Delay Repay advice

[sqwizz]

Hi, this was my planned journey today, purchased as 2 separate returns:

- Bletchley to Euston (10:10 - 10:50) https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y80823/2026-09-30/detailed
- St Pancras to Dover Priory (11:07 - 12:13) https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P85917/2026-09-30/detailed

The second train arrived 54 minutes late. I picked out the tickets myself since I wanted to walk between Euston & St Pancras, but I did purchase them both in the same transaction.

1. Can I claim for the entire journey, even though my minimum connection time is less than the guidance says? (I made it with plenty of time to spare)

2. I had actually intended to visit Folkestone... (long story warning)... I only purchased the Dover return because it was same price and I wasn't sure if my walk would cause me to end up closer to Dover by the end of the day or not. The outward train ended up not stopping at Folkestone at all. While we were at Ashford, the guard announced that it would be skipping Folkestone West and Folkestone Central, going straight through to Dover, so most of the people on board got off and then stood on the Ashford platform looking confused. I initially got off too, but after checking my phone and realising everything was being cancelled or massively delayed, I decided I didn't fancy standing at Ashford for an hour so I hopped back on and carried on to Dover instead. Is all of that completely irrelevant since my ticket said Dover Priory? I'm just sort of curious about that one and probably won't bother trying to claim for that because it's too complicated. (BTW my ticket type allowed me to stop early)

 

[Haywain]

The fastest journey that complied with minimum connection times would have got you to Dover at 12:55 (if it was on time) so your arrival at 13:06 will not qualify for Delay Repay. As you didn't go to Folkestone, I don't see how it could have any relevance to the journey you actually made.

 

[sqwizz]

Thanks. If I had stayed at Ashford waiting for another train to Folkestone, I assume it would still be irrelevant since my ticket was to Dover and the train did actually continue to Dover?

 

[Haywain]

Thanks. If I had stayed at Ashford waiting for another train to Folkestone, I assume it would still be irrelevant since my ticket was to Dover and the train did actually continue to Dover?

If you had gone to Folkestone you could have claimed for the arrival time at Folkestone, if it qualified. You are allowed to break the journey with such a ticket.

 

[sqwizz]

Cheers. One of the reasons I got back on was I had assumed that I wouldn't get any repay while I was stuck at Ashford. Another reason is things looked such a mess at Ashford I thought I had a chance of getting one from Dover heading back the other way to Folkestone. That turned out to be wishful thinking so I just headed to Folkestone on foot in the end.

 

[Watershed]

You can still claim Delay Repay based on your London-Dover ticket. If the rail industry is going to rely on stupidly inflated connection times as grounds for refusing a Delay Repay claim for the through journey, I would have no moral qualms in defining it as two separate journeys to & from London.

 

[sqwizz]

You can still claim Delay Repay based on your London-Dover ticket. If the rail industry is going to rely on stupidly inflated connection times as grounds for refusing a Delay Repay claim for the through journey, I would have no moral qualms in defining it as two separate journeys to & from London.

Thank you, I did just that and got £7.20 back today. I agree if the tickets can't be considered as one journey, it was still definitely a valid 'second' journey of London to Dover and I was there on the platform in plenty of time (I assume they could even check that by the time I scanned it at the gate).