Train Delay Rights Europe 2026: Compensation Guide

The train doesn’t come. Or comes late. Or doesn’t come at all. It happens across Europe more often than it should. The good news: there’s an EU regulation that pays you back for delays. The bad news: most travellers don’t know they have a claim.

This guide covers EU Passenger Rights Regulation 1371/2007 and how to actually get the compensation you’re owed.

How much compensation are you owed for train delays in Europe?

EU Regulation 1371/2007 sets clear minimum amounts.

From 60 minutes arrival delay: you have the right to 25 percent of the ticket price you paid.

From 120 minutes arrival delay: you have the right to 50 percent of the ticket price you paid.

Example: ticket from London to Paris for €150, 2 hours late arriving = €75 compensation.

Important: this is based on arrival time, not departure time. If your train leaves 70 minutes late but makes up time and arrives 55 minutes late, you get 25 percent. Arrives 65 minutes late: 25 percent. Only from 120 minutes late arrival do you get 50 percent.

Official guidance is available from the European Commission’s rail passenger rights page.

When does the compensation right not apply?

Force majeure. The classic exception. For natural disasters, extreme weather events or other unforeseeable events, the railway can refuse compensation.

Suburban and regional services. The EU regulation doesn’t automatically apply to all trains. S-Bahn, regional trains and metro systems can be excluded by individual countries. In Germany the regulation applies to long-distance trains (IC, ICE, EC) but not regional or suburban trains.

International trains departing outside the EU. If you travel from Switzerland to Germany: check whether Swiss or EU law applies to your journey.

How do you apply for compensation from DB, SNCF and other railways?

Deutsche Bahn (DB): Easiest method: online via the DB passenger rights portal or via the DB app. You need your ticket and journey details (which connection, how late). Submit your claim after the journey. Deadline: 1 year from travel date. Refund as a DB voucher or to your account.

SNCF (France): Online via the SNCF-Connect website or at the station. Note: the process in France is often more bureaucratic than in Germany.

Renfe (Spain): Via the official Renfe website or at the counter. Renfe sometimes offers automatic compensation for frequent delays on high-speed routes.

Eurostar and international services: Each has its own process, usually online, sometimes requiring a form at the station.

More on European rail travel in the night trains in Europe 2026 guide and the train vs. plane Europe comparison.

What else are you entitled to with long delays?

Beyond compensation, railway operators have additional obligations.

At 60+ minutes delay: you can abandon the journey and receive a full ticket refund (if the journey has lost its purpose).

Care and assistance: from 60 minutes delay: meals and drinks (when available and proportionate to the waiting time). If an overnight stay becomes necessary: accommodation. This is often hard to enforce in practice, but the right exists.

Missed connections: If a delay on your first train causes you to miss a booked onward connection, the railway must rebook you and cover any additional costs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to claim train delay compensation?

In Germany the deadline is 1 year from the travel date. In other EU countries it varies between 1 and 5 years. Even so: claim as soon as possible. The delay is still in the system and evidence is easier to provide.

What do you do if the railway rejects your claim?

Each EU country has a National Enforcement Body for passenger rights. In the UK: the Rail Ombudsman. In Germany: the söp (Schlichtungsstelle für öffentlichen Personenverkehr). The process takes 4 to 8 weeks. Small claims court is an alternative for clear-cut cases.

Does EU261 apply to trains as well as flights?

EU261 applies exclusively to flights. For trains, EU Regulation 1371/2007 applies. Similar structure, but different amounts (25 and 50 percent of ticket price rather than a flat €250 to €600) and different exceptions. Both regulations are minimum standards, operators can offer more.

When is train better than flying in Europe?

On routes up to 4 to 5 hours by rail (e.g. London to Paris, Amsterdam to Brussels, Munich to Vienna), trains are often the better choice. No airport chaos, city centre to city centre, no baggage stress. More in the train vs. plane Europe comparison.

Train Delays in Europe: Your Rights and How to Get Money Back