EU Train Delay Compensation Rights (Regulation 2021/782)

If your train arrived late at your final destination, EU rail passenger rights give you a clear, fare-based compensation entitlement. Regulation (EU) 2021/782 applies across the EU rail network (with some permitted national exemptions for purely domestic and regional services). You claim directly from the railway operator and keep the full amount. Compensation is calculated on the price you paid for the delayed journey.

Published by Reclaim, run by Corey Musa, Founder·Facts and sources checked 2026-09-17·LinkedIn·Built by COM Computing

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Your rights

Under Article 19 of Regulation (EU) 2021/782, which replaced Regulation 1371/2007 from 7 June 2023, if you are not offered a refund or re-routing you are entitled to minimum compensation for delays in arrival at your final destination: 25% of the ticket price for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes, and 50% of the ticket price for a delay of 120 minutes or more. Compensation must be paid within one month of your claim. Payment is in money by default, and you can specifically request cash via bank transfer or postal order; vouchers are only an option if you agree. Compensation is calculated on the price of the delayed ticket or the relevant portion of a season or travel pass. For return tickets or those without an individual leg price shown, compensation is calculated using half of the ticket price paid. The operator may set a minimum threshold below which no compensation is paid, but this must not exceed €4. Under Article 19(10), the railway can refuse compensation only in limited circumstances, such as if you were informed of the delay before buying the ticket, extraordinary weather, major natural disasters, major public health crises, or third-party fault like people on the line. Even then, certain assistance and re-routing rights remain. Where a delay of more than 60 minutes is expected, Article 18 also gives you the choice of a refund together with a return service to your point of departure.

Step by step

1Keep your ticket or booking confirmation and note the scheduled and actual arrival times at your final destination. A screenshot of the live departure or arrival board or operator delay notice helps prove the delay.
2Determine your compensation band: 25% for 60-119 minutes late, 50% for 120 minutes or more. Calculate the amount from the price of the delayed ticket or relevant pass portion, or half the total price for return tickets without individual leg prices.
3Submit the claim to the railway operator, online, by post, or at a ticket office. Many operators have a specific delay-compensation form, and a common EU form for reimbursement and compensation requests is being established. Cite Regulation (EU) 2021/782, Article 19. Include your ticket reference, scheduled versus actual arrival, the percentage claimed, and your payment details, specifying you require cash.
4Allow one month for the operator to process your claim and issue payment. Compensation is due within this timeframe.
5If the operator refuses, delays payment beyond one month, or offers vouchers without your consent, escalate to the National Enforcement Body for rail in the relevant EU country, or use the national rail ADR or complaint body. ECC-Net can assist with cross-border journeys.

What they'll say, and your comeback

“We'll give you a voucher for the delay.”

Comeback, Article 19 requires payment in money unless I agree to a voucher. I do not accept a voucher and request cash compensation to my bank account, or by postal order if a bank transfer is not possible.

“The delay was caused by bad weather, so no compensation is due.”

Comeback, Only genuinely extraordinary circumstances under Article 19(10) exempt the operator, and ordinary weather does not qualify. Routine operational delays remain fully compensable under Article 19.

“The delay was under our internal threshold.”

Comeback, Any minimum threshold cannot exceed €4 under Regulation 2021/782. If my 25% or 50% entitlement is above that, it is payable in full.

What actually happens

In practice, most passengers receive their compensation directly from the railway operator after submitting a claim. The amounts are typically 25% or 50% of the ticket price, depending on the delay length. For return tickets or those without a clear leg price, compensation is half the total ticket cost. Operators must pay within one month of your claim. While some may initially offer vouchers, you have the right to demand cash via bank transfer or postal order. Claims are often straightforward, especially with the upcoming common EU form for submissions. Most successful claims are resolved at the initial operator stage, but escalating to national enforcement bodies is an option if payment is refused or delayed beyond the one-month deadline, or if a voucher is issued against your will. The €4 minimum threshold means smaller claims might not be paid, but anything above that is due.

FAQ

Is compensation based on the delay leaving, or arriving?

It is based on the delay in arrival at your final destination, not departure. A train that leaves late but makes up the time, arriving under 60 minutes late, does not trigger compensation.

Does this apply to all trains in the EU?

It covers most EU rail services, but Member States may grant temporary exemptions for certain domestic long-distance and regional or urban services. Cross-border and international services are generally covered.

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Sources

A self-serve tool, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice. Last researched 2026-09-17.