The rule
Condition 33.1 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel says your claim must be made "within 28 days of completing the journey (unless that deadline is extended by the Train Company)". Every train company with a guide on Railhop uses 28 days.
Count from the day you travelled. Claim soon after the journey: Railhop shows the claim-by date for every delay it finds.
Other time limits
| Claim | Time limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Delay Repay | 28 days from the journey | NRCoT 33.1 |
| Refund when you didn't travel because of a cancellation or delay | 28 days from the day you meant to travel | NRCoT 30.2 |
| First Class not provided | 28 days from the journey | NRCoT 31.1 |
| TfL service delay refund (Tube, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth line) | 28 days from the delay | TfL |
| TfL incomplete journey (forgot to tap out) | 8 weeks from the journey | TfL |
Season Tickets
Each delayed journey on a Season Ticket is claimed within 28 days of that journey. LNER asks you to claim on a weekly season ticket once it has expired, with a copy of the ticket for monthly or longer ones.
If you've missed the 28 days
A late claim is likely to be refused. If something stopped you claiming in time, explain it to the train company's customer relations team: the Conditions of Travel let a company extend the deadline, but it doesn't have to.
Never miss a deadline
Railhop shows the claim-by date for every delay it finds, and the Railhop app reminds you 3 days before a deadline.
Questions
How long do I have to claim Delay Repay?
28 days from the date you travelled, at every train company Railhop checked.
Can I claim Delay Repay after 28 days?
Usually not. A train company can extend the deadline, but it doesn't have to, so claim within 28 days.
Does the 28 days start from the journey or from when I noticed?
From the journey.
How long do I have to claim a TfL refund?
A service delay refund within 28 days of the delay; an incomplete journey (forgotten tap-out) within 8 weeks.
Sources
- National Rail Conditions of Travel (30 July 2026)
- TfL: service delay refunds
- TfL: incomplete journey refunds
- LNER: 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.