The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has made public that one out of every two railway users suffers "frequent delays" and has warned that this situation "discourages" many travelers from continuing to use the train, according to a statement released by the organization this Monday.
The OCU emphasizes that unpunctuality in rail transport, far from being an isolated incident, has become "habitual".
As a consequence, numerous passengers are opting for other "less sustainable" means such as private cars or buses, which cause "heavy road traffic, pollution, and traffic jams".
In this context, the organization has carried out a study which shows that 62% of AVE and long-distance users in the last three months have suffered "punctuality problems", and in more than 35% of cases the delays exceeded half an hour.
As for regional and medium-distance trains, up to 55% of travelers who used them in the last quarter also detected "frequent delays" and 21% indicated a "delay of more than half an hour".
Regarding commuter trains, Rodalies, and short-distance services, 48% of users have experienced "unpunctuality" and 6% have reported delays of more than half an hour. Furthermore, in this segment, 3% of travelers declared that the last time the service was "canceled or did not depart".
Given this scenario, OCU reminds train passengers that they have the right to financial compensation, with a minimum indemnity of 25% of the ticket price for delays between 60 and 119 minutes, and 50% for delays equal to or greater than 120 minutes, according to EU Regulation 2021/782.
However, some operators have more advantageous commercial policies for the customer, especially in high-speed services, where they may offer refunds of up to 100% of the price paid.
The organization also points out that travelers have the right to receive refreshments depending on the waiting time, as well as accommodation if an overnight stay is necessary, and to continue the journey by another means of transport, being able to subsequently claim the reasonable and necessary cost from the railway company.
Together, OCU demands a thorough review of railway policy to oblige companies to inform affected passengers of any incident, unify a compensation system starting from 15 minutes of delay, implement the automatic sending of a conformity form to affected users, ensure that companies have effective contingency plans, and sanction those that fail to meet these punctuality commitments.