UK Delay Repay: How to claim train delay compensation?

Kieran Read

Published: Jul 17, 2025

Updated: Oct 27, 2026

UK Delay Repay: How to claim train delay compensation?

Train running late? You may be able to claim compensation through Delay Repay. Depending on the train company, claims can start when you reach your destination 15 or 30 minutes late.

Delay Repay is for passengers who travel but arrive late. If disruption means you decide not to travel or you cannot complete your journey, you should normally request a refund from the retailer that sold your ticket instead.

What is Delay Repay?

Delay Repay is a nationwide rail industry compensation scheme. If a participating National Rail service causes you to reach your destination late, you can claim regardless of why the delay happened.

Your eligibility and payment depend on:

The train company responsible for the delay.
How late you reached the destination shown in your planned journey.
The type of ticket you held.
How much you paid for it.

The delay is measured against the timetable in place for the day of travel. If an amended timetable was published in advance (for example, due to planned engineering works), the amended times will normally be used.

Most operators compensate for delays from 15 minutes (Delay Repay 15), while some begin at 30 minutes (Delay Repay 30). Open-access operators may use different arrangements under their Passenger Charter, so always check the relevant operator before claiming.

How much is Delay Repay compensation?

Most operators using Delay Repay 15 (where you’re eligible for compensation from a delay of 15 minutes) follow these compensation rates:

Delay in reaching your destination	Single ticket compensation	Return ticket compensation when one leg is delayed
15–29 minutes	25% of the single fare	12.5% of the total return fare
30–59 minutes	50% of the single fare	25% of the total return fare
60–119 minutes	100% of the single fare	50% of the total return fare
120 minutes or more	100% of the single fare	100% of the total return fare

These are standard Delay Repay 15 rates, not a universal rule. Operators with a 30-minute starting point (Delay Repay 30) or a different Passenger Charter may use different bands. Check the operator-specific guides below before relying on an amount.

Delay Repay calculation example

Suppose you paid £40 for a return ticket and one part of the journey was delayed:

A 20-minute delay would usually pay £5.
A 45-minute delay would usually pay £10.
A 75-minute delay would usually pay £20.
A delay of two hours or more would usually pay £40.

Compensation cannot normally exceed the price paid for the ticket or tickets used for the journey.

How is Delay Repay calculated for different ticket types?

Single tickets

Compensation is calculated as a percentage of the price you paid for the single ticket, including eligible Advance, Anytime, and Off-Peak tickets.

Return and Open Return tickets

Return tickets, including eligible Open Returns, can qualify. The compensation amount depends on the total return fare, the delayed leg, and the operator’s compensation bands.

With an Open Return, keep evidence showing the service and date on which you travelled, particularly for the return journey.

Season tickets

Season ticket holders can claim for an affected journey. However, the assumed value of one journey varies according to the ticket type and operator.

Weekly, monthly, annual, and Flexi Season tickets may be calculated differently, so use the relevant operator’s calculator or Passenger Charter rather than estimating the amount yourself.

A note on Railcards and discounted tickets

Delay Repay compensation is based on the discounted price you paid, not the pre-discount fare.

Can I claim Delay Repay if I used split tickets?

Yes, a valid combination of tickets can be used for one continuous journey, so if that journey is disrupted, include every split ticket covering it in one claim and give the details of the complete journey.

Compensation is normally assessed according to how late you reached your final destination, rather than treating every ticket as an unrelated journey. Submit the claim to the operator whose service caused the first delay or caused you to miss a connection. The operator will calculate the amount under its compensation policy.

How long do I have to claim Delay Repay?

You need to submit your claim within 28 days of completing the affected journey. An operator may choose to accept a late claim, but you should not rely on an extension.

Many operators aim to respond within 20 working days, although processing times can increase during widespread disruption. Under the National Rail Conditions of Travel, the industry target is to process within one month.

Once compensation is agreed, it should normally be paid within 14 days. Payment options vary by operator and may include:

Bank transfer
Payment card refund
PayPal
Cheque
National Rail travel vouchers

Which train company do I claim Delay Repay from?

Claim from the train company whose service caused the first delay to your journey, including a delay that made you miss a connection. This may be different from:

The retailer that sold your ticket.
The operator whose train you were on when you eventually arrived late.

If you are unsure, the National Rail Conditions allow you to submit a claim to any train company whose services you used for the journey. It should pass the claim to the responsible operator where necessary.

Only make one claim for the same delayed journey. Don’t submit duplicate claims to multiple operators, as this could impact the compensation process.

What you’ll need to claim Delay Repay?

Have the following ready:

The date of travel
Your ticket, e-ticket, booking confirmation, or Smartcard details.
All tickets if you used split tickets.
Your station of origin and final destination.
The scheduled services you intended to use.
The services you actually used, if known.
Your arrival time or total delay.
Your preferred payment details

The train company normally verifies the disruption against its service records, but having the details to hand can be helpful.

Delay Repay: Operator-by-operator guides

Operator	Location examples	Compensation threshold
Avanti West Coast Delay Repay	Birmingham, Glasgow, London, Manchester	15+ minutes
c2c Delay Repay	Essex, London	15+ minutes
Chiltern Railways Delay Repay	Birmingham, London, Oxford	15+ minutes
CrossCountry Delay Repay	Long-distance routes across the UK	30+ minutes
EMR Delay Repay	Leicester, London, Nottingham, Sheffield	15+ minutes
Gatwick Express Delay Repay	Gatwick, London	15+ minutes
Grand Central Delay Repay	London, North East, Yorkshire	60+ minutes
Great Northern Delay Repay	Cambridge, Hitchin, London, Peterborough	15+ minutes
Greater Anglia Delay Repay	Cambridge, Ipswich, London, Norwich	15+ minutes
GWR Delay Repay	Bristol, Exeter, London	15+ minutes
Hull Trains Delay Repay	Hull, London	30+ minutes
LNER Delay Repay	Edinburgh, London, York	30+ minutes
London Northwestern Delay Repay	London, North West, West Midlands	15+ minutes
Lumo Delay Repay	Edinburgh, London	30+ minutes
Northern Rail Delay Repay	North of England	15+ minutes
ScotRail Delay Repay	Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness	30+ minutes
Southeastern Delay Repay	Kent, London, and parts of East Sussex	15+ minutes
Southern Rail Delay Repay	London and the South Coast	15+ minutes
SWR Delay Repay	Basingstoke, London, Portsmouth, Southampton	15+ minutes
Thameslink Delay Repay	Bedford, Brighton, Cambridge, London	15+ minutes
TransPennine Delay Repay	Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle	15+ minutes
Transport for Wales Delay Repay	Wales and the border region	15+ minutes
West Midlands Delay Repay	Birmingham and the wider Midlands	15+ minutes

Other operators

Elizabeth line delay refunds - TfL runs a different scheme, but compensation begins at 30 minutes on the Elizabeth line.

Heathrow Express delay refunds - Heathrow Express runs its own compensation, starting at 30 minutes.

Delay Repay FAQs

Is Delay Repay based on departure or arrival time?

It’s based on how late you reach your destination compared with the timetable in place for that day. A late departure itself does not qualify if you reach the destination within the operator’s compensation threshold.

Can I claim Delay Repay for a cancelled train?

Yes, if the cancellation causes you to travel and reach your destination late. If you choose not to travel because the train is cancelled or delayed, request a refund for the unused ticket from the retailer instead.

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