Covid-19: Eurostar/train cancellations and refunds
For train cancellations due to Covid-19 European law states that the service operator must offer passengers the choice of a refund or an alternative journey which can be by voucher or by changing the ticket.
SNCF says that due to the increase in demand for refunds and ticket exchanges clients may have to wait longer than normal to receive these but states: “All non-used tickets will be refunded at the end of confinement.”
How to apply for a refund depends on the type of train you had bought a ticket for:
For TGV INOUI and TGV Intercité tickets, SNCF says they will give refunds or change tickets free of administration charges for anyone who makes their application before the time the train was due to depart on any date from March 9 to May 27, 2020. The claim can be made in stations when they open, by telephone or online.
If the claim is made after the train departure time, there will be an administration charge. The client has 60 days to make the claim.
For Ouigo trains the website says all tickets up to August 31 can be refunded or changed up to 1h30 before the train is due to leave.
All Ouigo trains cancelled up to May 3 should have been refunded automatically within 3 days.
TER tickets depend on the region where they are issued so you need to go to the website for the relevant region to find out how to get a refund.
You can find frequently updated details for cancellations and change in travel plans due to Coronavirus here: https://tinyurl.com/ya2clp7j
Anyone with a SNCF season ticket holders will be charged zero for April.
Eurostar has confirmed to Connexion it will give refunds for cancelled trains in line with its conditions of service. You apply here.
However, this is not made clear on its Coronavirus Information page which only mentions vouchers and exchanges for trains cancelled between March 13 and June 1. It says “you can claim an eVoucher equal to the full value of your Eurostar train ticket so you can travel with us again in the future,” or you can “exchange quickly and easily online.”
The company has recently changed its voucher scheme to make vouchers valid for longer. Originally bookings using the vouchers had to be made before September 30 for journeys up to the end of March 2021. Now they are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
Vouchers can also be used by passengers who want to change a pre-booked journey up to July 1, 2020.
More details here: https://tinyurl.com/y9xoeots
