SNCF strike - alternative travel?

[skyhigh]

I was booked to travel on Tuesday night on the sleeper train from Nice to Paris. I've just been informed by SNCF that the train is cancelled due to strike action. As a result, I've booked a combination of train and coach to make the journey instead. Is there any way that SNCF will cover the costs of the coach?

(They refused to provide alternative travel by the way).

Thanks

 

[30907]

I was booked to travel on Tuesday night on the sleeper train from Nice to Paris. I've just been informed by SNCF that the train is cancelled due to strike action. As a result, I've booked a combination of train and coach to make the journey instead. Is there any way that SNCF will cover the costs of the coach?

(They refused to provide alternative travel by the way).

Thanks

Essentially, no. Though you should get a full refund.

 

[skyhigh]

Essentially, no. Though you should get a full refund.

I assumed as much, thanks. To be fair the replacement bookings only cost me about £35 so there's no point claiming on my travel insurance.

 

[James H]

We are in the same position having been booked on the night train from Latour de Carol on Tuesday night.

We've managed to book the Barcelona to Paris TGV instead (which seems to be running)

Although SNCF's email tells us to request a refund via the app, it's still showing the 30 euro cancellation fee.

Hoping that the system catches up and will allow a fee free refund without needing to call them etc.

 

[rvdborgt]

Essentially, no. Though you should get a full refund.

Essentially, they're required to offer an alternative without extra costs if you still want to travel, and overnight accommodation if that's not until the next day.
If SNCF refuse to offer alternative travel, then after 100 minutes you're allowed to organise that yourself.
I'd claim any extra expenses from SNCF and go to the ombudsman if they refuse to reimburse, citing EU Regulation 2021/782. Especially articles 18 and 20 are of interest.

 

[James H]

The SNCF chatbot is very annoying - it invites you to talk to it in English, and it replies in French to say it cannot understand you.

My wife is a native French speaker and so she tried typing in French with the same result.

SNCF seem to have perfected the bot version of the gallic shrug