Under the “burden” of a €300,000 administrative fine imposed on Hellenic Train (formerly TRAINOSE) by the Railway Regulatory Authority in December last year for stopping 5 of the company’s trains and the incredible suffering of 820 passengers during their exposure to extreme weather conditions. In the conditions of last year’s Elpida blizzard, the company issued instructions for those passengers who did not receive compensation and are entitled to compensation in accordance with the European regulation (1371/2007).

During the investigation of the incident, the RAS found serious violations by Hellenic Train of the provisions protecting the rights of passengers when stopping trains: 885 / Kalambaka – Athens, IC54 / Athens – Thessaloniki, IC55 / Thessaloniki – Athens) IC56 / Athens – Thessaloniki and IC57 / Thessaloniki – Athens , January 24, 2022 During a multi-month, three-stage investigation, it turned out, among other things, that passengers who have not been compensated to date have no information about their right to compensation. Thus, in addition to the fine, the supervisory authority proposed that Hellenic Train, one month after notification of its decision, inform train passengers who have not yet been compensated with “relevant information that it will provide not only on its official website, but also with appropriate press releases so that they are aware of their relative rights,” the decision characteristically notes.

The information states that the company has applied to RAS with a request to extend a number of obligations that it must assume to passengers, however, since the decision is binding, RAS is not entitled to grant an extension. Thus, under the “threat” of imposing a fine – if the PAC confirms the continuation or inaction of violations – Hellenic Train in its announcement informs the passengers of trains 54, 55, 56, 57 and 885, who have not yet been compensated. make a request for compensation by presenting your tickets at the ticket office of the stations. Recall that in conditions of snowfall and extremely low temperatures, several passengers got stuck in the area of ​​Oina and Lianoklady, not taking care of their proper service.

After a detailed investigation of the accidents, examining the statements/complaints filed by the affected passengers at the beginning and end of the company’s summons to the court session, the RAS found “particularly serious violations of the provisions protecting the rights of passengers.” for which an administrative fine of 300,000 euros is imposed.” However, it is impossible to accurately determine the number of passengers who were not compensated, which also follows from the decision of the Russian Academy of Sciences. “K” did not receive a response to Hellenic Train’s question about the number of passengers who were not compensated. Finally, the PAC decision calls, among other things, for the company to provide passengers with relevant information about their rights and obligations in real time within a month, so that when concluding a contract of carriage, passengers receive information about their rights and their obligations under this contract.