How to obtain a CFL attest if your train is delayed

Did you know that CFL employees can issue delay certificates in case of a railway disruption? According to a new report from our colleagues at RTL Infos, Luxembourg's national railway company has been doing so for well over 20 years, but only few passengers are aware of this offer, and even fewer make use of it.

Good news, the process for receiving such a certificate is quite simple, according to a statement maybe by CFL: "We invite clients to show up to the train attendant to ask for a certificate of delay. This is usually made at the last stop of the train in case of a delay exceeding six minutes.” It's important to note that CFL does not consider a train delayed if it arrives within six minutes of its scheduled time. on their site. 
 
There are various ways to request these certificates. As CFL explains, “In most cases, travelers ask for a certificate via email (qualite@cfl.lu) that can be sent to the ‘Service Suggestions Réclamations Clients des CFL,’ which is responsible for distributing such certificates.” Passengers can also contact the service via phone at +352 2489 5555. Additionally, CFL is considering developing an online form to simplify the process even further by allowing passengers to request a certificate directly from their website.

Furthermore, it was stated that "for educational staff and students, a list of trains that have been delayed during the morning is sent to the primary schools and high schools on the same day, allowing educational staff to excuse their pupils for being late".

Many passengers simply photograph the notice boards to justify their delay, but there are in fact several ways of obtaining proof from CFL. / © Romain Van Dyck

Can I be compensated for the delay?

For those wondering about compensation for delays, CFL clarifies that "no monetary compensation can be demanded for a delay in Luxembourg on national journeys". Indeed, since 2020, public transport, including train journeys, has been free of charge.

Nevertheless, the rules differ for international journeys. Travellers can benefit from a “compensation equivalent to 25% of the ticket’s price in case of a delay ranging from 60 to 119 minutes, and a compensation up to 50% is offered when the train is more than 120 minutes late.” They can also obtain a “refund of the whole or partial price of the train ticket in the case of a cancellation or an unexpected delay of over 60 minutes” (more information can be found on the CFL site).

CFL punctuality: one train out of 10 late in 2023

In 2023, the punctuality of CFL trains was 90.1%, meaning that one train out of ten arrived late. While this was a slight decline from 90.5% in 2022, CFL aims to reach a target of 92% punctuality in the coming years. “We are reaching for even higher objectives after the launch of the new Luxembourg-Bettembourg line,” CFL told  RTL.

9 trains out of 10 arrive on time. / © DR

However, the punctuality aspect of CFL trains needs to be put into perspective, keeping in mind the influence of train networks of other countries (Belgium, France, Germany). The percentage of 90.1% in 2023 “was the result, among other things, of the significant impact of third-party factors, in particular the fallout from industrial action on foreign rail networks (94 strike days in 2023) or the impact of incidents caused by third parties failing to respect the highway code at level crossings".

Despite these challenges, there were some improvements: cancellations due to technical issues on trains dropped by 22%, and cancellations due to rail infrastructure faults decreased by 6% in 2023.

To find out more about delays, the CFL compiles the results month by month on their page.