SNCF train cancelled, missed ferry plus more! Advice needed please

RiPsTa

What I am going to do is post the letter I sent to SNCF complaints department in France by registered post as I was advised to do by SNCF UK. I have not even had a reply to say they received the letter.




Dear Sir/Madam,


My family and I had 4 x tickets for Train 9704 from Figueres Vilafant to Paris Gare De Lyon at 14:15 04/06/2016, we arrived at the station and waited to be called to board the train, at 14:10 we were informed that our train had been cancelled and there would not be another train until 10:30 on the 05/06/2016 which was not suitable as we had a ferry booked for 23:59 04/06/2016. 30 minutes later we were informed there would be another train at 17:18 04/06/2016 but when we asked if we could get that train we were told our tickets were no good even though they were for Figueres to Paris on the same date and we had to purchase more tickets to get on the train. We were charged 179 euro’s x 4 = 716 euro’s for the train that we already had tickets for which were only £54.50 each.


“Garantie Report ou Remboursement (Defer or Reimburse Guarantee): SNCF is here if the departure of your train is delayed by more than 1 hour or cancelled. We will offer you another travel option or, if you prefer, refund your ticket.”


According to your Guarantee as quoted above we were not offered another travel option and were told we had to purchase further tickets, therefore I would like a refund for the extra tickets we had to purchase at a cost of 716 euro's please.


The Train 9706 due at 17:18 was then delayed a further 2 hours and when we did eventually board the train it was delayed further during the journey due to technical difficulties. As a result of this we incurred further parking charges at Paris Gare De Lyon of 19.80 euro's as the parking was only paid till 20:00 when the original train 9704 was due to arrive. We also had to book on another ferry as due to all the delays we missed our scheduled ferry 23:59 Dieppe to Newhaven as we did not arrive into Paris until23:00 and had to book the 04:35 05/06/2016 ferry from Calais to Dover which cost a further £100.


“Garantie Assistance (Assistance Guarantee): SNCF is here if you encounter a major problem during your journey. We will take care of you, find a way for you to continue your journey and, if necessary, offer you accommodation. SNCF is there in these situations to bring you a drink, snack or meal, depending on the time of day.”


We were at no time offered any assistance, alternatives or explanations and after waiting in the train station which is very disappointing as we travel to spain regularly and have been put off from using the service again.



“Garantie Ponctualit! (Punctuality Guarantee): SNCF is here if your train is more than 30 minutes late reaching its destination. We will inform you of your rights under the "Punctuality Guarantee" scheme and distribute the "Punctuality Guarantee" envelopes where applicable.”


There was also no mention of the punctuality guarantee envelopes. All the extra charges incurred during the return journey have had to put on a credit card and will incur extra interest charges if this is not paid by the end of this month.




I am quite disappointed with the whole experience as we travel to Spain through France regularly and were looking forward to the journey as we thought this would be our preferred new method of travel after hearing such good reports about your service.


I would appreciate a fast response within 10 days as this would be the end of the month when the credit card bill will need to be paid to avoid extra charges for the tickets. I hope for a speedy resolution in this matter and eagerly await your response.



Regards

Moto2

Well lets hope that whoever picks it up at SNCF HO has good read English

maman

I don't know if it's like this country with different operators but wondered whether as this happened in Spain there might be a Spanish office to contact.

missbiggles1

Did you write in French or expect them to be able to read English?

Voyager2002

maman wrote: »

I don't know if it's like this country with different operators but wondered whether as this happened in Spain there might be a Spanish office to contact.

The train service is operated by SNCF, although the departure station is just across the Spanish border.

Voyager2002

The letter makes good points, but has to be in French. After all, do you think that staff at Trans-Pennine Express would understand a message in Serbo-Croat?

philip1988

Google is your friend

Madame/Monsieur,


ma famille et j'ai eu 4 x billets pour former Vilafant 9704 de Figueres à Paris Gare de Lyon à 14:15 04/06/2016, nous sommes arriv!s à la gare et attendaient d'être appel!s à bord du train, à 14:10 Nous avons !t! inform!s que notre train avait !t! annul!e et il n'y aurait pas un autre train jusqu'à 10:30 sur le 05/06/2016 qui n'!tait pas convenable que nous avions un ferry r!serv! pour 23:59 04/06/2016. 30 minutes plus tard, nous avons !t! inform!s qu'il y aurait un autre train à 17:18 04/06/2016 mais quand nous avons demand! si nous pouvions obtenir le train nous a appris que nos billets n'!taient pas valables même s'ils !taient pour Figueres à Paris sur la même date et nous avons dû acheter d'autres billets pour monter à bord du train. On nous a fait payer 179 euros x 4 = 716 euros pour le train que nous avions d!jà des billets pour lesquels ont !t! seulement £54.50 chacun.


