Customers' Rights to Refunds & Compensation

If the train journey you are making, or have booked to make, is delayed or cancelled you may be entitled to a full refund from the retailer of your ticket, or compensation from the train company that caused the delay.

Refund or Compensation – What’s the difference?

When is it a Refund?
If your train is delayed or cancelled and you choose not to travel, your unused ticket can be refunded without any fees by the original retailer.

When is it Compensation?
If you are traveling and experience a delay arriving to your destination due to a cancelled or delayed service, you may be able to claim compensation from the train operating company you are travelling with.

 

Compensation will depend on:

   •    Which train company you are travelling/have travelled with
•    Type of ticket you have
•    Length of the delay in arriving at your destination

Your Train Company	Different train companies have different compensation schemes, but all will allow you to claim when you are delayed.
Your Ticket	Compensation is based on what you have paid so may be calculated differently depending on the type of ticket you have used, e.g. a 7-Day Season Ticket will not have the same compensation award as an Off-Peak Day Single.
Your Delay	Train companies will have a compensation threshold for when they are liable to pay compensation. Each train company will let you know what their threshold is in the Passengers’ Charter, available on their website.

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information about your rights and for individual train company policies.

Delay Repay

Delay Repay is a nationwide scheme that makes it easier for you to get compensation for delayed rail journeys. If you are delayed when you travel on a participating National Rail service*, you can claim Delay Repay.

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) and it doesn’t matter what caused the delay, you can claim.

Click the logo of the train company below for more information on Delay Repay and compensation.

*excludes Chiltern Railways services

Personalised Travel Information

To get personalised up-to-date travel information directly via Facebook Messenger, simply sign up to Alert Me by Messenger. You can use it to find out whether you are eligible for compensation and for alternative routes during periods of disruption. You can find out more on the Alert Me by Messenger page

Claiming Compensation for Delays

You can find information on train delay compensation, including Delay Repay, and how to claim for your delayed rail journey on a train company’s website by clicking on their logo below.

Most claims can be made online with an uploaded image of your ticket or by obtaining a form from a staffed station, enclosing the ticket and posting it back to the operator.

Some train companies allow customers to register their ticket online to make future claims quicker and easier

Train Operating Companies

National Rail Conditions of Travel

The National Rail Conditions of Travel outlines the minimum offered through Passengers' Charter's but in practise the vast majority of operators pay more than that.

We are here to help you on your journey and to get you back on track. You can sign up for automatic alerts about delays and disruption here. Tweet us too at @nationalrailenq.

Further Information

For more information on compensation, including Season Ticket renewal discounts and Void Days (selected train companies only), click here