European rail passenger rights: a new modernisation

The European Union is updating the European rules on rail passenger rights to better protect train travellers in case of delays, cancellations or discrimination, moreover to guarantee adequate passenger information and to significantly improve the rights of passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility.

The Commissioner for transport: “Thanks to the european passengers have a full set of rights no matter where they travel in the european Union.

Yet there are still too many european train travellers and commuters who aren’t properly informed about their rights.

That is what we want to fix with our new proposal. I’m confident that our initiative will strengthen the sector, striking the right balance between the protection of travellers and the competitiveness of the rail sector”.

The key areas of the updates the existing rules on rail passenger rights are five:

  • uniform application of the rules
  • information and non-discrimination
  • better rights for persons with disabilities or reduced mobility
  • enforcement, complaint-handling procedures and sanctioning
  • proportionality and legal fairness

The single market for passenger rail transport is currently in development with the planned introduction of competition onto domestic markets.

The european Union is the only area in the world where citizens are protected by a full set of passenger rights- whether they travel by air, rail, ship, bus and coach.

The European legislation for rail passenger rights entered into force in December 2009.

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