SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

TRAVEL NEWS

How to get compensated for rail delays and cancellations in Sweden

There were severe delays across most parts of the railway network in Sweden on Thursday. By Friday, most trains were running as normal, but if you were delayed you could be entitled to a full or partial refund of your ticket. Here is how.

How to get compensated for rail delays and cancellations in Sweden
Thursday's disruptions on the railways caused delays and cancelations across many parts of Sweden. Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT / Kod 50090

On Thursday evening we reported on the severe delays and cancellations which affected most of the Swedish railway network south of Norrland. On Friday, most trains were back up and running as normal. 

However, there have been some train delays in and around Örebro due to an electrical fault just south of the city lingering on from Thursday. At the time of writing, they have not yet been able to fix the failure, and acording to TT, this is mostly affecting regional trains between Uppsala, Stockholm C and Örebro and between Hallsberg, Borlänge and Gävle. 

There are also reports of a signal failure between Linköping and Nörrköping.

The cause of Thursday’s disruptions, which affected all train operators between Stockholm and Gothenburg, was a combination of a series of incidents including a power outage, and a fire in the vicinity of Hallsberg. Trains between Stockholm and Malmo were also affected.

By 5:40pm, SJ said their trains were back in operation. 

Was your train delayed or cancelled?

If your train was canceled or delayed, you might be entitled to claim compensation, under EU passenger protection regulation. 

For long-distance train journeys of 150km or more the following compensation is available:

  • Compensation of 25 percent of the original ticket price if the delay was between one and two hours. 
  • If the delay was more than two hours long, calculated from the estimated time of arrival on your ticket to the time you actually arrive, you are entitled to be compensated with 50 percent of the original price of the ticket. 

If the journey was less than 150km in distance, the compensation is higher:

  • In the event of a 20-minute delay, you can receive a refund of 50 percent of the ticket price.
  • In the event of a 40-minute delay, your refund corresponds to 75 percent of the ticket price.
  • In the event of a 60-minute delay, you can get the entire ticket price refunded.

How to claim for compensation?

In order to claim compensation for your delay you need to contact the train company you travelled with, fill in the form and submit proof of travel.

These are the links to claim for compensation on the main train companies that operate in Sweden:

  • SJ 
  • MTRX (only available in Swedish). The company says on their website that their customer service is overwhelmed with compensation requests and that they will “compensate all passengers automatically for the delays of the 21st of July 2022” 
  • Flixtrain
  • Snälltåget
  • Vy (Sweden)

Due to the number of requests, this process might take a bit longer than usual, but you should get your refund in cash by bank transfer eventially.

Is your journey currently being disrupted?

If your train journey is currently being disrupted and the delays are predicted to last an hour or more, you are also entitled to refreshments on board the train or vouchers at the station so that you can buy a snack whilst you wait.

It is the train operator’s responsibility to make sure you reach your final destination and to book you free of charge onto another train or bus and also to pay for your hotel if the only solution is to travel the following day.

For more information on passenger rights for traveling by train, plane, bus or ferry within the European Union check the page on Passenger Rights on the EU’s website. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

TRAVEL NEWS

Stockholm’s Bromma Airport’s future in doubt after it loses 90 percent of air traffic

The future of Stockholm's second airport, Bromma, is in doubt after regional airline BRA struck a deal with SAS that will move nearly all flights to Arlanda Airport.

Stockholm's Bromma Airport's future in doubt after it loses 90 percent of air traffic

As of January 1st, BRA will operate flights on behalf of SAS with Stockholm’s principal airport Arlanda as a hub, the two airlines announced in separate press releases.

As a result, around 90 percent of air traffic will disappear from Bromma airport, according to the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

“I don’t think the airport will survive without us,” Per G Braathen, president of the BRA airline, told a press conference.

“We have been present at Bromma for 25 years and it is not profitable to run this airport. We need to concentrate on Arlanda,” he added.

The deal with SAS extends for over seven years and is worth around six billion kronor (530 million euros), BRA said in a statement.

The airline added that its fleet would be expanded and “more pilots and cabin crew will be recruited”, while ground services and administrative functions would be reduced.

The integration of BRA’s fleet with SAS will enhance Swedish infrastructure but is also “positioning Arlanda as a stronger central hub for domestic and international travel”, SAS CEO Anko van der Werff said in a statement.

Jonas Abrahamsson, CEO of Swedavia which operates Sweden’s airports, said that Tuesday’s announcement meant that domestic flights would now be concentrated on Arlanda.

“Bromma in principle will be without scheduled services,” Abrahamsson said in a statement.

He added that while many travellers liked Bromma, “a consolidation of air traffic to Arlanda is a natural development”.

Bromma Airport will lose its biggest air traffic operator from the turn of the year. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

The city of Stockholm wants to close Bromma airport as soon as possible to make way for housing and infrastructure, but Swedavia has a contract to operate the airport until 2038.

Daniella Waldfogel, CEO of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the announcement and said it meant that the closure of Bromma should be “moved forward”.

SHOW COMMENTS