How to – Get cash back if overcrowding disrupts your train journey!

Most train operators offer compensation for delayed service – but what happens when you’re stuck outside the station because of overcrowding?

The National Rail Conditions of Travel give you the right to compensation if your train is delayed or cancelled. In addition, many train companies have signed up to generous Delay Repay schemes which offer you compensation if your journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more.

Delay Repay compensation is based on the time you should have arrived at your destination – not the delay to each individual train. It may be paid out automatically – check out our guide for more info.

If you’re travelling using a Smartcard, Oyster Card or other touch-in service, your compensation may be generated automatically based on the time you touched in at.

This makes things easier if your train is delayed while you’re on it, but could make it tricky to get the appropriate compensation if you’re stuck outside the station.

If you aren’t able to touch in, the system may not know that you’re being delayed. This could mean that you’re left out of pocket, since your journey hasn’t officially started yet.

The good news is that you have another set of rights in this situation.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to train tickets.

The Consumer Rights Act says that you should expect any service you pay for to be delivered to a reasonable degree of care and skill.

This means that if you’re stuck outside the station for an extended period of time due to overcrowding, you could be due some of the cost of your travel back.

Get in touch with your train operator via Resolver to explain the situation.

It’s best to keep a record of when you’re affected by overcrowding. Make sure to include dates and times in your Resolver case file.

If you can, make sure to take a video or some photos of the overcrowding. This will help you make an exceptionally strong case.