While we hope this won't happen to you, it is of course possible that you experience a disruption or strike during your trip. When this happens, it's good to know which steps you need to take! Therefore, here are some tips and tricks to help you manage when things don't go according to plan.
What if a train delay causes me to miss my connection?
If your original itinerary is no longer possible due to a delay, there are two things you need to do first. You need to gather some evidence of your delay (e.g. picture of the departure board, or a written delay confirmation from the railway company), and you should speak to staff of the railway company. You can ask the conductor if you're still onboard for a delay statement, and/ or go to the ticket office once your train has arrived. They can often provide you with a solution, such as rebooking you on the next available train to reach your destination.
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If you are a FLEX traveller: you can check the DiscoverEU Travel App for your next available connection to your final destination. If you need a new seat reservation, please speak to railway staff for assistance. They might be able to provide assistance on the spot to rebook you, or offer you other solutions in case your trip is no longer possible.
If you cannot make it to your final destination anymore due to the delay, then speak to the staff of the railway company! Note that the passenger rights policy of the FLEX Pass applies, so the railway company might not be able to re-arrange your trip all the way to your final destination. It is always worth asking though, as many train companies will still try to arrange your onward journey for you, even if they're not required to. - If you are a FIX traveller: then speak to the staff of the railway company! They can provide assistance on the spot to rebook you, or offer you other solutions in case your trip is no longer possible.
What to do if my train is cancelled?
If a train you were planning to take was cancelled, you have a few options:
If the cancelled train is the first train you were going to take on your travel day, you can either take the next available option or postpone your trip.
- If you are a FLEX traveller: and the next available option requires a seat reservation, then please speak to staff at the train station's ticket office to have your seat reservation rebooked. If you decide to postpone your trip, and would like to use your travel day on a different date, you can check this article on how to change your travel day. If your travel day has already started, then please get in touch with the DiscoverEU Travel Team. When doing so, please include screenshots of your ‘My Trip’ and My Pass section, as well as proof of the train's cancellation.
- If you are a FIX traveller: please speak to the railway staff in order to arrange any necessary rebooking.
If the train cancellation occurs while you're already travelling, then please check the suggestions written in the section 'What if a train causes me to miss my connection?’.
What to do in case of a strike?
If you enabled service notifications on your DiscoverEU Travel App, you will receive a push notification whenever we hear of a major strike on the European rail network. You can then check the website of the railway company, to see if (and how) your journey is affected. This should hopefully allow you some time to explore your options, and adjust your travel plans accordingly.
Unfortunately, railway companies are generally exempt from any impact of strikes. Therefore, if you get stuck somewhere because of a strike, you will have to pay for any costs that arise from this yourself. If you have travel insurance, though, you could file a claim with them to cover these costs.
To re-plan your journey, you need to take the following steps:
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If you're a FLEX traveller: If you have a DiscoverEU Interrail Pass, please make sure to cancel your travel day if it hasn't yet started. For instructions how to cancel your travel day, you can check this article. You can then simply re-schedule your travel day, and continue your journey whenever possible again.
If your travel day has already started, but you are not able to travel today due to the strike, then please get in touch with the DiscoverEU Travel Team. If you submit a screenshot of your ‘My Trip’ section of your Pass, we can then assist you as quickly as possible.
If you made a seat reservation, which you cannot use anymore due to the strike, please also get in touch with the DiscoverEU Travel Team. Please include the affected seat reservations, as well as your new travel plans in the message. - If you're a FIX traveller: If you have a FIX travel options, please check the website of the railway company listed on your ticket. There, you can find more information about the impact of the strike, and whether your ticket can be used on other train services to reach your destination. You can also reach out to their customer service team for further assistance, since they will have the most up-to-date information about your options.