Just to clarify book both legs of the Eurostar before doing anything else! Unfortunately it does mean you lose flexibility on your return. Make sure you have read up on the outbound inbound rule if you are travelling on a UK Interail.
What a nightmare! So sorry to hear about your experience. Sadly the response of SNCF at Latour is completely typical of their approach to customer service. I fear you will have a terrible battle to get any refund of your expenses from them. I would go to my insurance company first. If no joy try SNCF and if they turn you down try Interail eu. I’d echo the comments about Eurostar staff who are normally very helpful if delayed by late running SNCF services. Whatever happens keep copies of all your receipts . Let us know what happens tomorrow.
On a more general theme SNCF will hide behind regulations pertaining to CIV regulations when you could buy tickets across borders. If you had one of these you were protected for your journey. In general these have not existed for many years. The EU has vigorously resisted giving rail the same protection enjoyed by air travellers.Sadly I don’t share Angelo’s viewpoint about SNCF’s responsibility to assist you for your whole journey. Legally you didn’t have a ticket from them for the journey to Paris. They would claim you are only entitled to a refund of your reservation fee to Paris. I would be the first to say this is immoral but legality and morality are not the same thing!I would love to know what other community members think and more especially your experience of claiming compensation from SNCF when travelling with an Interail. It may be an idea to start a new conversation if enough people are interested.
Hi Angelo. There is indeed no difference between an Interrail and an ordinary ticket. My point is neither of them offer the protection you think they have. If I buy a ticket from La Tour de carol to London I get two separate single tickets. Both have different Terms and Conditions. If my train to Paris is delayed there is no legal obligation to let me board a later Eurostar. Custom and practice means I will be able to board but it is not a defined right. In the days of the Thello services Eurostar made you buy new tickets.I think the whole community would benefit from you or others publishing the exact documents relating to the obligations of train companies for both National and International travellers when trains are delayed.These problems were foresee in the UK in respect of Eurostar. You can buy a ticket to London CIV in conjunction with your Eurostar ticket. If your train is delayed you can get the next Eurostar. In my view train travellers and particularly international ones mus
It is this legislation I would like see! The fact that theEU has repeatedly blocked attempts to give rail the same protection as air passengers suggests that the so called legislation is nothing more than guidelines.we can hardly give up rights that do not exist!Obviously I am delighted that SNCF did look after the stranded passenger but even they can see a PR disaster in the making.
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