If your train is delayed, find out how much compensation you could be owed and how to make a claim.
So like many of us, you may have experienced a travel delay when using a train, sadly, it's almost expected these days, but did you know that you can claim for delays and cancellations?
The National 'Delay Repay' scheme is used by most of the UK train companies, and this has a set compensation scheme for delayed or cancelled train journeys, and it doesn't matter why your train was delayed.
The below chart, from the Avanti West Coast train company, shows how much compensation you can claim for a delayed train journey.
The following train companies offer 'Claim Delay':
Avanti West Coast
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Grand Central Railway
London North East Railway
London Northwestern Railway
Merseyrail
Northern
ScotRail
Southeastern
Southern
South Western Railway
Greater Anglia
Great Northern
Great Western Railway
Hull Trains
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
Transport for Wales
West Midlands Railway
Stansted Express
To claim Delay Repay, you’ll need to fill in a claim form on the train company’s website, and will need to supply the following information:
A scan, photo or screenshot of your ticket, including the barcode if you're travelling with an e-ticket
A scan of your photocard if you're a Season Ticket holder
Your e-ticket receipt or booking confirmation displaying your booking reference, journey details and price paid
If you no longer have your ticket, a receipt with your journey details, including the price paid.
Those travellers who hold a season ticket, no matter if it's weekly, monthly or yearly, will be awarded compensation at a different level to that of someone who purchased a regular ticket for the journey. This is because season ticket holders pay a lower price for the ticket, and therefore compensation will be lower.
Weekly ticket: 1/5 of the ticket price
Flexi season ticket: 1/8 of the price
Monthly ticket: 1/20 of the ticket price
Annual ticket: 1/232 of the ticket price
Oyster card users can also claim compensation for delays.
Some train companies have an extra scheme called 'Delay Repay 15'. In these cases you're entitled to 25% of your ticket price if you get to your destination between 15 and 29 minutes late. You will need to check with the train company you've used to see if they offer the extra scheme; not all do.
You can still get compensation under rules called the ‘National Rail Conditions of Carriage’ if the train company doesn't offer Delay Repay, but you won’t get as much.
You wouldn’t get anything if the delay wasn’t the train company’s fault - As an example, if you were delayed because of bad weather, planned engineering work, or a police incident on the line.
If you arrive at your destination more than an hour late, you can claim the following compensation:
50% of your ticket price if you bought a single ticket
25% of your ticket price if you bought a return ticket
50% of your ticket price if you bought a return ticket and were delayed on both journeys for more than an hour
Compensation will be paid by bank transfer, debit/credit card, cheque, or voucher, although some companies won't pay by direct/credit card if you submit a paper claim form. Many train companies also offer you the option to give your claim money directly to charity, so money isn't the main reason for claiming; more to make a point to the train companies about tardiness, then you can have your refund help out a charity, which is normally nominated by the train company.
Information is correct as of 10th January 2023, but subject to change. Image courtesy of Wix, all copyright terms adhered to.