Trains, coaches and ferries
Ferry passenger rights: delays, cancellations and compensation
My ferry was cancelled or arrived very late — what can I ask for and by when?
Applies to: European Union · United Kingdom · National law variesRules last checked:
On this page
In short
For passenger services leaving an EU port (and some services into the EU on EU carriers), a cancelled departure or a departure delayed by more than 90 minutes brings a choice between re-routing at no extra cost and a refund within 7 days, plus free snacks, meals or refreshments.
If you arrive late, compensation is 25% of the ticket price at delays of 1, 2, 3 or 6 hours depending on how long the scheduled journey is, and 50% if the delay is more than double that. Weather, and extraordinary circumstances the carrier could not have avoided, remove the compensation — not the refund or re-routing.
What to do next
- Ask the carrier in writing which option you are being offered — re-routing or refund — and by when.
- Note whether the carrier says weather or another exceptional cause applies, and keep the notice.
- Send your complaint inside two months; this is shorter than the rail and coach deadlines.
- For routes outside the EU or the UK, ask the carrier which rules its ticket is sold under.
What to check
When these rules apply
Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 applies to passenger services where the port of embarkation is in an EU Member State, and to services from a non-EU port to an EU port operated by a Union carrier. It also covers cruises that start in the EU, but for cruise passengers the re-routing, refund and compensation articles do not apply.
It does not apply to ships certified for up to 12 passengers, ships with a crew of three or fewer or services of under 500 metres one way, sightseeing and excursion tours other than cruises, or certain historic ships. Member States may exempt some public-service routes if passengers’ rights are comparably guaranteed under national law. The United Kingdom kept a retained version of the regulation; check the UK text and the carrier’s conditions for UK routes.
What to do
Departure delayed or cancelled: what you can ask for
If departure is cancelled or delayed by more than 90 minutes, the carrier must offer free snacks, meals or refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time. If a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, it must offer accommodation, and may limit the cost to EUR 80 per night for a maximum of three nights (ashore; transport to it is separate).
You also have the choice of re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity and at no additional cost, or reimbursement of the ticket price, which must be paid within 7 days.
What to check
Compensation for arriving late
| Scheduled journey length | Delay for 25% of ticket price | Delay for 50% |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 hours | At least 1 hour | More than 2 hours |
| More than 4, up to 8 hours | At least 2 hours | More than 4 hours |
| More than 8, up to 24 hours | At least 3 hours | More than 6 hours |
| More than 24 hours | At least 6 hours | More than 12 hours |
Compensation is paid within one month of the request; the carrier may set a minimum payment threshold of up to EUR 6. You cannot claim it for a delay you were told about before buying, or one caused by your own fault, and open tickets are excluded.
The carrier is also not liable for compensation where the delay was caused by weather conditions endangering the safe operation of the ship, or by extraordinary circumstances that hindered the service and could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
What to do
How to complain, and the deadlines
- Keep your ticket, and note the scheduled and actual departure and arrival times.
- Submit your complaint to the carrier or the terminal operator within two months of the date the service ran, or should have run.
- The carrier should confirm within one month that it is dealing with the complaint, and give a final reply within two months of receiving it.
- If you are not satisfied, you can go to the national enforcement body of the Member State concerned; some Member States require the first complaint to go to the carrier.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 on sea and inland waterway passengers’ rights (Official Journal) — EUR-Lex, European Union
- Waterborne passenger rights — European Commission — European Commission
- National enforcement bodies for passenger rights — European Commission — European Commission
- Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 as it applies in the UK (legislation.gov.uk) — UK National Archives
General information to help you understand your options — not legal advice, and not a promise that any payment or refund is due to you. Your rights depend on the facts of your journey and the law that applies; check the official sources above and the carrier’s own terms.