, FACUA published a statement clarifying what is established in European regulations regarding this type of incidents. According to the organization, operators with train journeys that have been affected by cancellations or delays of one hour or more are obliged to offer all passengers, in addition to food and accommodation if necessary, three options: “reimbursement of the full amount of the ticket, continuation of the journey under comparable transport conditions or re-routing on an alternative route at a later date that suits the passenger”.
In the event that, during the 100 minutes following the incident, the passenger is not given the possibility to reach his destination by an alternative route, Facua warns that the railway company is obliged to reimburse the passenger “the costs incurred”.
Companies with their own regulations
The company Renfe has its own punctuality commitment, which can set its own indemnities and has certain differences with that of the European regulations. The railway companyreports on its website that passengers on AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed, Intercity and Larga Distancia trains can receive a 50% refund of their ticket for delays of between 60 and 89 minutes, and 100% for delays exceeding 90 minutes. In the case of Avant trains, 50% of the ticket is refunded when the delay exceeds 15 minutes, and 100% if it exceeds half an hour.
According to FACUA, Ouigo collects the same compensations as Renfe, only that it adds one more compensation: if the delay is longer than 30 minutes, a voucher equivalent to 50% of the price paid for the ticket will be received, so that the passenger can travel whenever and wherever he/she wants with the ticket. Iryo also offers vouchers as a first option before cash refunds.