What is Delay Repay
Delay Repay is the UK's compensation scheme for delays on the railways - it refunds you a portion of your fare if you arrived 15 or 30 minutes or more late to your destination. The minimum delay time varies by operator. It doesn't matter what the cause of the delay is, either. Just keep in mind that it's based on the arrival time, not the departure time.
Who is eligible to claim Delay Repay compensation?
- Delay time: You need to have arrived 15 or more minutes later than scheduled to be able to claim for most operators. Some train companies, though, have a 30-minute threshold.
- Ticket type: Delay Repay applies to all types of ticket, including Season Tickets, as long as your fare was valid for the delayed journey.
- When to claim: You can claim anytime from the date of the delayed train up until 28 days after. This is a strict deadline.
Does the 1 April 2026 Refund Change Affect Delay Repay?
No, the changes made to refund policies for train tickets in the UK in April 2026 do not affect Delay Repay claims. The new rules - which brought forward the deadline for cancelling tickets to 23:59 the day before travel - only apply to voluntary cancellations (when you choose not to travel). You can read more in our guide to the 2026 refund policy changes.
Delay Repay refunds are specifically for delays and cancellations that cause you to arrive late due to no fault of your own. Just remember that there is a deadline for this type of refund, which is 28 days after travel.
How much compensation can you get from Delay Repay
The amount of compensation you are due depends on how long the delay was. The refund is a tiered percentage of the fare you paid - there is no fixed, universal sum. Your ticket type also impacts what you're owed. For returns, you'll receive a percentage of the affected portion of your journey, while for Season Tickets it's calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Length of Delay
The repayment percentage you're owed is based on different tiers. Some operators offer compensation for delays over 15 minutes (known as Delay Repay 15), while others only pay out if your journey was delayed by 30 minutes or more (known as Delay Repay 30).
Here's a rough breakdown of the percentages to give you an idea. These are subject to change and can vary by operator, so be sure to always double-check.*
| Delay at destination | Single ticket | Return ticket |
|---|---|---|
| 15–29 minutes | 25% of fare | 12.5% of the affected portion |
| 30–59 minutes | 50% of fare | 25% of the affected portion |
| 60–119 minutes | 100% of fare | 50% of the affected portion |
| 120+ minutes | 100% of fare | 100% of the total return fare |
Ticket Types
Your original ticket type determines how your compensation is calculated. Here's how it breaks down across the main ticket types.
- Single ticket: Compensation is based on the price you paid for the one-way fare. (If you paid £10 and there was a 30-minute delay, you'd receive 50% back (£5)*)
- Return ticket: The refund amount applies to the price of the disrupted portion of the fare, which is usually half. (If your return fare cost £20 and the outbound leg was delayed by 30 minutes, you'd receive 50% of half the fare (£10), so the Delay Repay amount would be £5.*)
- Season Tickets: Your ticket price is divided by the number of journeys it covers to get a per-journey value. The delay percentage then applies to that figure. Many operators apply the following formula: weekly ÷10, Flexi Season ÷16, monthly ÷40, and annual ÷464. (So if your annual Season Ticket cost £2500 and a journey is delayed by 30 minutes, you'd get compensation of £2.69. £2500 ÷ 464 = £5.38 and 50% of this is £2.69. *)
Whichever ticket you hold, keep it safe after you travel, since you'll need it as proof when you file your claim.
*Remember, operators may have slightly different policies for percentages payouts and these are subject to change at any time. The figures in this guide are examples only and your actual may be different.
Claim Delay Repay for different train operators
While Delay Repay is largely uniform across the UK, exact policies - including timeframes for paying out and how to claim - vary by operator. Luckily, you can check the policy for each operator on their respective website. Here's the link:
How to claim Delay Repay when booking with Trip.com
All Delay Repay claims must go directly through the operators, even for tickets booked through Trip.com. Remember, too, that the exact process varies by operators. For example, some operators require you to create an account, while others may offer automatic refunds for delayed services. In any case, you'd need to present the following information:
- Proof of purchase: This is either a photo or a scan of your ticket or proof of purchase.
- Journey details: Remember, you must enter the service that was delayed, not an alternative service you may have taken. The operator then verifies this against their records.
- Preferred payment method: You'll need to have your bank account and sort code (or PayPal details) to hand.
- Contact details: You'll likely receive confirmation via email, so be sure to double-check this when entering.
UK Train Delay Repay FAQs
Is there a deadline for claiming Delay Repay?
Yes, you have up to 28 days after the date of travel to claim Delay Repay. This applies to postal claims, too, so be sure to send off your documentation in time.
How much compensation for a 30-minute train delay?
For train delays of 30 to 59 minutes, the standard Delay Repay compensation amount is 50%. If you have a return ticket, this is 50% of the affected portion of the journey.
Who pays Delay Repay compensation?
The operator of the delayed train is responsible for paying Delay Repay compensation, so be sure to claim through the correct company. Trip.com provides direct, convenient links to each operator's claim portal within your booking, but we do not issue or pay the refunds ourselves.
Can I get a cash payout for Delay Repay?
Yes, you can get a cash payout for Delay Repay which is usually made via bank transfer or PayPal. This applies to claims made online only, though. For postal claims, the payout is often in National Rail vouchers.
How long does the Delay Repay take once approved?
Payment times for approved Delay Repay claims typically range from 48 hours for PayPal to 3 to 5 days for bank transfers and 2 weeks for vouchers. It depends on the method of payment.