SNCF Cancelled Sleeper Refusing Overnight Accommodation as Notice Given

Wondering if anyone here has experience dealing with SNCF or knows how to push this further.

I have a reservation for Intercite De Nuit 3971 from Paris to Latour De Carol, now SNCF have cancelled my train with just over 48 hours’ notice. Because of that they’re saying they have no obligation to provide alternative transport, hotel accommodation, or any other assistance except offering to "rebook a seat" at a different time or refund from the original retailer. However, I’m fairly sure this is wrong as under EU Regulations 1371/2007 Article 18, as passengers are entitled to accommodation and transport to/from it if stranded overnight.

I haven’t incurred any costs yet as I’m trying to get them to organise something (or at least confirm they’ll reimburse it) before I book anything. So far they’ve not been helpful. I tweeted them and they just told to me WhatsApp them, I messaged them there and was just told to phone, then phoned them and was told they can't offer a hotel except for "missed connections." They don't appear to have any clear email addresses or contact forms for this. Has anyone had luck getting them to cover a hotel in situations like this or have any tips on how to escalate? All I can think of is to turn up at the station anyway in time for the train, but that might just lead to having to having to reclaim a larger cost.

I really don't see how you are "stranded" by any conventional definition of the term and I've never heard of anyone trying to exercise passenger rights in this manner.

Two days is more than enough time to either
a) take an earlier connection which arrives at your destination before the original time
b) arrange alternative accomodation through the normal means(unlikely to be a problem in Paris) and depart later

Is this something your travel insurance will cover?

Fragezeichnen said:

I really don't see how you are "stranded" by any conventional definition of the term and I've never heard of anyone trying to exercise passenger rights in this manner.

Two days is more than enough time to either
a) take an earlier connection which arrives at your destination before the original time
b) arrange alternative accomodation through the normal means(unlikely to be a problem in Paris) and depart later

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a) Is impossible I need to be in Wales tomorrow, and can't stay after Friday
b) Is what I may have to do, but it doesn't seem like I should have to be significantly out of pocket to re-route myself because of a cancelled train

They are required to offer you alternative transport, which they seem to be doing by offering to rebook you on a different service. Whether that alternative meets your constraints is another matter. Similar happens when an airline reschedules a flight to depart earlier, good luck trying to persuade them to lay on a hotel just because you can't get to the airport for the new earlier time.

SNCF cancelled our train in the opposite direction (heading to Paris from Latour de Carol) in 2023.

Fortunately we realised when still in Seville and had time to book the TGV from Barcelona (and a night in Paris) instead.

My wife is a native French speaker (Belgian) and did not find SNCF's phone service at all helpful.

We never did get all our money back.

Being stranded in Latour de Carol is quite a different prospect to Paris.

Belperpete said:

They are required to offer you alternative transport, which they seem to be doing by offering to rebook you on a different service. Whether that alternative meets your constraints is another matter. Similar happens when an airline reschedules a flight to depart earlier, good luck trying to persuade them to lay on a hotel just because you can't get to the airport for the new earlier time.

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Not sure if you can claim the extra expenses off them, like with airlines. Who is the SNCF ombudsman equivalent?

Mainline421 said:

I have a reservation for Intercite De Nuit 3971 from Paris to Latour De Carol, now SNCF have cancelled my train with just over 48 hours’ notice. Because of that they’re saying they have no obligation to provide alternative transport, hotel accommodation, or any other assistance except offering to "rebook a seat" at a different time or refund from the original retailer. However, I’m fairly sure this is wrong as under EU Regulations 1371/2007 Article 18, as passengers are entitled to accommodation and transport to/from it if stranded overnight.

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Regulation 1371/2007 has been replaced by Regulation 2021/782 but I wonder where that 48-hour period comes from, because that is not mentioned anywhere. They still have to organise an alternative AND provide overnight accommodation if that means you're stranded.

Mainline421 said:

I messaged them there and was just told to phone, then phoned them and was told they can't offer a hotel except for "missed connections." They don't appear to have any clear email addresses or contact forms for this. Has anyone had luck getting them to cover a hotel in situations like this or have any tips on how to escalate? All I can think of is to turn up at the station anyway in time for the train, but that might just lead to having to having to reclaim a larger cost.

