Train delay and cancellation refunds 2026: Delay Repay

If a train is late or cancelled, you are almost always entitled to money back. The UK runs a scheme called Delay Repay: the amount depends on how late you finally arrived at your destination, not on the cause of the delay.

How much do you get for a delay?

Delay Repay pays back a share of your fare based on the length of the delay. For a delay of 15–29 minutes you get 25% of a single fare (12.5% of a return). For 30–59 minutes, 50% (25% of a return). For 60–119 minutes, 100% of a single or 50% of a return. For a delay of more than 120 minutes, you get the full price of a return ticket. For season tickets the compensation is based on the cost of one journey and can reach 200% in the top band.

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What if the train was cancelled and I didn't travel?

If you chose not to travel at all because of a cancellation or serious disruption, you must be refunded the full price of the ticket — and with no admin fee. This right is stronger than the usual refund rules: on a cancellation, tickets of any type are refundable. If you did travel but arrived late, Delay Repay applies on the thresholds above.

How and when do you claim?

You claim from your train company — online on their website, through their app, or by post. You must do this within 28 days of the delay. You will need the ticket details (or a photo), the date, time and route of your journey. Many operators offer automatic Delay Repay for trips paid through their account, so the money arrives without a claim.

What should you keep?

Keep your ticket and proof of purchase until the compensation arrives: do not throw away a paper ticket, and keep a screenshot of a digital one. Note the actual time you arrived — that is what sets the payout. If the operator refuses and you think the refusal is unfair, the Rail Ombudsman can review the dispute after you have complained to the operator. A delay claim is separate from any refund for an unused ticket, and one does not block the other.

How is a delay measured and how are you paid?

A delay is measured by your actual arrival at your final destination against the timetable — including time lost to a missed connection within the same journey. Most operators calculate it automatically from your ticket data, so keep a paper ticket. Compensation is usually paid to your bank card; some operators also offer rail vouchers, but you can normally insist on money. Delay Repay does not cancel your other rights during major disruption — for example, using your ticket with another operator or on a replacement bus. Check your own operator's scheme: with a few, compensation starts not at 15 minutes but at a longer delay.

Your rights during disruption are set out by the rail regulator ORR.