EU Passenger Rights are a set of rules and regulations that outline how transport companies should assist you, in case your planned journey gets disrupted. 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 or coach. EU legislation for Rail Passenger Rights entered into force in December 2009. The passenger rights for other modes of transport, such as for travelling by air or by bus, can be found here. These rules apply to all transportation companies within the European Union.
Under EU Passenger Rights, you can for instance be entitled to financial compensation if the train arrives at destination with a delay of 1 hour or more. It also stipulates what should happen if your luggage gets lost, or if your transport gets cancelled unexpectedly. Delayed passengers can also be entitled to meals and refreshments (proportionate to the waiting time), and accommodation if they have to stay overnight. The level and type of compensation depends on your circumstances, so we encourage you to check out the other articles in this section for more specific information.
Please note that Passenger Rights apply to each mode of transportation separately. Therefore, if you're changing from e.g. a train to a plane, or from a ferry to a bus, we recommend plenty of change time between these modes of transportation!
All information can be found on 'Your Europe’ website, where applicable passenger rights are translated in all EU languages. A smartphone app is also available, and can be downloaded for free for Google Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows Phone.