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How long it takes
The National Rail Conditions of Travel set a target of dealing with claims within one month of receiving them, and payment within 14 days of a claim being agreed. Automatic schemes can be quicker: Great Northern emails Key Smartcard holders within 48 hours of a delayed journey, and Caledonian Sleeper processes automatic claims within 24 hours.
c2c pays its Automatic Delay Repay as eVouchers to your c2c online account on or around the 16th of the following month.
How you're paid
You pick on the claim form, which Railhop fills in for you. Every company has to offer at least one money option, such as a cheque, a bank transfer or a refund to your card (condition 34.1), and where the train company was at fault you're entitled to be paid the same way you paid for the ticket, unless you agree to something else.
Claiming online usually gives you more choice. Paper claims sent by post are often limited: Southern and Thameslink pay them in National Rail vouchers only, South Western Railway by cheque or rail travel vouchers, and GWR by cheque, voucher or a charity donation.
How each train company pays
| Train company | Ways to be paid (online) | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Avanti West Coast | Bank transfer (BACS), a Visa or Mastercard card, National Rail vouchers, or a donation to charity | Guide |
| c2c | Cheque, a refund to your credit or debit card, or National Rail Travel Vouchers | Guide |
| Caledonian Sleeper | A refund to your debit or credit card (a booking made through another retailer and paid by American Express can't be compensated) | Guide |
| Chiltern Railways | Bank transfer (BACS), a credit or debit card refund, rail travel vouchers or a donation to charity | Guide |
| CrossCountry | Bank transfer (BACS), card payment (certain card types or issuers) or National Rail Travel Vouchers | Guide |
| East Midlands Railway | Bank transfer (BACS), a debit or credit card, or PayPal (the email on your claim must match your PayPal account) | Guide |
| Gatwick Express | Bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, an e-Voucher (with an online account), National Rail vouchers, or a donation to charity | Guide |
| Great Northern | Bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, an e-Voucher (with an online account), National Rail vouchers, or a donation to charity | Guide |
| Greater Anglia | Bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, back to the card you paid with, a National Rail Travel Voucher, or a donation to Samaritans | Guide |
| GWR | Bank transfer, payment to your card, an e-voucher on your GWR.com account, Rail Travel Vouchers or a donation to charity | Guide |
| Hull Trains | Bank transfer (BACS), credit or debit card, cheque, a National Rail Voucher, a Hull Trains eVoucher or a donation to charity | Guide |
| London Northwestern Railway | Credit or debit card, bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, National Rail vouchers, or a charity donation | Guide |
| Lumo | Bank transfer (BACS), credit or debit card, cheque, Lumo e-vouchers or a donation to Action for Children | Guide |
| Northern | Bank transfer, a credit or debit card refund, a NatWest PayIt payment, National Rail vouchers, a cashable voucher for Northern tickets (up to £50), or free Northern tickets for delays of 30 minutes or more | Guide |
| ScotRail | The method you paid with, PayPal, cash vouchers (you can swap them for cash at a ScotRail ticket office within 28 days of issue) or a donation to Age Scotland | Guide |
| South Western Railway | Bank transfer (BACS), a credit or debit card (Visa or Mastercard), National Rail vouchers, or a donation to Action for Children | Guide |
| Southeastern | Bank transfer, PayPal, an eVoucher, a cashable voucher or a donation to charity | Guide |
| Southern | Bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, an e-Voucher (with an online account), National Rail vouchers, or a donation to charity | Guide |
| Stansted Express | PayPal, bank transfer (BACS), back to the card you paid with, Rail Travel Vouchers, or a donation to Samaritans | Guide |
| Thameslink | Bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, an e-Voucher (with an online account), National Rail vouchers, or a donation to charity | Guide |
| TransPennine Express | Your original payment method (the default), a debit or credit card, a cheque, rail travel vouchers or e-vouchers for tpexpress.co.uk | Guide |
| Transport for Wales | Bank transfer, PayPal (online form only), National Rail travel vouchers or a donation to charity | Guide |
| West Midlands Railway | Credit or debit card, bank transfer (BACS), PayPal, National Rail vouchers, or a donation to Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity | Guide |
Options change; the form shows the current list. Companies not listed don't spell out their options on the pages we checked.
If your payment hasn't arrived
Check the claim's status on the train company's Delay Repay site, using the claim reference it gave you, and contact its customer relations team if it's overdue. If you're still unhappy after the company has replied, you can take it to the Rail Ombudsman.
Railhop keeps the claim reference for each claim you make, so it's easy to find. Train companies pay you directly; Railhop never handles the money.
Questions
How long does Delay Repay take to pay?
Once your claim is agreed, the National Rail Conditions of Travel say it should be paid within 14 days. The target for dealing with a claim is one month from when the company receives it.
Can I get Delay Repay paid to my bank account?
With most train companies, yes, if you claim online. Paper claims sent by post are often paid in vouchers only.
Does Delay Repay go back to the card I paid with?
Some companies offer that, such as Greater Anglia, Chiltern Railways and Northern. Where the train company was at fault, you're entitled to be paid the same way you paid, unless you agree otherwise.
Does Railhop pay me?
No. The train company pays you directly. Railhop finds the delay, works out what you're owed and fills in the claim form; you check it and submit it.
Sources
- National Rail Conditions of Travel (30 July 2026)
- Rail Ombudsman
- c2c: Delay Repay
- Caledonian Sleeper: Delay Repay
- Great Northern: Delay Repay
- Southern: Delay Repay
Train company terms checked 6 October 2026. Terms change: if something here doesn't match the train company's own page, the company's page is right. Tell us and we'll fix it. Railhop fills in the train company's own claim form, and you check it and submit it yourself. Railhop is not affiliated with any train company, TfL or National Rail.