The rights of passengers in rail are governed by the Uniform Rules. The regulation of passenger rights and obligations is applicable to every passenger that purchases a ticket.

The rights of passengers in rail are governed by the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract of International Carriage of Passengers by Rail (CIV), by Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations, by General Conditions of Carriage (GCC-CIT), and by Special Conditions of Carriage of Slovenske železnice. The regulation came into force on 3 December 2009.

Contact address of the authority responsible for the enforcement of Regulation EC No. 1371/2007 on the rights and obligations of passengers in rail transport is the Ministry of Infrastructure, Langusova ulica 4, 1535 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Purpose

Regulation 1371/2007 and the associated rules on rail passenger rights were adopted to harmonise the basic rights and obligations of passengers in rail, and to improve the quality of rail passenger services. The provisions of the Regulation apply to domestic travel in Slovenia and to train journeys throughout the EU, as well as to journeys made in Switzerland and Norway.

Applicability

The newly introduced regulation of passenger rights and obligations is applicable to every passenger that purchases a ticket – thereby making an agreement with the train operator concerned – for a journey in the area of the European Community, Norway and Switzerland, as well as on Slovenian rail network.

Contract of carriage

The train ticket that has been issued to you is evidence of a contract between you and each train operator whose trains you have the right to use, obliging the operator(s) to provide carriage for you from the station of boarding to the intended station of alighting. In this sense, the ticket forms the basis on which the rights and obligations arising from the said Regulation are regulated. Wether provided by one operator or a series of successive operators, train services are always subject to a single contract of carriage, meaning that multiple tickets can be issued under a single transport contract, which are clipped together and placed in an envelope.

Purchasing tickets

You can purchase tickets over the counter at ticket offices in any staffed train station, or from SŽ-licensed ticket retailers. When there is no way of buying at the station before boarding, tickets are instead issued on-train.

Passenger information

As a passenger, you must be kept informed about all the conditions of carriage in good time and as great a detail as possible.

Prior to travel, Slovenske železnice provides information about the timetable, the lowest fare and the shortest route for the journey you describe; the accessibility of rail services and facilities in trains if you are disabled or have reduced mobility; restrictions on carrying cycles on your journey; seat availability (first and standard class accommodation, trains with sleeper berths); the services available on-board; any circumstances that might result in a delay or cancellation of your train; and how you can make a complaint about your journey.

During your journey, you will receive information about on-board services, station calling points, main connecting services, rail safety and any delays that might affect your journey.

Minimum quality standards

The minimum quality standards of our services comprise:

Providing information to passengers and issuing tickets;
Keeping train services punctual, i.e. in line with the planned timetable;
Removing service faults or cases of poor service;
Giving timely notices when a service is cancelled;
Keeping trains and station facilities clean;
Checking passenger satisfaction with rail services;
Offering assistance to disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility;
Processing complaints, compensation claims, and refunds in case the minimum quality standards are not met.

Compensation for delays

In case the train you intended to use is delayed, you are entitled to compensation, as follows:

25% of the price paid for the relevant portion of the journey in case of delays between 60 and 119 minutes;
50% of the price paid for the relevant portion of the journey in case of delays exceeding 120 minutes.

This applies to delays of individual train services in the area of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, or Slovenia.

Cases when compensation for delays cannot be claimed

Train operators do not carry liability for delays which arise for reasons that are outside their control. Compensation therefore cannot be claimed where circumstances causing the delay are outside a train operator’s control. Moreover, compensation cannot be claimed also in the following cases:

Where the delay was notified to you before you bought your ticket;
Where alternative transport has been provided for the train journey affected, which lets you to arrive less than 60 minutes late at your destination station;
Where all or part of your journey takes place outside the EU;
Where the delay was caused by circumstances that are not within the rail industry’s control, and which the train operator could not avoid despite taking all necessary safety measures and the consequences of which he was unable to prevent;
Where the delay was caused by the fault of the passenger or by a third person;
At staff strikes that were announced in advance.

Trains cancelled or delayed before departure/during journey

If the train you intend to use is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes and you cannot reasonably complete your journey that day, you may:

Decide not to travel and get a full refund on your (unused) ticket;
Choose an alternative train service by the same operators and for the same area as shown on your ticket;
Decide to travel by other means of transport;
End your journey at an intermediate station and get a refund for the relevant portion of your ticket;
Return to the station of your departure using a train service provided by the operators shown on your ticket and get a full refund on your ticket.

Passengers stranded due to delay

If delays within the rail industry’s control mean that you cannot complete your rail journey that day (e.g. if you missed the last connecting service on that particular day), the train operator concerned can provide overnight accommodation for you. This does not apply to delays caused by circumstances that are outside the train operator’s control and where the delay was notified in advance.

Assistance in case of delay

When your train is delayed for a longer period of time, the train operator in a position to help will make all reasonable efforts to provide appropriate assistance to you until your intended train arrives to the station (e.g. by offering you something to eat or drink).

Passengers with reduced mobility

If you are a passenger with reduced mobility, try to give at least 48 hours notice before your journey by:

Making a call on +386 (0)1 29 13 391 on business days from 8:00 to 16:00;
Sending an e-mail to [email protected]; or
Sending a fax on +396 (0)1 29 12 925.

Subject to prior notice, we will make all reasonable efforts to provide as pleasant and comfortable a journey as possible for you. In case we did not receive notice of your intended journey, we will take all reasonable steps to offer assistance at the station and on-board in the light of the possibilities available.

Liability for personal injury

If during your journey you suffered an injury due to circumstances within the control of a train operator, you are entitled to receive an immediate advance of up to €21.000 on your compensation. The advance is calculated upon determining the final amount of the compensation.

Compensation claims and complaints

As a rule of thumb, complaints and claims for compensation for delays should be made to the train operator which issued the relevant ticket. However they can also be made to any other train operator participating in your journey.

How to claim

You can make a compensation claim by submitting the relevant form for compensation or by sending a letter of complaint together with the documents necessary to support your claim. Claims need to be accompanied by the original ticket for the specific journey for which you would like compensation together and a train delay note, as well as by a proof of booking and/or any supplements paid, where relevant. The train delay note can be issued by the staff of the train in delay or the station staff upon your arrival at the destination station, and is required to confirm that you are entitled to compensation. For more information on how to file claims, you can make a call toll-free on +386 (0)80 19 10 or send an e-mail with your question to [email protected]

Comments and feedback

If you have any comments about our services or wish to provide feedback to help us make rail travel even better, you can do so by using one of the options below:

Enter your comment or feedback in the Guest Book available at every station ticket office;
Send an e-mail to [email protected];
Give us a call toll-free on 080 19 10; or
Send a letter to:

SŽ-Potniški promet, d.o.o.
Kolodvorska 11
SI-1000 Ljubljana

Passenger rights