Click to expand...

I'd keep challenging them via a public medium, e.g. twitter, that they have to provide a solution that is compatible with legislation in force and if they don't provide that, that you'll be forced to take further steps. E.g. Ombudsman, national enforcement body if they refuse to reimburse your extra expenses, but that will have to wait until after the journey. Keep a record of all communication with SNCF to document their repeated refusal to assist.
To file a claim afterwards, you can use this form.

Fragezeichnen said:

I really don't see how you are "stranded" by any conventional definition of the term and I've never heard of anyone trying to exercise passenger rights in this manner.

Two days is more than enough time to either
a) take an earlier connection which arrives at your destination before the original time
b) arrange alternative accomodation through the normal means(unlikely to be a problem in Paris) and depart later

Click to expand...

b) means that you ARE stranded. Please check the text of Regulation 2021/782, article 20.

Yes, the amount of notice given has no bearing on your rights under the revised (weakened ) PRO.

It makes it easier to find alternatives for sure, but in no way does it absolve operators of their legal responsibility to provide re-routing or a refund, and refreshments plus overnight accommodation if you opt for re-routing and this involves an overnight delay.

Watershed said:

Yes, the amount of notice given has no bearing on your rights under the revised (weakened ) PRO.

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Incidentally (or not?), European Sleeper also seem to claim that a notification of at least 48 hours in advance absolves them of providing assistance. So I do wonder where it comes from.

Update:

Well I turned up at the station, and the SNCF staff there honestly couldn't have been more helpful under the circumstances. Initially, they suggested to straight away get on the sleeper to Tarbes (which should have left 20 minutes earlier) and then connect via Toulouse to Latour. The train manager (who was there with the others) confirmed it would still be a couchette with no new fare, but that I'd have to board immediately as it was about to leave - though she was very apologetic about that.

I didn’t take up the offer (since obviously it would miss the Barcelona connection by many hours), but I did consider that sufficient for SNCF to have met their obligations. Surprisingly though, the other staff then proactively offered me a hotel, assured me it would be free of charge, and advised me to go to Gare Montparnasse in the morning to have my ticket rebooked.

So I’m now writing this from a hotel that appears to be part-owned by SNCF. It doesn’t seem aimed at tourists or backpackers at all, everything’s exclusively in French and I can’t find any public rates, but it’s actually quite decent, feels a bit like a Travelodge, except the shower’s right in the room oddly. Didn’t see any other passengers heading for Latour or Toulouse so I guess the emails worked

Mainline421 said:

Update:

Well I turned up at the station, and the SNCF staff there honestly couldn't have been more helpful under the circumstances. Initially, they suggested to straight away get on the sleeper to Tarbes (which should have left 20 minutes earlier) and then connect via Toulouse to Latour. The train manager (who was there with the others) confirmed it would still be a couchette with no new fare, but that I'd have to board immediately as it was about to leave - though she was very apologetic about that.

I didn’t take up the offer (since obviously it would miss the Barcelona connection by many hours), but I did consider that sufficient for SNCF to have met their obligations. Surprisingly though, the other staff then proactively offered me a hotel, assured me it would be free of charge, and advised me to go to Gare Montparnasse in the morning to have my ticket rebooked.

So I’m now writing this from a hotel that appears to be part-owned by SNCF. It doesn’t seem aimed at tourists or backpackers at all, everything’s exclusively in French and I can’t find any public rates, but it’s actually quite decent, feels a bit like a Travelodge, except the shower’s right in the room oddly. Didn’t see any other passengers heading for Latour or Toulouse so I guess the emails worked

Click to expand...

Staff accommodation as part of a training establishment perhaps (potentially available for other companies to hire)?

Mainline421 said:

So I’m now writing this from a hotel that appears to be part-owned by SNCF. It doesn’t seem aimed at tourists or backpackers at all, everything’s exclusively in French and I can’t find any public rates, but it’s actually quite decent, feels a bit like a Travelodge, except the shower’s right in the room oddly.

Click to expand...

Shower in the room must feel quite British though