Regulation on railways' responsibilities

The EU Regulation on railways' responsibilities has taken effect on December 3, 2009 in all EU member countries. As a result, rail passengers benefit from the following improved rights.

• A rail passenger's rights to refund and service are improved, should the rail journey be delayed by at least one hour.
• Inva services at stations and aboard the trains are improved.
• The compensation regulations based on Railway Transport Act remain valid in parallel with the new Regulation.
• The Regulation is applicable to VR rail journeys with certain exceptions. Refunding on the basis of delayed service, free refreshments and meals do not concern the Helsinki commuter services.
• The Regulation is not applicable to the services to and from Russia.

Delay in rail service

Refund on a long-distance rail journey is operated in case

1. your train runs over 60 min late

• 25% of the price of the ticket is returned.
• 50% of the price of the ticket is returned if the train runs min. two hours late.
• The minimum refund to be paid is 4 euro.

2. your train is expected to run over 60 min late and you have not yet boarded the train or you want to interrupt your journey because of a possible delay of over 60 min

In this case you may

• cancel your unused train ticket and be refunded the entire price of the ticket with no indemnification as based on the Regulation;
• postpone the journey by max. one week from the original date of travel.

Live train updates are recorded in a system maintained by Finnish Transport Agency (Liikennevirasto) and refunds are based on information received from the system.

For refunding

• Please fill in the refund form on the vr.fi web pages.
• Or submit a refund application in a service station booking office or via VR Customer Care (0600 41 902 (€1/answered call + local network charge). You can apply for compensation on unused tickets at booking offices or by sending a compensation claim form to VR Call Centre (See Application for Compensation).
• Refunding may be applied within one year from the date of the delayed service.
• To postpone the journey, please contact a service station booking office or call VR Customer Care.

If your long-distance train runs over one hour late, you are entitled to drinking water aboard the train or at a station. Should your train run over two hours late, you will receive a snack voucher valid in the restaurant-car, the on-board trolley service, the station restaurant or in an R-kiosk. Elderly persons, children and passengers with special needs are first cared for.

For aid in movements at a station

Passengers with reduced mobility are provided aid to access or leave a train and to change trains. All VR service stations offer this service free of charge.

The service is to be ordered at the latest, 48 hours before the departure of the train, via VR Customer Care, a service station booking office or at Helsinki station service.

For details on the aid service, please view the Inva services pages.