<<Bonjour mesdames et messieurs, nous avons treize heures de retard....>>

[pendolino]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12085167

This one's got everything: train failures, drunks, train crew working excessive hours, bad weather, line blockages.......

It's like someone in control at SNCF was playing Bingo.

 

[tbtc]

Shh! You're going to ruin the notion that only Britain can't deal with the weather etc! If they read that other countries have breakdowns (etc) then maybe they'll lose the idea that the UK is unique when it comes to such problems...

 

[wintonian]

Regretting the "serious but isolated" incident involving its night train, the SNCF offered travellers both a refund of their fares and a free return ticket.

And to think that here you would only get 50% of a return back in travel vouchers.

 

[pendolino]

And to think that here you would only get 50% of a return back in travel vouchers.

Do you think a more generous offer would be made under the same circumstances here?

 

[wintonian]

Admittedly I think Eurostar were giving full refunds and a free ticket when they had major problems earlier in the year.

 

[Max]

Thread moved to International Rail.

 

[Wyvern]

it was decided to replace the driver on health and safety grounds, as the individual had been working for three days.

No "Hidden" in France?

 

[gordonthemoron]

I see the BBCs journalism was up to it's usual standard, i.e.

It finally reached Lyon at 1700, where the passengers going south-west were transferred to another train, while those travelling in the Nice direction remained aboard.

A few dozen of the latter arrived in Perpignan, the train's final destination, just before 2200.

The Nice section (i.e. the latter) didn't go to Perpignon, the Port Bou train did.

Also, it would help if all named stopping places were put on the map.

 

[Starfish Prime]

News from Spain, last week a train with 148 passengers got stranded in the snow. Overhead wires issue, train stopped, heater off (power came from the wire) and passengers at -13º for several hours.

http://goo.gl/fOMDh