The opportunity to consult the new expanded guide compiled by the RAS (Railway Regulatory Authority) about your rights and obligations is available to rail passengers. Passengers can contact the guide, as established by the new European regulation 2021/782, for information about their journey (where and how they can file their complaints, what services are provided inside the train) or find information about the provision of assistance or compensation by the railway undertakings for the disabled to which railway undertakings are entitled, for example, Greek Train (formerly TRAINOSE)in cases of delay or cancellation of routes, something fairly common on Greek railways. These instructions even come at a time when Hellenic Train is called upon to comply with RAS instructions, in the context of a €300,000 fine imposed on the railway company due to the company’s violations and inaction in the midst of the “Elpida” blizzard. These violations are related to the suffering of 820 passengers who were exposed to extreme weather conditions during that period. Recall that with a modest announcement, Hellenic Train, on behalf of the Russian Academy of Sciences, informed last Friday, a year after the bad weather, all affected passengers on how to pay compensation if they have not received it yet.

What the new guidance from the Railway Regulator suggests.

The new manual, created in 2021 and coming into force in a few months, that is, in June 2023, will be permanently posted on the official website of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Greek and English. With the new European regulation 2021/782, the rights and obligations of rail passengers are being clarified and expanded. It is noted that complaints received by the RAS from passengers about the quality of railway services in Greece have increased in recent years, with the majority of complaints related to compensation and flight delays by Hellenic Train. Thus, according to the new guidelines, in the event of a train delay of at least 60 minutes, the passenger will be refunded the full fare for the part of the journey that was not completed and for the part that has already been completed if the trip no longer meets the purpose of the passenger’s original travel plan. In addition, in this case, the passenger has the right to a return route at the earliest opportunity to the original point of departure. The minimum compensation for being late is: 25% of the fee for being late from 60 to 119 minutes, 50% of the fee for a delay of more than 120 minutes. The passenger is not entitled to compensation in certain cases, eg. if the cancellation, delay or loss of response is due to exceptional circumstances or the conduct of third parties, which the carrier could not have avoided, even if he had exercised the necessary care in a particular case, or if this was due to the fault of the carrier. passenger.