Eurostar cancelled train advice

[Jo Levens]

Hi Please can you offer advice? Eurostar cancelled our train back from Amsterdam ti London on Easter Monday. The reason they gave was due to 'engineering works'. They offer like for like seat exchange but there is no other availability on April 10th however there is no like for like option on any other trains - so we are forced to have to look at an Upgrade. I am currently looking at a £400 per person to move my tickets.

Has this happened to antone else and what was the response from Eurostar? Also it seems very odd only this train and time has been impacted by engineering works. Is there any way I can verify this with the Dutch rail authorities? I accept changes happen, but the 13.15, 15.15, and 18.15 are ALL running on the same day? That strikes me as incredibly ODD that only this train and our tickets, which we booked at a reasonable rate, are suddenly affected. Many thanks for any help in advance

 

[Bletchleyite]

Have you tried their customer services? EU law requires them to reroute you, and I'm not sure that that restricts it to standard class. Or does that not apply that far out, I wonder? There are some experts on here.

Another option may be to rebook you on a Brussels service which you could reach via the IC Direct service?

It does appear most trains that day are booked up in Std but the 1815 has space. Maybe someone has cancelled and you could try again?

 

[newmilton]

When my wife's train from Amsterdam was cancelled last February because of storm damage, we called customer service and they rebooked her in business premier, even joking that they hoped she wasn't upset by the upgrade. I'd follow the advice above and call them.

 

[DanielB]

Just had a look at NS International who have a list of adjusted Eurostar services. For the 10th of April the following is published at their page with travel information:

Monday 10 April

• Eurostar 9145(departure Amsterdam Centraal 13:47, departure Rotterdam Centraal 14.28, arrival London St Pancras 16:57)
  • Departs Rotterdam Centraal at 14.28 and does not stop at Amsterdam Centraal
• Eurostar 9167(departure Amsterdam Centraal 18:47, departure Rotterdam Centraal 19.28, arrival London St Pancras 21:57)
  • Departs Rotterdam Centraal at 19.28 and does not stop at Amsterdam Centraal
• Eurostar 9126(departure London St Pancras 11.04, arrival Rotterdam Centraal 15.32, arrival Amsterdam Centraal 16.13)
  • Runs until Rotterdam Centraal 15.32 and does not stop at Amsterdam Centraal
• Eurostar 9152(departure London St Pancras 18:01, arrival Rotterdam Centraal 22.32, arrival Amsterdam Centraal 23.13)
  • Runs until Rotterdam Centraal 22.32 and does not stop at Amsterdam Centraal

So it looks like there is a closure of the northern section of the high speed line due to engineering works. Can't find more details yet as NS (domestic) has not published engineering works for April yet.
Could well be that TSs train is actually starting in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam that day.

Edit: just found that in April 2023 a new yard in Amsterdam Westhavens is being connected to the mainline, resulting in three weeks of engineering works. The current tracks to the Westhaven branch off from the tracks to Amsterdam Sloterdijk high level, which are used by all trains towards the high speed line. So could well be that the fastest alternative (IC direct to Brussels) is also not available from Amsterdam Central that Easter weekend.
But as there is no concrete list of engineering works with dates, so no idea what the effects on domestic trains to Rotterdam are.

 

[30907]

The (few) trains you say are running involve a change in Brussels.

Some or all the Eurostars are starting at Rotterdam, and the 1728 thence has relatively cheap fares, so I would contact customer services and insist they rebook you on one of those (and authorise your ticket for travel on whatever domestic trains to Rotterdam are running from the Amsterdam area, eg A-Zuid).

As Bletchleyite says, EU (and UK) law is on your side inasfar as it is reasonably possible for ES to assist - and it clearly is reasonably possible.

 

[rvdborgt]

Have you tried their customer services? EU law requires them to reroute you, and I'm not sure that that restricts it to standard class.

It doesn't. And if they insist on booking you on a later date, then they also have to pay for overnight accommodation.

Hi Please can you offer advice? Eurostar cancelled our train back from Amsterdam ti London on Easter Monday. The reason they gave was due to 'engineering works'. They offer like for like seat exchange but there is no other availability on April 10th however there is no like for like option on any other trains - so we are forced to have to look at an Upgrade. I am currently looking at a £400 per person to move my tickets.

Don't rebook yourself if they charge money. They aren't allowed to charge anything extra.

 

[Jo Levens]

Thankyou everyone your responses are super helpful and informative. Jo

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Thankyou everyone your responses are super helpful and informative. Jo

Let us know how you get on. Good Luck.

