1. Check you can claim
Find how late you arrived at your destination, then check your train company's threshold. Most pay from 15 minutes; some from 30. Use the calculator to see the amount.
2. Gather what you need
- Your ticket: a photo of a paper ticket, your e-ticket, your booking reference or your smartcard number.
- For contactless or Oyster journeys: your journey history from your TfL account.
- The date and booked departure time of your train, and where you travelled from and to.
- How late you arrived.
3. Claim from the right company
Claim from the company whose train was late, even if you bought your ticket elsewhere. If you changed trains, claim from the company that caused the first delay. Our train company pages link straight to each claim form.
4. Choose how to be paid
Most companies offer bank transfer or PayPal, and many offer card refunds, rail vouchers or a charity donation. Postal claims are often paid by voucher or cheque only.
5. Claim within the deadline
Most companies give you 28 days from the date you travelled. Some companies offer automatic claims for tickets booked directly with them.
Don't use a claims company
Claiming yourself is free and quick. A claims company would take a share of money that's already yours.
Sources: National Rail, Office of Rail and Road.