The federal government is currently developing many strategies to keep power plants and power grids in operation despite the energy crisis. This includes giving priority to energy transport by rail. However, consumer advocates agree that train passengers should not suffer from this.
In the case of train delays, according to Consumer Protection Minister Steffi Lemke, train passengers should also receive compensation if the delay was caused by the prioritization of freight trains. “It is important to me that the disturbances for passengers are kept as low as possible and that they are compensated quickly and unbureaucratically in the event of problems,” said the Green politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
The head of the Federal Association of Consumers, Ramona Pop, is also campaigning for compensation claims to be complied with under the European Rail Passenger Rights Ordinance. “These must not be impaired or undermined in any way,” Pop told the Funke newspapers.
The federal government wants to give energy transport by rail, i.e. freight trains carrying coal, oil or other means of production, priority over passenger trains in the next six months in order to ensure the supply of fuel to power plants and to ensure the operation of refineries and power grids. This was decided by the federal cabinet last Wednesday.
The background to the measure is, on the one hand, the tense situation in the energy sector due to the reduced gas supplies from Russia and the efforts to reduce Russian energy imports as much as possible. In addition, transport on some waterways is currently restricted due to the low water levels.
“The current energy crisis requires everyone to make special efforts,” said Minister Lemke. The prioritization of rail transport for the energy sector could lead to delays and train cancellations in passenger, local and long-distance transport.
The top consumer advocate Pop demanded that the restrictions on passenger transport be as few as possible and that passengers be informed quickly. Passenger trains should also “not be revoked their train path authorizations or only in unavoidable emergencies,” said Pop. “In these cases, passengers must be informed as early and comprehensively as possible.” The affected travelers would also have to be offered alternative transport options.
If a train arrives at its destination more than 60 minutes late, affected passengers will be reimbursed 25 percent of the fare paid for the single journey. From 120 minutes it is 50 percent.