‘Total chaos' on Eurostar – but what are passengers' rights between London and continental Europe?

Independent

3 days ago

Many thousands of Eurostar passengers have had their travel plans torn up due to a series of incidents on the high-speed line in France.
On Tuesday, two people were struck by trains in separate locations, halting services. Those tragedies were followed by cable theft from the line near Lille in northern France, which caused further disruption on Wednesday morning – with further cancellations and long delays.
Eurostar says: 'We advise you to cancel or postpone your trip.'
The Independent estimates that more than 15,000 people are out of position. But what are passengers' rights?
Unfortunately for those travellers, care and compensation rights for international rail travellers are far less comprehensive and generous than for airline passengers.
These are the key questions and answers.
What is the latest?
I am at London St Pancras International, the UK hub for Eurostar. While trains are now departing and arriving, with delays, hundreds of passengers are queuing for the Eurostar service centre to try to be rebooked to their destinations.
The rail firm says: 'If you're still intending to travel, please do not come to the station unless you have a valid ticket to travel today [or] you've exchanged your ticket onto a train which is due to run today.'
Staff are telling passengers in the queue that it is unlikely they will be able to travel before tomorrow. All trains are very heavily booked.
What is Eurostar offering?
The company says: 'To avoid today's disruption, you can choose one of the following options:
'Exchange your booking for free to travel in the same travel class at a different date. It only takes a minute to rearrange your trip.
'Cancel your booking and claim an e-voucher. You will have 12 months from the date of your disrupted journey to redeem it on eurostar.com.
'Cancel your booking and get a refund. You'll receive a refund for the value of your ticket but not for any booking or exchange fees. We'll process your request within 28 days.'
Many people will want to avail of the chance to rebook for a future date. The e-voucher option looks extremely unappealing – cash is much preferable.
Can I fly to my destination?
Seats are selling out fast. Air fares linking London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam have predictably soared due to the mass cancellations, and many flights have sold out. The lowest fare on the remaining British Airways departures from London to Paris on Wednesday is £463, with most seats selling for £625.
From the French capital to London Heathrow, the cheapest ticket is £467 one way.
All London-Brussels flights are full.
If I spend a fortune on flights, can I claim the extra back from Eurostar?
No. In aviation, when an airline cancels a flight it must cover the cost of getting you to your destination as soon as possible (including, if nothing else is available, in Eurostar Premier class). No parallel exists for international rail passengers.
Even though air fares have surged way beyond normal levels, all you can claim back from Eurostar is the original price of your ticket.
Travel insurance is the best route for a claim for extra costs.
How else can I get home from abroad?
From Paris, the most direct route is to take the train from Gare St-Lazare via Rouen to Dieppe, transferring to the DFDS ferry to Newhaven in East Sussex, with onward rail connections to London Victoria.
The easiest terrestrial alternative from Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam is by by rail and sea: take the train to Rotterdam, then the Metro to Hook of Holland. Stena Line has cabins available for the 10pm sailing to Harwich. With a bunk bed, you can sail all the way to Essex for £131. Trains connect from Harwich towards London – though Network Rail engineering works make it a long train-bus-train journey to the capital.
What care costs am I entitled to from Eurostar?
The rail firm tries to deflect claims, saying: 'We may be able to help with some expenses incurred in the event of a disruption. But your travel insurer should cover you for most things, so it's best to drop them a line first.'
A travel insurer is likely to bounce the claim straight back to Eurostar.
The Independent is seeking confirmation of Eurostar's care policy, but it is believed to be as follows for people who are stranded, for example, British travellers in Paris heading for London. You are entitled to up to €170/£150 per room per night for a hotel, and meal costs of up to €60/£50 for each 24-hour stay.
Transfers between the Eurostar station and the hotel or final destination are payable up to €170/£150 per vehicle (not per person).
Can I claim the cost of a prepaid hotel abroad?
No. You are unable to claim for costs triggered by the train cancellation, such as a hotel in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam that you cannot reach.
Travel insurance may cover such a loss.
There is no possibility of an airline-style payout of hundreds of pounds. The best you can hope for is, if you travel with Eurostar, you may get the cost of your ticket refunded and/or a voucher for a future journey – despite having (eventually) travelled.