Rail: delay compensation for annual tickets
from Jürgen Vogl
After enquiring with the railroad company, he was informed that the route had not been entered in his account and therefore no compensation could be paid out as the basis for calculation was missing. As the annual pass holder had originally entered the route from St. Pölten to Vienna and the processing of the delay compensation had worked smoothly in the previous year, he also insisted on the transfer of the amount to which he was entitled for 2015. The railroad company stated that the route originally entered had probably not been automatically transferred to the ÖBB compensation system for 2015 due to the changes in prices by the transport association. It was not possible to reach an agreement with the railroad company itself. The passenger therefore turned to apf, which was able to obtain a retroactive entry of the route and the transfer of the compensation amount.
Holders of an annual travelcard are entitled to compensation for delays if the rail company is unable to meet the specified punctuality level. The entitlement to compensation varies depending on the type of annual pass and the company.
Holders of an annual ticket are not entitled to compensation for a single journey. However, every canceled or delayed train is included in the punctuality statistics required by law. A punctuality rate of at least 95 percent applies to all railroad companies that also operate regional services. WESTbahn currently has a punctuality rate of 90.01 percent. If this level is not met, passengers are entitled to compensation of at least ten percent of the rail ticket price for each month in which the punctuality level was not met. With ÖBB-PV, compensation is only paid out if the customer registers for the compensation system online or at a ticket counter in advance, i.e. as soon as he or she has received the annual pass.
Recommendations from apf to passengers:
- Check at least once a year whether the data you have entered is correct and complete. You can do this, for example, by calling ÖBB-PV directly on 05-1717 or on the website www.oebb.at/Fahrgastrechte/.
- If your details change - for example the route because your home address has changed - change your details on the ÖBB-PV homepage as quickly as possible or inform the railroad company of the changes by e-mail or post (kundenservice@oebb.at or ÖBB customer service, subject: "Fahrgastrechte", P.O. Box 75, A-1020 Vienna) so that your claim can be calculated correctly.