Elizabeth line delay refunds: How to claim a refund for late trains

The terms for refunds and compensation vary across train operators. TfL provides refunds for Elizabeth line journeys within the last 28 days that were delayed by at least 30 minutes. The operator does not give refunds for delays outside of its control. These include the following examples:

• Engineering works
• Adverse weather conditions
• Strikes
• Customer incidents
• Security alerts

Refunds are also not offered to under-11s travelling free with a fare-paying adult or passengers travelling for free with a 60+ Oyster photocard, Freedom Pass or Veterans Oyster photocard.

The method of payment for your refund depends on the type of ticket you used:

Your claim can take up to ten working days to be reviewed. If successful, you’ll be refunded the full cost of a Single fare for the delayed journey.

Refunds can be claimed online or by post. To claim a refund via post, include your contact details, ticket type (Oyster or contactless card, National Rail smartcard or paper ticket number) and the details of your journey (the date, time and length of the delay) and send it to:

TfL Customer Services

9th Floor

5 Endeavour Square

London

E20 1JN

Passengers who used a paper ticket or National Rail smartcard can also apply for a service delay refund by calling TfL on 0343 222 1234 (lines are open 08:00–20:00 on weekdays).

If you travelled using contactless payment or an Oyster card, making a claim online is more straightforward. Simply create or log into your contactless and Oyster account, then click ‘Service delay refunds’. Complete the form, including the minutes your train was delayed for, the date and time of the service and the stations where you started and finished your journey. If you can’t find your station in the list, call TfL 08:00–20:00 Monday to Friday on 0343 222 1234.

Note: Requests for refunds are processed by the train operator, not Trip.com.

TfL has a simpler policy for the amount refunded for Elizabeth line delays. Successful claims refund passengers the value of a Single fare for the delayed journey. This also applies if you used a Travelcard or National Rail smartcard. For example, if you have a 7 Day Travelcard for zones 1–3 (costing about £52.50) and your peak-time Elizabeth line journey from Paddington to Custom House was delayed by 45 minutes, you’ll receive the full Single fare (around £3.80).

Your claim for a refund on an Elizabeth line journey may be unsuccessful because:

• You submitted your claim more than 28 days after the delay.
• Errors were found in the claim.
• The delay was outside TfL’s control (e.g., strikes, engineering works, poor weather).
• Your journey was delayed by less than 30 minutes.
• Not enough evidence (e.g., a copy of your ticket) was submitted with your application.
• The evidence provided was not valid for the journey you claimed.
• The delay was caused by an operator other than TfL.

Check your application carefully to ensure you are avoiding these mistakes. Reach out to TfL if you’re still confused about your entitlement to claim a refund.

Can I appeal TfL’s decision on my Elizabeth line refund claim?

If you believe that your claim was incorrectly rejected, you can appeal by calling TfL on 0343 222 1234 from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 20:00 or getting in touch online. TfL will review your appeal and get back to you.

Delay Repay is a dedicated scheme under the National Rail Conditions of Travel to compensate travellers who have used an operator’s service but arrived late by at least 15–30 minutes. TfL has a slightly different process that offers full refunds as pay as you go credit or via bank transfer.

• The journey details must be for the original journey, not the subsequent journey you took because of the delay.
• Ensure the form contains no errors, such as the date, ticket type and other details.
• Check if any engineering works were planned on the day of travel, as they could be the cause for amendments to your journey times.
• Include a high-resolution scan or photo of your ticket(s) so that TfL can verify your claim.

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