Refunds & Delay Compensation
If your train was cancelled, delayed, rescheduled, or you could not travel as planned, you may be able to request a ticket refund or claim compensation. However, refund and compensation rules are determined by the railway operator, ticket retailer, fare type, and circumstances of your journey.
MyTrainRoutes does not process train ticket refunds or delay compensation claims.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, passengers should contact the official train operator or the original ticket retailer and use its official refund or compensation process.
Who Should You Contact for a Refund or Compensation?
The correct place to submit a claim depends on what happened to your journey and where your ticket was purchased.
Didn’t Travel?
If you did not travel because your train was cancelled, delayed or significantly disrupted, you may be
eligible for a refund depending on the applicable ticket conditions.
Start with the retailer that sold your ticket.
Travelled But Arrived Late?
If you completed your journey and arrived late, you may be eligible for delay compensation under the
applicable operator’s compensation scheme.
Check the train operator that operated your journey.
Ticket Bought From a Third Party?
If your ticket was purchased through a third-party booking website, travel agent or other retailer,
its refund terms may apply.
Check the original booking provider first.
US Train Ticket Refunds & Delay Compensation
Refund and disruption policies in the United States vary between train operators and ticket types.
The applicable rules may depend on the fare purchased, when the ticket was cancelled, whether the journey
had already started, and whether the train service was delayed or cancelled.
If you are travelling in the United States, use the official operator information below to find the applicable
refund, cancellation, service disruption or customer compensation information.
Major US Train Operators
| Train Operator | Area / Services | Refunds & Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Amtrak | Intercity and long-distance passenger rail services across the United States |
Refunds & Cancellations |
| Brightline | Passenger rail service in Florida |
Changes, Cancellations & Refunds |
| Metra | Chicago metropolitan area and northeastern Illinois |
Customer Service & Ticket Information |
| Caltrain | San Francisco Bay Area and Peninsula |
Customer Service |
| Metrolink | Southern California regional rail |
Customer Support |
| Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) | New York metropolitan area and Long Island |
LIRR Information |
| Metro-North Railroad | New York metropolitan area and surrounding regions |
Metro-North Information |
| NJ Transit | New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area |
Customer Service & Ticket Information |
| SEPTA | Philadelphia region and Southeastern Pennsylvania |
Customer Service |
| MBTA | Boston and surrounding Massachusetts communities |
Customer Support |
| MARC Train | Maryland, Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas |
Official MTA Service Information |
| Virginia Railway Express (VRE) | Virginia and Washington, D.C. region |
Service Information |
Amtrak Refunds & Service Disruption Compensation
If you purchased an Amtrak ticket directly from Amtrak, use Amtrak’s official refund and cancellation policy
to determine whether your ticket is eligible for a refund and how to request it.
Amtrak’s refund rules vary according to the fare and ticket type. Amtrak also has specific provisions for
certain service disruptions, including situations where passengers may be eligible for rebooking or a refund
for affected travel segments.
If your ticket was purchased or issued through a third party, Amtrak advises passengers to refer to the
applicable terms of the third-party seller.
UK Train Refunds & Delay Compensation
UK passengers may have different options depending on whether they travelled, whether their train was delayed or cancelled, the type of ticket purchased, and the company that sold the ticket.
National Rail explains that if a passenger does not travel or cannot complete a journey because a train is delayed or cancelled, an unused ticket may be eligible for a refund from the original retailer. If a passenger travels and arrives late, compensation may be available from the train company under its applicable compensation scheme.
View Official National Rail Refund & Compensation Information
Delay Repay
Many UK train operators use the Delay Repay scheme for compensation following eligible delays. The applicable delay threshold and compensation amount can vary by train company and ticket type.
National Rail recommends checking the train company’s website to find the applicable Delay Repay scheme and submit a compensation claim.
