Compensation
Have you experienced a delay on the national train network? We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by this situation. Below you will find some useful information about the conditions and procedure for submitting the compensation claim.
It is possible for you to obtain a certificate of delay using this form. However, a certificate of delay is not mandatory for making a compensation claim in the event of a delay or cancelled service.Compensation: what conditions apply and how much are you entitled to?
Effective from the date of travel, you have 30 calendar days to make a compensation claim using the claim form provided for this purpose. Make a note of the travel days and the journeys in question and keep your travel tickets in order to make a proper claim.
- If you travelled using a Youth Multi, a Local Multi, a Standard Multi, a Student Multi, a Half-Time season ticket or a 10-Journey Card, send your request together with a photo of your paper transport ticket within 30 calendar days after each trip concerned by the delay.
- If you have travelled with a season ticket (except Student Multi or Half-Time), submit your compensation claim within 30 calendar days from the date of the delay, stating your season ticket number/your MoBIB card number.
- Your travel ticket must be valid at the time of the delay.
The terms of the reimbursement are as follows:
- A 60 minute delay and above: flat-rate compensation of 100% of the price of your travel ticket
- Calculate the value of your compensation claim
How to submit your claim?
- Complete your claim online via My SNCB with the reference of the ticket, whatever the format of your ticket. You can also attach a photo of your paper ticket. No photo is required for a digital ticket, but the ticket number will be requested.
If you wish you may complete a form that can be downloaded in pdf format and hand it in to a ticket office, or send it back (duly franked) with the original travel ticket (excluding season tickets on a MoBIB Card): SNCB Marketing & Sales, Customer Service, B-MS.1423 Avenue de la Porte de Hal 40, 1060 Brussels.
Under what circumstances does our compensation policy not apply?
- if your delay has been caused by another public transport company (De Lijn, TEC, STIB, ...)
- if you are travelling with a Youth Holidays or a legitimate ticket granting free passage
- if you were informed of an eventual delay before purchasing the travel ticket
- if you could take another train that could get you to your destination with less than 60 minutes delay.
If you have experienced repeated delays on the same route, you can submit every 6 month period a compensation claim for all of these journeys. Make a note of the travel days and the journeys in question and keep your travel tickets in order to make a proper claim. Send your compensation claim within 30 calendar days from the end of the 6 month period. This period is calculated as from the first delay that is the subject of your compensation claim.
- If you travelled using a Youth Multi, a Local Multi, a Standard Multi, a Student Multi, a Half-Time season ticket or a 10-Journey Card, send your request together with your ticket within 30 calendar days as from the end of the 6 months. If your ticket has not been fully used by the end of the 6 months, send your request within 30 calendar days after the use of the last journey.
- If you have travelled with a season ticket (except Student Multi or Half-Time), submit your compensation claim within 30 calendar days from the end of the 6 month period, stating your season ticket number/your MOBIB Card number.
- Your travel ticket must be valid at the time of the delay.
The terms of the reimbursement are as follows:
- Your case will be admitted if it includes a minimum of 20 delays of more than 15 minutes or 10 delays or more of 30 minutes or more.
- Delays of more than 15 minutes are reimbursed at 25% of the price of your fare
- Delays of more than 30 minutes are reimbursed at 50% of the price of your fare
- Calculate the value of your compensation claim
How to submit your claim?
Enter your frequent delays via My SNCB with the reference of the transport ticket, whatever the format of your ticket. You can also attach a photo of your ticket in paper format. No photo is required for a digital ticket. but the ticket number will be requested.
If you wish, you may complete a form that can be downloaded in pdf format and hand it in to a ticket office, or send it back (duly franked) with the original travel ticket (excluding season tickets on a MoBIB Card): SNCB Marketing & Sales, Customer Service, B-MS.1423 Avenue de la Porte de Hal 40, 1060 Brussels.
Under what circumstances does our compensation policy not apply?
- if your delay has been caused by another public transport company (De Lijn, TEC, STIB, ...)
- if you are travelling with a Youth Holidays or a legitimate ticket granting free passage
- if you were informed of an eventual delay before purchasing the travel ticket
- if you suffered a delay both on the outward and return journeys and less than 2 hours elapsed between the time of arrival of the outward journey and the departure time of the return journey.
Use this form if you wish to apply for a refund for any reason other than a train delay.
Whether it an occasional long delay or frequent delays over a period of 6 months, you can claim compensation on this condition:
- you have a valid transport ticket at the time of the delay
In what instances does our compensation policy not apply?
- if your delay has been caused by another public transport company (De Lijn, TEC, STIB, ...)
- in case of a strike publicly announced by recognised organisations, giving notice of 8 days (unless you had already purchased a transport ticket prior to this date)
- in case of force majeure (including natural disasters or extraordinary weather conditions). If your delay exceeds 60 minutes, the compensation policy continues to apply.
- if you are travelling with a Jump Ticket, a Youth Holidays, City Pass, an MTB card (general city season ticket in Brussels) or a legitimate ticket granting free passage
- if you were notified of an eventual delay before purchasing your transport ticket
- if your delay is less than 60 minutes and you have been able to travel on board an alternative train or transport service suggested by SNCB
- if you have suffered a delay both on the outward and return journey and less than 2 hours has elapsed since the arrival time of the outward journey and the time of departure of the return journey.