If it is obvious that you will be more than 60 minutes late, you can choose between:

• Reimbursement (you can return free of charge to the station where you set off).
• Continue the journey immediately (in similar circumstances, if necessary with a detour).
• Continue the journey at a later date (in similar circumstances, if necessary with a detour).

If you choose to continue your journey with the same railway undertaking or with another railway undertaking instructed to do so, you may not be charged extra for this, even if you have to travel in a higher travel class. Railway undertakings are not allowed to let you travel in a lower class unless this is the only possibility.

If possible, railway undertakings should avoid extra transfers and minimise the total travel time.

If you so request, railway undertakings may give you permission to conclude agreements with other carriers with which you can reach your final destination under similar conditions. In this case, the railway company must reimburse you for the costs incurred.

 We can recommend that you ask the railway undertaking for proof of this permission before making any additional costs.

 If, within 100 minutes of the scheduled departure time of the delayed or cancelled train or missed connection, you are not informed about available re-routing options, you shall be entitled to conclude such a contract with other providers of public transport services by rail, coach or bus.

 The railway undertaking must then reimburse the costs you incurred for this if they are necessary, appropriate and reasonable.

 Please note: If you do not have through-tickets, the above provisions may be affected.

 It is best to contact the railway company if you have a major delay.

If you simply continue your journey, you are also entitled to financial compensation:

• Did the train have a delay of 60 to 119 minutes? Then you can reclaim 25 percent of the ticket price.
• Was the delay 120 minutes or longer? Then you can reclaim 50 percent of the ticket price.

Every railway company can always reimburse more. If you have already received another reimbursement, you can no longer receive compensation (see "1. Reimbursement or transport via another route").

For people who travel frequently by train, a railway company may provide "compensation for repeated delays" (the rules for this are set out in its own regulation, the "general conditions").

If you request compensation, you must receive the reimbursement within one month.

Reimbursements can be made with vouchers or other services. If you request cash reimbursement, this should be possible (except for compensation for repeated delays).

In the event of compensation, the railway company cannot charge any administrative costs. However, it may set a minimum limit below which it does not have to pay you anything. This limit cannot be more than 4 euros.

For a return ticket, compensation is calculated on the basis of the price indicated on your ticket for that leg of the journey.

For through tickets, if you had to change trains, then in principle the whole journey counts: from the first to the last station.

If there are multiple transport agreements (contracts), for example when changing between a national and international train, the delays can be calculated separately. This principle is also referred to as 'contract segmentation' (or the splitting of the various contracts).

If you are informed that there will be a delay before you purchase your ticket, you cannot claim compensation.

If you could take a faster train with a delay of less than 60 minutes, you might not receive reimbursement.

Railway companies are not required to grant compensation if they can prove that the delay, missed connection or cancellation is due to force majeure.

SNCB applies a more favourable compensation system than that imposed by European law:

• For a delay of more than 60 minutes, you are entitled to compensation for 100% of the ticket.
• Multiple delays in a period of 6 months: from 10 delays of at least 30 minutes, you will receive compensation of 50%.

SNCB transfers these amounts to your electronic wallet, or you receive vouchers. SNCB does not pay the amounts out in cash. This is only the case for delays of at least 60 minutes, and only if you explicitly request it.

More information about SNCB's compensation system and how to apply for it can be found here.

• SNCB International
• Thalys
• Eurostar
• NS (Dutch Railways)
• Deutsche Bahn
• SNCF (TGV)

Railway undertakings are not obliged to pay compensation if it can prove that the delay, missed connection or cancellation was caused by:

• external circumstances that the railway undertaking could not avoid,
• behaviour of a third party that the transport company could not prevent,
• an error on your part as a passenger.

Strikes by the railway undertaking's staff and actions or negligence by infrastructure and station managers or other companies using the railway infrastructure are not covered by the above points.