Why train passengers are missing out on £80 million a year in compensation
Rail passengers are missing out on more than £80 million a year in compensation due to delayed journeys, a new analysis has revealed.
“Unacceptable” claim processes were blamed for the shortage.
Online ticket retailer Trainline, which produced the data, called for rail reform that “focuses on what matters” to passengers.
While customers who purchase tickets directly through a train operator’s website or app can often access “one-click” claims for service disruptions through a delayed refund scheme, this streamlined process is not available for a significant proportion of passengers.
Around one in four passengers using independent ticket sellers such as Trainline are forced to use more complex and manual procedures to get the payment they are entitled to.
Trainline has launched a petition calling on the Government to ensure all online ticket buyers can make a request with “one click”.
Jody Ford, the company’s chief executive, said: “Six minutes of form filling after the train is delayed is unacceptable.
“Through years of innovation and industry collaboration, we have made great progress in simplifying ticket purchasing, but when journeys are disrupted, recovery needs to be just as easy.
“Passengers want rail reform that focuses on what matters to them, and ‘one-click’ delay reimbursement is a practical change that industry and Government can make together.”
A survey of 2,000 British adults by Trainline showed 29 per cent of train passengers were unable to claim the interruption compensation they were entitled to last year.
Nearly 58% of claimants said their most recent application took at least six minutes to complete, while 43% described the process as frustrating and time-consuming.
Ben Plowden, chief executive of pressure group Better Transport Campaign, said: “Making compensation easy and consistent will help rebuild confidence in the railway and show passengers that their time and money is valued.”
The government is introducing widespread reforms to the rail industry, including simplifying ticketing.
The Department for Transport and Rail Delivery Group have been approached for comment.
Trainline commissioned research firm YouGov to conduct the survey in December 2025.
