Passenger rights
What compensation do you get when a train in Europe is late?
The EU rule, the stricter national guarantees on top of it, and the steps to actually get paid.
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The short version
Under EU Regulation 2021/782, a train that gets you to your destination 60 to 119 minutes late earns you 25% of the ticket price back, and 120 minutes or more earns 50%. Claim from the rail company within 3 months; it must pay within 1 month of your claim. Some railways pay more: France's SNCF pays from 30 minutes on TGV INOUI and Intercités. Extreme weather and some other events beyond the railway's control cancel the compensation, but staff strikes do not.
Who is this guide for?
Travelers from the US, Canada, Australia and the UK who have bought, or are about to buy, train tickets in the EU, and want to know what happens if the train is late, before and after it happens. UK domestic trains have their own scheme and are not covered here.
How much compensation does EU law give for a late train?
| Delay at arrival | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Under 60 minutes | None under EU law |
| 60 to 119 minutes | 25% of the ticket price |
| 120 minutes or more | 50% of the ticket price |
- The delay is measured at your final destination: scheduled arrival against actual arrival.
- You get nothing if you were told about the delay before you bought the ticket, or if you chose a refund instead of continuing.
- Amounts under €4 do not have to be paid. Deutsche Bahn states this explicitly.
- The company must pay within 1 month of your request. Deutsche Bahn lets you choose a voucher or money.
When does the railway not have to pay?
Since the 2021 regulation, rail companies are exempt from paying compensation when the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances. The EU's Your Europe site lists them as extreme weather, major natural disasters or pandemics, and people on the tracks, cable theft, on-board emergencies, police action, sabotage or terrorism.
Strikes by the rail company's own staff are not extraordinary circumstances, so you are still owed compensation. And even when compensation is excluded, your rights to a refund, rerouting and assistance still apply.
Countries may exempt urban, suburban, regional and domestic long-distance trains from parts of the rules. They cannot exempt cross-border trains between EU countries.
What are my rights while the train is delayed?
- Refund or rerouting. If you expect to arrive more than 60 minutes late, you can choose a full refund within 30 days, or travel on by another route at no extra cost, now or later.
- Book it yourself after 100 minutes. If the railway has not offered rerouting within 100 minutes of the scheduled departure, you can book other public transport yourself and claim back "necessary, appropriate and reasonable" costs. Keep the receipts.
- Food and a hotel. You are entitled to meals and refreshments in proportion to the wait, and a hotel and transfer if you are stuck overnight, where physically possible.
- Collect proof. Screenshot the delay in the operator's app, keep your ticket, and note the actual arrival time.
Germany goes further on domestic trips: if you expect to arrive 20 minutes or more late, the train-specific restriction on saver fares such as Sparpreis is lifted, and you can take another train. On international trips the threshold is 60 minutes.
Do some countries pay more than the EU minimum?
Yes. The EU rule is a floor. France's SNCF has its own "G30" guarantee on TGV INOUI and Intercités, which starts at 30 minutes whatever the cause.
| Delay | Compensation | Paid as |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes to 1 hour | 25% | Voucher |
| 1 to 2 hours | 25% | Money (bank transfer) |
| 2 to 3 hours | 50% | Money |
| Over 3 hours | 75% | Money |
On international TGV INOUI trains, SNCF stops at 50%. On low-cost OUIGO, compensation starts at 1 hour (25%, then 50% from 2 hours) and is paid automatically. Regional TER trains follow each French region's rules.
How do I claim?
- Claim from the company that sold the ticket, within 3 months of the trip. It must reply within 1 month, or 3 months in justified cases.
- Deutsche Bahn: send the claim to its Passenger Rights Service Centre; DB links a PDF form on its passenger rights page. DB says it still handles claims later than 3 months, but asks you to file within 3.
- SNCF: use the online claim form on sncf-voyageurs.com with your booking reference. OUIGO pays automatically and texts you the amount.
- Eurostar: claim on Eurostar's own website.
- If refused or ignored: complain to the national enforcement body within 3 months of the rejection. The EU's out-of-court dispute route is for EU residents only; visitors can use the European Small Claims procedure or the courts in the operator's country.
What if I have a rail pass or separate tickets?
With an Interrail Pass, you claim from Interrail, not the train company. The old Eurail help page set the threshold at 60 minutes, took up to 5 delays per form, and asked for claims involving seat reservations within 2 months of departure. Payout amounts for passes were not published there; forum posts give figures, but we could not confirm them, so check Interrail's help center. Read whether a rail pass is worth it with this in mind.
Missed connections are covered only with a through ticket: one booking covering every leg. If you book legs separately, each counts on its own, though railway agreements such as the Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC) may let you take the next train. When it matters, book connections on one ticket.
Which protection should I rely on?
| Protection | Starts at | Pays | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Regulation 2021/782 | 60 minutes | 25% or 50% | Exemptions for extraordinary circumstances; some domestic trains exempt |
| SNCF G30 | 30 minutes | 25% to 75% | Voucher only under 1 hour |
| Interrail pass claim | 60 minutes | Set by Interrail | Amounts not published on the page we could load |
| Travel insurance | Depends on policy | Depends on policy | Read the delay and missed-connection terms |
Who should pick what: on a single ticket, rely on the EU rule and any national guarantee, and claim every time. With tight onward plans, such as a flight, add insurance that covers missed connections. On a long trip by night train, see our night train guide for routes affected by construction.
Booking now? Put connecting legs on one through ticket to keep your missed-connection rights.
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Frequently asked questions
How much compensation do I get if my train in Europe is late?
Under EU Regulation 2021/782, 25% of the ticket price for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes at your destination, and 50% for 120 minutes or more. Amounts under €4 do not have to be paid.
Do I get compensation if the delay was caused by a strike?
Yes, if the strike was by the rail company's own staff. The EU rules say staff strikes are not extraordinary circumstances. Extreme weather, natural disasters, people on the tracks and similar events do cancel compensation.
How long do I have to claim train delay compensation?
File with the rail company within 3 months of the incident. It must pay within 1 month of your request. Deutsche Bahn says it still processes later claims, but asks for 3 months.
Does SNCF pay compensation for a 30-minute delay?
Yes, on TGV INOUI and Intercités. SNCF's G30 guarantee pays 25% from 30 minutes, as a voucher until 1 hour and in money after that, rising to 50% from 2 hours and 75% over 3 hours on domestic trains.
Am I covered for a missed connection on separate tickets?
Not under the EU rules: missed-connection rights apply only to a through ticket covering the whole journey. Railway agreements such as AJC may still let you take the next train.
Where the figures come from
Checked on 12 October 2026. Official operator pages first; secondary sources are labeled.
- European Union, Your Europe: rail passenger rights (last checked by the EU on 15 September 2026)
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights and obligations
- Deutsche Bahn: passenger rights, legal regulations
- SNCF Connect: delays and compensation, G30 and OUIGO (in French)
- Eurail (now Interrail): delay compensation for pass holders, pre-merger page