Other compensations

Application for Compensation

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Delay in Train Traffic »
Damage or Loss of Luggage »
Application for Compensation »
Application for Compensation in international train traffic »

Delay in Train Traffic

A rail transport enterprise is liable to indemnify a passenger for damage and loss generated by a delay in train sevices, the maximum compensation being € 5000. The economic and financial damage or loss generated shall be adequately shown (by virtue of the preamble to the Act, only a delay of several dozens of minutes of the train generates a liability for damages).

• However the liability for damages excludes such delay to which the passenger can reasonably be supposed to be prepared (considering the nature of the transport service, the weather conditions, a possible change of transport vehicles, or other transport-related circumstance).
• A rail transport enterprise is released from the liability of indemnifcation for a delay in train services, by showing its engaging of all reasonably requisite measures in view of a prevention of the damage and loss referred to.

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Damage or Loss of Luggage

A rail transport enterprise is liable for such damage or loss generated by the loss or damage of luggage during transportation or by a delay in the delivery of the luggage.

The liability for damages is limited as follows:

• Loss:
  • when damage and loss shown, max. indemnification € 1,700 per piece of luggage;
  • when damage and loss not shown, max. indemnification € 170 per piece of luggage.
• Damage: maximum indemnification corresponding to maximum indemnification for loss.
• Loss or Damage
  • for motor vehicle and watercraft, max. € 10,000 ;
  • for goods left in motor vehicle or transport vehicle, max. € 1,700.
• Delay
  • when damage or loss shown, max. indemnification € 170 per piece of luggage;
  • when damage or loss not shown, max. € 136 with € 17 per piece of luggage per 24hrs.

A rail transport enterprise may be released from the liability to indemnification for luggage only as based on the provisions in the relevant Acts.

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Application for Compensation

In application for compensation a specific form (available at railway stations and on this page in PDF format) shall be used. The original documents showing the generated damage or loss shall be appended thereto.

The application shall be submitted to a corresponding railway station service or delivered to the following address: VR-Yhtymä Oy, Matkustajaliikenne, Asiakaspalautteet, P.O.Box 54, 11101 Riihimäki, Finland.

Application for Compensation (Pdf, 560 KB)

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International compensation for delays

The international compensation for delays applies to rail services in EU countries and Switzerland and Norway with the exception of rail services which have been granted an exemption by EU countries. For instance, rail services between Finland and Russia are exempted from the international compensation procedure. For the terms and conditions in the traffic between Finland and Russia, see Terms and conditions of sale of tickets for services between Finland and Russia.

Compensation is 25% of ticket price if the train is delayed 60-119 minutes and 50% if the delay is 120 minutes or more. The compensation is paid in cash but sums of less than €4 are not paid. The compensation is calculated on the fare of the delayed train including any seat, couchette or berth reservation but not including any service charges. Passengers shall ask for a confirmation of the delay from the onboard staff of the delayed train or the staff at the station at which they get off the train. InterRail Passes and other Passes are subject to other regulations. For more information click on a link below.

If you have purchased the ticket from VR send the compensation request to VR within two months of the end of the journey to:

VR-Yhtymä Oy
Ulkoinen laskenta
Kansainväliset takaisinmaksut
PL 488
00101 HELSINKI
FINLAND

The original tickets and confirmation of the delay must be attached to the compensation request.

International compensation for delays when travelling with a pass

The EU regulation does not contain rules on compensation for delays when the
passenger holds a rail pass (for instance InterRail).
Practices concerning passes valid in one coutry (e.g. InterRail One Country Pass) depend on the regulations applied in the country in question.
If the passenger holds an InterRail Global Pass (valid in all InterRail countries),
compensation for delays may be paid by Eurail Group.
The prerequisite, however, is that during the journey at least three delays have occurred of which the passenger has proof.
The delays have had to occur in EU countries or Norway or Switzerland and each delay shall be at least 60 minutes. Compensations under 16€ are not paid.
For more detailed information go to Eurail Group’s site at
www.eurailgroup.org/compensation.aspx.
Eurail Group processes the compensation request and makes a decision on whether to pay compensation to the customer.

International legal provisions and conditions of carriage

To access e.g. the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF/CIV) and General Conditions of Carriage for Rail Passengers (GCC-CIV/PRR) click on a link below.
Uniform rules concerning the contract of international carriage of passengers by rail (CIV) (Pdf 218 kB)

General Conditions of Carriage for Rail Passengers, GCC-CIV/PRR [English, German, French, Pdf 172 kB]