NightJet Compensation During Disruption

[JustPassingBy]

I see that all NightJet services are cancelled tonight due to heavy Snowfall across southern Germany and Austria.

In such circumstances, does OBB offer any overnight accommodation or compensation?

Some flight prices for tomorrow are now at silly money, e.g. Amsterdam to Vienna.

 

[StephenHunter]

They should do; I got 40 Euros back for a 75-minute delay in 2021.

 

[Struner]

München this morning, similar in Wien. Flying?

 

[rvdborgt]

I see that all NightJet services are cancelled tonight due to heavy Snowfall across southern Germany and Austria.

In such circumstances, does OBB offer any overnight accommodation or compensation?

Offering overnight accommodation to stranded passengers and is mandatory. The same is true for offering a way to get at your destination if you still want to travel. All at no extra costs to the passengers of course.
Compensation for delay is not mandatory if this is deemed force majeure.

 

[JustPassingBy]

München this morning, similar in Wien. Flying?

Yes, currently spending the night in a hotel at Schiphol. Luckily I managed I spotted the cancellation email just after it was sent early afternoon and got an only semi-rip-off flight for tomorrow (300 Euro per person) instead of the now 550 Euro per person.

Given this is weather related I was assuming the extra hotel and flight costs fall under travel insurance rather than OBB covering them.

Frankly I'm not sure whether they would cover flights even if this was their fault?

As an aside, the jump in flight prices shows that NightJet does take an appreciable percentage of the flow on certain routes and you notice the difference on availability/price when they don't run.

 

[rvdborgt]

Given this is weather related I was assuming the extra hotel and flight costs fall under travel insurance rather than OBB covering them.

Whether this is force majeure is irrelevant for the obligation for operators to assist stranded passengers. And has been since at least December 2009.

Frankly I'm not sure whether they would cover flights even if this was their fault?

That's not likely. They're not required to cover a flight, and will then probably just refund your ticket. Abandoning your journey with them also means they don't have to provide overnight accommodation.

 

[JustPassingBy]

The advice OBB were giving was to continue your journey by next available train - fine if you are on a route with regular operating trains but poor advice so late at night and when there is widespread disruption.

An OBB phone number was provided but with all night trains cancelled it's very difficult to arrange for so many.

I need to be in Vienna by lunchtime Sunday and there was no way that was going to happen via OBB. Will have to work out who pays for what later, but thanks for suggesting my instincts that OBB will pay for very little of my extra expenses in these circumstances are correct.

 

[railfan99]

I see that all NightJet services are cancelled tonight due to heavy Snowfall across southern Germany and Austria.

In such circumstances, does OBB offer any overnight accommodation or compensation?

Some flight prices for tomorrow are now at silly money, e.g. Amsterdam to Vienna.

For a two hour delay, I received about 45 Euros per person in 2022. This was for Salzburg to Rome.

 

[37201xoIM]

Not NightJet, but České Drahy were as prompt and efficient as you would expect in issuing my compensation when I was delayed a few weeks ago on the Praha - Linz - Zürich sleeper, but you need to apply to the railway from which you bought the ticket, so obviously the efficiency of the service will depend who that was. The level of the compo is, I think, however pretty standard now across mainland Europe?

 

[rvdborgt]

The level of the compo is, I think, however pretty standard now across mainland Europe?

Most railways stick to the minimum they're required to offer.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

DB have been providing a number of “shelter” trains for stranded passengers (including overnight) at places such as Munich.

Yes there is an obligation to provide accommodation overnight but this doesn’t have to be a hotel.