 

[Jo Levens]

What I have noticed from the Eurostar site, is that when I try to rebook my ticket (using the reference number provided) no seat availability is given - on the day I was dur to travel back, or any other day either side of APR 10th. However when I log in independently there is plenty of options available (albeit at a higher cost). Its incredibly frustrating as Eurostar are not budging on swapping our tickets, but there is no like for like option available to us.

 

[Bemined]

Which train did you originally book?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What I have noticed from the Eurostar site, is that when I try to rebook my ticket (using the reference number provided) no seat availability is given - on the day I was dur to travel back, or any other day either side of APR 10th. However when I log in independently there is plenty of options available (albeit at a higher cost). Its incredibly frustrating as Eurostar are not budging on swapping our tickets, but there is no like for like option available to us.

By not budging, did you telephone them and state your EU right to rerouteing and they refused to honour this?

 

[AdamWW]

What I have noticed from the Eurostar site, is that when I try to rebook my ticket (using the reference number provided) no seat availability is given - on the day I was dur to travel back, or any other day either side of APR 10th. However when I log in independently there is plenty of options available (albeit at a higher cost). Its incredibly frustrating as Eurostar are not budging on swapping our tickets, but there is no like for like option available to us.

It sounds as if their definition of like-for-like is that you can have any seat that is still available at the price you originally paid. This seems not unreasonable for a voluntary change of plans, but not right if they've sold you a ticket and now can't provide what they offered you.

During the NS strikes this summer their first approach seemed to be to let people rebook for any service at the original price (i.e no chance at anything immediately before or after the strike days) but later did say that they at least would refund tickets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is odd as I had a cancellation and was able to rebook to any train regardless of price (provided it wasn't full in Standard).

 

[AdamWW]

This is odd as I had a cancellation and was able to rebook to any train regardless of price (provided it wasn't full in Standard).

The other thing I find interesting is that in the UK generally when trains are cancelled due to engineering (either planned before or after the ticket is sold) it is usual to offer a replacement road service.

The Eurostar/Thalys principle of just saying "Sorry - we're not running on that day - find someone else to get you there" seems quite strange to me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The other thing I find interesting is that in the UK generally when trains are cancelled due to engineering (either planned before or after the ticket is sold) it is usual to offer a replacement road service.

The Eurostar/Thalys principle of just saying "Sorry - we're not running on that day - find someone else to get you there" seems quite strange to me.

The problem is that it would be very difficult for Eurostar to do that due to the sea being in the middle and due to their very long trains. It's a bit like London commuter operations, who if they can't run on a weekday don't attempt to transport everyone by bus (a full and standing 12-car would require about 30 buses, you just can't get that many), but with the added issue of booking those 36 buses on a ferry too.

In a practical sense it's more like an airline but with VERY big planes.

 

[AdamWW]

The problem is that it would be very difficult for Eurostar to do that due to the sea being in the middle and due to their very long trains. It's a bit like London commuter operations, who if they can't run on a weekday don't attempt to transport everyone by bus (a full and standing 12-car would require about 30 buses, you just can't get that many), but with the added issue of booking those 36 buses on a ferry too.

In a practical sense it's more like an airline but with VERY big planes.

Well I wouldn't necessarily expect them to bus people across the channel via ferry or the tunnel.

But they don't seem to provide a replacement when they can't travel beyond Brussels, and likewise Thalys will quite happily just say there are no trains from Paris to Brussels due to engineering without offering alternatives.

You could argue that in both cases they are being an airline-on-the-ground, but in the case of Paris to Brussels they took the intercity trains away so Thalys is all that's left (apart from a tortuous journey a few times a day on regional trains).

Maybe the argument is that if people are going to be put on a coach they might just as well book directly on one, but it just seems strange to me to have days when there is effectively no rail service between two major European cities and no alternative provided.

 

[rvdborgt]

There's likely going to be a changed domestic service, but details are not known yet; ns.nl still seems to have the regular timetable. I see that Thalys starts at Schiphol, so maybe it's possible to go to Amsterdam Zuid and travel to Rotterdam using domestic trains, and/or there may be more trains running Amsterdam - Rotterdam via Breukelen - Gouda. We just don't know yet.

 

[Trainbike46]

What I have noticed from the Eurostar site, is that when I try to rebook my ticket (using the reference number provided) no seat availability is given - on the day I was dur to travel back, or any other day either side of APR 10th. However when I log in independently there is plenty of options available (albeit at a higher cost). Its incredibly frustrating as Eurostar are not budging on swapping our tickets, but there is no like for like option available to us.

Give them a call;

Be polite and ask what alternatives might be available (such as starting at Rotterdam or Brussels, and using domestic trains to get there, or an alternative date that works for you). In my experience the people at eurostar phone lines are really friendly and helpful, but if they won't budge remind them of the eu passenger rights. Definitely don't pay any extra.