" Garantie rapport UO (Defer ou rembourse Rebate Garantie): La SNCF est ici si le d!part de votre train est retard! de plus de 1 heure ou annul!e. Nous vous offrira une autre option de d!placement ou, si vous pr!f!rez, vous rembourser le billet."


Selon votre garantie comme cit! ci-dessus, nous n'ont pas !t! offertes une autre option de d!placement et a dit que nous devions acheter d'autres billets, je tiens donc un remboursement pour les billets suppl!mentaires que nous avons dû acheter à un coût de 716 euros s'il vous plaît.


Le train 9706 due à 17:18 a ensuite !t! retard! encore deux heures et lorsque nous avons finalement r!ussi à bord du train, il a !t! retard! encore pendant le voyage en raison de difficult!s techniques. À la suite de cela, nous supporter d'autres frais de stationnement sur Paris Gare De Lyon de 19,80 euros comme le parking !tait seulement pay! jusqu'à 20:00 lorsque l'original train 9704 devait arriver. Nous avons !galement dû r!server sur un autre traversier comme due à tous les retards, nous avons rat! notre ferry planifi!e 23:59 Dieppe à Newhaven comme nous ne sommes pas arriv!s à Paris jusqu'à23:00 et avait pour r!server l'04:35 05/06/2016 ferry de Calais à Dover qui a coût! un autre £100.


" Garantie Assistance (assistance Garantie: La SNCF est ici) si vous rencontrez un problème majeur durant votre voyage. Nous allons prendre soin de vous, trouver un moyen pour que vous puissiez poursuivre votre voyage et, si n!cessaire, vous offrir un h!bergement. La SNCF est là dans ces situations pour vous apporter un verre, une collation ou un repas, selon le moment de la journ!e."


Nous avons !t! à aucun moment offerts toute l'assistance, des solutions de rechange ou des explications et après avoir attendu dans la gare, ce qui est très d!cevant car nous voyageons à l'Espagne r!gulièrement et ont !t! mis hors de service à l'aide de la.



" Garantie Ponctualit! (ponctualit! Garantie): La SNCF est ici si votre train a plus de 30 minutes de retard d'atteindre sa destination. Nous vous informerons de vos droits en vertu de la "Ponctualit!" Garantie distribuer le " sch!ma et la ponctualit! Garantie " enveloppes le cas !ch!ant."


Il n'y a !galement aucune mention de la ponctualit! garantir des enveloppes. Tous les frais suppl!mentaires encourus pendant le voyage de retour, ont dû mettre sur une carte de cr!dit et assumera les frais d'int!rêt suppl!mentaires si ce n'est pas pay! à la fin de ce mois.




Je suis très d!çu de l'ensemble de l'exp!rience comme nous rendre en Espagne à travers la France r!gulièrement et ont hâte de le voyage que nous avons pens! que ce serait le choix de nos nouveaux mode de d!placement après avoir entendu ces bons rapports à propos de votre service.


J'appr!cierais une r!ponse rapide dans les 10 jours, comme ce serait la fin du mois lorsque la facture de carte de cr!dit devra être pay!e pour !viter les frais suppl!mentaires qui en d!coulent pour les billets. J'espère que pour une r!solution rapide de cette question et attendons avec impatience votre r!ponse.



Ce qui concerne

missbiggles1

Better to get a real friend who speaks French to write it, if possible.

Lorian

They already sent it.

hollydays

Vous rembourser?
Just quickly picked that error up

I'm not sure" I impatiently wait for your response" is a great thing to say.

missbiggles1

Lorian wrote: »

They already sent it.

Oh dear.....:(