Delay Repay explained: how to claim when your train is late

Delay Repay is the compensation scheme most train companies in Britain run for passengers who reach their destination late, whatever caused the delay. Many operators pay out from 15 minutes late, some from 30, and the amount grows the later you are. You claim from the company that ran the delayed train, usually online or in its app, and most give you 28 days to do it. The details vary by operator, so it pays to know what to look for.

How does Delay Repay work?

The idea is simple. If you arrive at your destination late by more than your operator's threshold, you're owed part of your fare back. It doesn't matter whether the delay was caused by a signal failure, a broken-down train, the weather or a shortage of crew. That's the big difference from older compensation schemes, which let companies off for some causes.

What changes from one company to the next is:

• The threshold: some pay from 15 minutes late, others only from 30.
• How you claim, and how they pay you.

Your operator's website will have a Delay Repay page setting all this out. It's worth a look before you need it.

Who do you claim from?

The train company that ran the delayed train. If you bought a ticket on one company's website but travelled on another company's train, it's the one you travelled with that handles the claim. For journeys that use more than one operator, National Rail Enquiries has guidance on which company to send the claim to.

What do you need to make a claim?

Have these ready:

Keep paper tickets after the journey. If the barriers keep your ticket at the end, take a photo first. Most claims now go through a short online form, and some operators let you claim from the app you booked in.

How long do you have to claim?

Most operators ask for claims within 28 days of the journey. Don't leave it. The longer you wait, the more likely you'll lose the ticket or forget which train it was.

If you commute, it helps to claim the same evening, while the details are fresh. Season ticket holders can claim for each delayed journey, so a bad week can add up.

What if your train is cancelled and you don't travel?

That's a refund, not Delay Repay. If your train is cancelled or badly delayed and you decide not to travel at all, you can usually get a full refund on the unused ticket from whoever sold it to you. If you do travel and arrive late, that's when Delay Repay applies.

The same goes when a train is cancelled and you take the next one. What counts is how late you reach your destination compared with the train you planned to catch.

Why do Delay Repay claims get turned down?

Usually for boring reasons, which is good news, because they're easy to avoid:

• Arriving just under the threshold. Fourteen minutes late on a 15 minute scheme doesn't count, however annoying the wait felt.
• Claiming from the wrong company, or for the wrong train.
• Missing the deadline.
• Having no proof of the ticket.

A missed connection is worth claiming for, too. What matters is how late you reach your final destination, so if a delay on the first train makes you miss the second and you arrive an hour late, the whole hour counts.

Why trains are late in the first place

Delays come from all sorts of things: signalling faults, points failures, trains breaking down, trespass, bad weather, and the knock-on from one late train to the next. We explain the reasons you'll see on the board in why trains are delayed or cancelled, and the status words themselves in what Exp means on a departure board.

Seeing delays before you leave the house

No board will get you compensation. A board at home can help you avoid some of the waiting, though. TrainTicker shows the next trains from your station on an amber LED board, with expected times, cancellations and the reason given, all from Darwin, National Rail's live train information system, checked every 10 seconds.

If your usual train turns to Exp 08:21 while you're still putting your coat on, you know to have another cup of tea or head for a different train. You can tell it how long your walk takes, too, and it hides the trains you can't make. Try it free with the live demo, or see our commuting tips for more ways to make the daily run less painful.