For delays of one-and-a-half-hours, three-quarters of the ticket price would have to be refunded, and for delays of more than two hours, the whole price.
The compensation rules would also apply to TER regional trains as well as high-speed TGV trains and Intercité services.
If passengers miss a connecting train, they would also be entitled to a seat on the next train at no additional cost.
The new rules would still have to be given the green light by the EU's council of ministers and the EU parliament is still negotiating the final wording of the new rules, which also include better access for people with bicycles and free disability assistance on trains.
Before the vote, the European Consumer’s Association stated that passenger rights would be improved if parliament votes for higher compensation.
“It’s only fair that consumers are appropriately compensated if their train is delayed or cancelled, as such traffic disruption affects people’s plans,” stated the General Secretary of the Association, Monique Goyens.
Yet inside the EU parliament, the question of whether rail companies should still be exempt from paying compensation for circumstances such as seriously adverse weather or terrorist attacks remains controversial.
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