UK Train Operators: Refunds & Delay Compensation
Select the train company that operated your journey to find its official refund, cancellation and delay compensation information.
| Train Operator | Main Area / Routes | Official Refund / Compensation Information |
|---|---|---|
| Avanti West Coast | West Coast Main Line and major UK cities | Refunds & Delay Repay |
| LNER | East Coast Main Line and London–York–Newcastle–Edinburgh services | Refunds & Compensation |
| Great Western Railway | London, South West England and Wales routes | Refunds & Compensation | Refund Portal |
| CrossCountry | Cross-country routes connecting major UK cities | Refunds & Amendments |
| Northern | North of England | Delays, Cancellations & Refunds |
| TransPennine Express | Major routes across Northern England | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| East Midlands Railway | East Midlands, London and major regional destinations | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| Greater Anglia | London, East Anglia and surrounding areas | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| South Western Railway | London, South West England and surrounding areas | Refunds & Compensation |
| Southeastern | London, Kent and surrounding areas | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| Southern | London, Sussex, Surrey and surrounding areas | Refunds & Compensation | Delay Repay |
| ScotRail | Scotland | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| Transport for Wales | Wales and cross-border services | Refunds | Delay Repay |
| Chiltern Railways | London and the West Midlands | Refunds & Delay Repay |
Refund vs. Delay Compensation: What's the Difference?
A refund generally relates to a ticket or journey that you did not use or could not complete, while delay compensation generally applies when you travelled and arrived later than expected. The exact rules depend on the applicable operator and ticket conditions.
| Situation | What You Should Check |
|---|---|
| Train cancelled and you did not travel | Check refund eligibility with the original ticket retailer or applicable train operator. |
| Train delayed and you decided not to travel | Check whether the ticket qualifies for a disruption-related refund. |
| Train delayed and you completed your journey | Check the train operator's delay compensation or Delay Repay scheme. |
| Train cancelled and you travelled on another service | Check the operator's compensation rules and the terms applying to your ticket. |
| Ticket purchased through a third-party retailer | Check the original retailer's refund and cancellation process. |
Information You May Need for a Claim
Before submitting a refund or compensation request, keep your travel and booking information available. The operator or retailer may ask for details such as:
- Ticket or booking reference
- Travel date
- Origin and destination
- Train number or service details
- Scheduled departure and arrival times
- Actual arrival time, where applicable
- Ticket type or fare
- Proof of purchase
- Details of the disruption or cancellation
Important Information for UK Passengers
UK refund and compensation rules can change. National Rail states that refund claims for unused tickets generally go to the original retailer, while compensation for a completed delayed journey is normally claimed from the train company.
Refund conditions for certain UK ticket types changed on 1 April 2026. For example, National Rail states that certain walk-up ticket refunds requested because of a change of plans are subject to new timing requirements, while disruption-related refunds remain available in applicable circumstances.
Always check the current terms published by the relevant train company or ticket retailer before submitting your claim.
View Current National Rail Refund Rules
Refund and Compensation Claims Are Not Always the Same
If you choose not to travel and receive a full refund for an unused journey, you may not also be able to claim delay compensation for that same journey. The applicable rules depend on the railway operator and the circumstances of the journey.
National Rail's current Conditions of Travel state that a passenger who receives a full refund for deciding not to travel cannot then also claim compensation for the delay under the relevant train company's passenger charter.
About Refund & Compensation Information on MyTrainRoutes
MyTrainRoutes is an independent railway information and travel resource. We do not operate trains, process railway refunds, approve compensation claims, or determine ticket eligibility.
Refunds, cancellations, delay compensation, Delay Repay claims, fare conditions and claim deadlines are determined by the applicable railway operator, ticket retailer and the terms associated with the ticket purchased.
Information and policies can change. Always check the official website of the train operator or original ticket retailer before submitting a refund or compensation claim.
Links on this page lead to external websites operated by railway companies or official rail information services. MyTrainRoutes is not responsible for the content, availability, policies or claim decisions of external websites.