On this page
The strike timetable is the one that counts
Delay Repay is measured against the timetable in place on the day you travel (National Rail Conditions of Travel, condition 32.1). Train companies publish a reduced timetable for strike days, and delays are worked out against it: Southeastern, South Western Railway, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway say so.
- A train taken out of the strike timetable in advance isn't a cancellation, so there's nothing to claim for it.
- A train in the strike timetable that runs late or is cancelled on the day counts like any other delay. National Rail says that if the delay meets the Delay Repay threshold because of industrial action, you're entitled to compensation.
A strike doesn't stop a claim on its own: most companies pay whatever caused the delay, and the Conditions of Travel say a delay of 60 minutes or more is compensated regardless of fault.
If you decide not to travel
If your train is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled and you don't travel, you get a full refund with no administration fee from whoever sold you the ticket, including an Advance ticket (condition 30.1). Ask within 28 days of the day you meant to travel. A refund comes from the retailer, not through Delay Repay, and you can't have both.
National Rail says that during past strikes an Advance, Off-Peak or Anytime ticket could be refunded without a fee if your outward or return train was cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, and that you might be able to move an Advance ticket to another day without a fee through the retailer.
Transport for Wales refunds tickets booked before a strike was announced in full; tickets booked after it was announced are refunded with an administration fee.
Season Tickets on strike days
Season Tickets aren't refunded for a day you couldn't travel, so compensation for a strike day depends on the train company:
- National Rail says that if you have a Season Ticket that is monthly or longer and can't travel because a strike cancelled your service, you can claim 100% compensation for those days through Delay Repay.
- London Northwestern Railway: the same for monthly or longer Season Tickets and an activated day on a Flexi Season. Weekly Season Ticket holders who don't travel can't claim.
- Transport for Wales: if you bought the Season Ticket from Transport for Wales, claim through Delay Repay and choose "Strike Action" as the reason.
- Greater Anglia, Stansted Express and West Midlands Railway have "Strike action" as a type of delay on their claim forms.
If your train company doesn't say, ask its customer relations team. More on how Season Ticket claims work in Delay Repay with a Season Ticket.
If you booked after the strike was announced
CrossCountry, Lumo, Hull Trains, Greater Anglia and ScotRail don't normally pay if you were told about the disruption before you bought your ticket. Transport for Wales charges an administration fee to refund a ticket booked after a strike was announced.
Elizabeth line and London Overground
These are run for TfL, which has its own delay refunds. TfL's Conditions of Carriage say service delay refunds are suspended during strike action.
How to claim
- Check your train on Railhop. Tell Railhop where you travelled and roughly when. Railhop keeps each train's times as they stood at 22:00 the evening before, so on a strike day your delay counts from the strike timetable.
- Railhop fills in the train company's claim form. In the Railhop iPhone app, or with Railhop's browser extension on a computer, Railhop opens the claim form of the company that ran your train and fills it in for you, with your journey, your ticket and your details.
- Check it and press submit. You check the claim and press submit on the train company's own form, within 28 days of travelling. Choose strike action as the reason if the form asks. The train company pays you directly. Railhop never submits a claim for you.
Questions
Can I claim Delay Repay on a strike day?
Yes, if you travel and reach your destination late enough, measured against the strike timetable in place on the day. A strike doesn't stop a claim on its own.
My train was taken out of the timetable for a strike. Can I claim Delay Repay?
No. A train removed in advance isn't a cancellation. If you didn't travel, ask whoever sold you the ticket for a full refund instead.
Can I claim for a strike day on a Season Ticket?
It depends on the train company. National Rail says monthly or longer Season Ticket holders who can't travel because a strike cancelled their service can claim 100% for those days through Delay Repay. London Northwestern Railway and Transport for Wales spell out their own rules.
Can I get a refund on an Advance ticket if there's a strike?
Yes, if your train is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled and you decide not to travel. Ask whoever sold you the ticket, within 28 days.
Do TfL delay refunds work during strikes?
No. TfL's Conditions of Carriage say service delay refunds are suspended during strike action.
Sources
- National Rail Conditions of Travel (30 July 2026)
- National Rail: industrial action, refunds and compensation
- London Northwestern Railway: industrial action
- TfL Conditions of Carriage
- East Midlands Railway: Delay Repay
- South Western Railway: Delay Repay
- Southeastern: Delay Repay
- Transport for Wales: 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.