Easier to run a marathon in Sahara than to solve something through SBB

[GeorgeValentin]

First of all it is amazing that for international tickets refund you have everything in german here. Sweet. Makes everything so easy. Why the hell is so easy to buy, but so hard to get a refund/compensation for missing a connection. So, on the 28th of April, in the morning, there was working activity or something going on from Bern to Belp which made all the trains to be delayed/cancelled. I had a plane to catch from Milano and needless to stay how this made everything so hard. I was supposed to reach Brig and from there at 7.44 to get my train towards Milano. Obvious that didn't happened because whatever was going on on the railways. How can I get a refund for my ticket which I couldn't use for obvious reasons that are not my fault. Who should I contact. And obviously I can't call at that number because I am outside of Switzerland and will cost me a kidney and an eye. Any help is highly appreciated.

[RolandP]

Hello @GeorgeValentin 

Kindly note, the SBB Community is not an official support channel by SBB. Here, we can give you some guidance only. Any decision on refund and/or compensation is the sole responsibility of the SBB Contact Center; requests must be made in written form.

In what concerns the information available on the SBB website, me being a marathon runner myself, I would say SBB is doing an excellent job as all information is available in multiple languages. So is the information concerning the refund & compensation policy well available in German, French, Italian, and English and made transparently accessible on this website: Refunds and compensation | SBB help & contact. Usually, timetable changes due to engineering work are announced in advance and the online timetable adapted accordingly.

Keep in mind that SBB will never take any liability for missed flights and therefore not pay any compensation in that regard. Your rights as a passenger in case of misconnections and delays are stated in the passenger rights: Delays in Switzerland: national passenger rights

For any compensation, please fill in the form provided on the SBB website: Compensation for delay - PARE (swisspass.ch). Change the language to English in the website's header should the form be displayed in German.

Best regards,
Roland

[GeorgeValentin]

Thank you for the comprehensive message. Unfortunately the only options are other to call or go to an agency. Not doable when you can be in Vietnam, Colombia or Cuba and not planning to be back in Switzerland in 30 days. Horrible system in place. Its obvious when an agency doesn't want to refund. 

[AuroraD]

Hello @GeorgeValentin 

We can refund internatioal tickets only at the phone and with a confermation of non - use after the journey.

You can do a complaint on the following link: Claims and complaints | SBB help & contact

Greetings, Aurora 

[GeorgeValentin]

I challenge whoever wants to try to get a refund without having to make that phone call or go to an agency. I am outside of Europe right now and will not be back in 30 days in Switzerland. I am willing to donate my eventual refund (although I have a feeling that will be close to mission impossible) to whoever can manage this without their only 2 options that involve being in Switzerland or make an expensive phone call (they even say that it might take long until they answer). That is why I am saying that they don't make it easy. Because they don't wanna refund and make you quit. Awesome customer support/service in SBB.