If the train journey you're going to make was delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to a Delay Repay compensation from the train company that caused the delay.
Keen to learn more? Keep reading for more details about how Delay Repay can help you get compensation in case of a delayed journey.
Delay Repay is a national scheme that train companies use to compensate you for unexpected delays and cancellations to their services. If you arrive late at your destination because of a delay or cancellation to a National Rail service, you can claim your Delay Repay compensation. Depending on the train operator you'll be travelling with, you can claim compensation if there's a 15-minute or 30-minute delay to your journey.
The delay is calculated against either the normal timetable or an amended timetable that is published in advance, for example during planned engineering works at weekends. No matter what caused the delay, you can claim compensation up to 28 days after your journey.
In the UK, the following train operators offer a Delay Repay scheme:
UK train companies have different compensation schemes, but they will all allow you to claim compensation when your train is delayed by the relevant length of time. The amount of compensation may be calculated differently depending on how late you arrived at your destination, the cost of your ticket and the ticket type you have used. For example, if you have a Weekly Season Ticket, you won't get the same compensation as the one you would get if you had an Off-Peak Day Single or Return ticket. Visit our help guide to claiming compensation for a delayed train for more information.
According to the National Rail Conditions of Travel, which set the minimum standards that train companies need to follow, passengers must be offered at least one form of monetary compensation for a delayed train, including a bank transfer, cheque or refund, as well as rail vouchers.
You can check the Passenger’s Charter of the train operator you’ll be travelling with for more information on their Delay Repay policy.
To claim Delay Repay, you’ll usually need to fill in a claim form on the train company’s website. We recommend you have the following information to hand in order to claim Delay Repay effortlessly and ensure you get the right amount of compensation:
Read our answers to some of our customers’ frequently asked questions on Delay Repay.
Depending on the train company you'll be travelling with, you can claim Delay Repay when your train is delayed by more than 15 or 30 minutes. A delayed train is usually when your train service is running behind the planned, advertised timetable. Compensation is not usually offered during periods of pre-planned engineering works and when replacement bus services are used.
Yes, if you decide to continue your journey on an alternative train. Delay Repay compensation is based on the delay to your overall journey, so if a cancellation delays your overall journey by more than 15 or 30 minutes, you will be entitled to Delay Repay.
No, if you don't take the train due to disruption, you should claim a refund for any unused part of your ticket and not Delay Repay. You must claim the refund within 28 days of your train ticket's expiry date. Visit our help guide to refunds for cancelled trains for more information.
If your journey is split between two different trains, and the first is delayed so you miss the second one, you can wait and get the next available train operated by the same train company free of charge, as long as the entire journey is booked under one ticket. Speak to a member of staff on the delayed train or at the next station and they can help you get your journey back on track.
Yes. Whether you've travelled on National Rail using pay as you go or a Travelcard on an Oyster card, you can claim compensation for delays and cancellations according to the relevant train company's policy. To do this, you’ll need to include a copy of your journey history with your claim – you can get it from any London Underground station, London Overground station or Oyster ticket stop. If your Oyster card is registered, you can also get this online by logging into your account on the TfL website.
The Delay Repay scheme does not in any way limit or exclude your legal rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Under the Consumer Rights Act, you may be able to claim extra compensation if you incur costs as a result of a train company's failure to provide the expected service. Read the Consumer Rights Act document provided by National Rail for more information.
The Passenger’s Charter is a document that sets out what you should expect when you travel with a train operator, how you can claim compensation if your train is delayed and how you can contact them.
