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European train punctuality varies widely. Switzerland consistently achieves on-time rates above 95%. Germany has recorded rates below 60% in some recent years. If your train is delayed by 60 minutes or more, EU regulations give you the right to compensation, free rebooking, or assistance, and knowing the rules in advance is genuinely useful.
Delay causes and what they mean for your journey
Most delays trace back to a short list of causes: technical failures, ageing infrastructure, weather, and the knock-on effect when one disrupted train blocks others. Germany and France have been running major track maintenance programmes for years. On days with active engineering works, a 20-minute first-leg delay can become an hour of disruption by the time you reach your destination.
Night trains share track with freight services and typically have lower scheduling priority. They record some of the highest delay rates on the continent. Check the service’s punctuality history if your morning plans depend on the arrival time.
Build more connection buffer than the booking platform suggests. It is almost always not enough.
Your rights when your train is delayed
EU Regulation 2021/782, which updated Regulation No 1371/2007 and took effect on 7 June 2023, sets out your core rights across the European rail network.
If your train arrives at your final destination late, you are entitled to:
- A 25% refund of your ticket price for delays of 60 to 119 minutes
- A 50% refund for delays of 120 minutes or more
These thresholds apply to your arrival at your final destination, not to a delay at an intermediate stop. If you decide to abandon the journey, you are entitled to a full refund of your unused ticket.
Train companies are not required to compensate you if the delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances outside their control, such as extreme weather or trespassing. Strikes by railway staff are not classified as extraordinary circumstances. Your compensation rights hold even during industrial action.
Operators must normally process claims within one month.
Check whether full EU rights apply to your journey
EU countries can exempt certain services from the full regulation. Exemptions may cover regional trains, some domestic long-distance services, and some urban services. A small number of cross-border services to non-EU countries may also be partially exempt.
Always check whether your specific operator applies full EU rights before you travel. The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) and the operator’s own passenger rights page are the places to look.
If you hold an Interrail or Eurail pass
Your compensation is calculated on the reservation fees you paid for the delayed train, not on the cost of your pass. Keep your reservation receipts. A 50% refund on a pass-holder seat reservation is a very different sum from a 50% refund on a point-to-point ticket for the same journey.
Eurostar and UK departures
Eurostar runs its own Delay Repay scheme, separate from the main EU framework. For journeys departing from London St Pancras, UK transport law may apply rather than EU Regulation 2021/782. Eurostar typically offers a percentage of your ticket price or travel vouchers based on delay length. Check Eurostar’s current Delay Repay policy before you travel, because the thresholds and refund types differ from the standard EU rules.
Steps to take as soon as your train is delayed
Check the boards and the app first. Station departure boards are usually the fastest source during a disruption. Download the relevant operator’s app before you leave home so you receive push notifications. DB Navigator covers Germany and many neighbouring routes well. The Trenitalia app is generally more reliable than Italian station displays during disruptions. In France, physical departure boards sometimes update before the digital ones do.
Keep every document. Take a photo of the departure board showing the delay. Save your ticket, any delay notification from the operator, and all receipts for expenses you incur. You will need these when you file a claim.
Speak to railway staff early. Head to the information desk rather than waiting at the platform. Staff have access to internal rebooking systems that may show options before they appear publicly. Join the queue as early as possible during a major disruption.
Missing a connection: through tickets versus separate tickets
Whether you get free rebooking depends on how you booked.
Through ticket: If one ticket covers both legs, the operator is responsible for your connection. A delay on the first leg that causes you to miss the second obliges them to rebook you on the next service at no extra cost.
Separate tickets: If you booked each leg independently, a missed connection is your responsibility. The second operator has no obligation to rebook you, even if the first operator’s delay caused the problem. Build at least 40 to 60 minutes between connections when booking separate tickets on busy corridors. On routes with known punctuality issues, go longer.
The Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC) offers some additional protection on international journeys. Under this voluntary agreement between European operators, station staff may be able to rebook you on the next available train from the same carrier when a delay causes you to miss a connection. Ask station staff whether it applies to your journey.
Arranging your own transport after 100 minutes with no help
Under Regulation 2021/782, if railway staff have not offered you a re-routing solution within 100 minutes of your scheduled departure, you may arrange your own alternative transport, including buses, coaches, or other trains, and claim reimbursement from the operator.
Keep all receipts. Contact the operator before booking a hotel, because they may be required to provide accommodation directly. If you cannot reach anyone, document your attempts and then arrange what you need. There is no fixed cap on what the operator must cover. The standard is reasonableness: a nearby hotel qualifies, a premium option two cities away does not.
Dealing with cancellations
A cancelled train triggers the same rights as a significant delay. If the cancellation would delay your arrival by more than 60 minutes, you can choose between a full refund of your unused ticket or re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity.
You are also entitled to meals and refreshments during a long wait, and to accommodation and transport costs if you are stranded overnight.
Extraordinary circumstances remove the compensation requirement, but your right to a refund or re-routing remains regardless.
Rebooking your ticket during a disruption
Start with the operator’s website or app. Most operators waive exchange and cancellation fees during disruptions. Look for “manage booking”, “exchange”, or a delay-specific section. If you booked through a third-party reseller, contact them directly.
If you have a through ticket, speak to station staff before you cancel anything online. Cancelling first can sometimes reduce your options.
Night trains: higher delay rates, same rights
Night trains record some of the worst punctuality on the continent. They compete with freight for track priority and often run through multiple network handovers overnight. Services like Zugfinder track real-time and historical performance for European night trains. It is worth checking before you build your next morning around a scheduled arrival.
Your normal delay compensation rights apply. A 120-minute late arrival entitles you to a 50% refund on reservation fees paid, whether the delay happened on a high-speed service or a night sleeper.
Filing a compensation claim
Submit within three months of the delay. Gather your evidence first.
What you need:
- Your original ticket or booking confirmation
- Proof of the delay (a photo of the departure board, an operator SMS, or an official delay notification)
- Receipts for any additional costs you are claiming
Find the claim form on the operator’s website. Search for “delay compensation” or “passenger rights”. On a cross-border journey involving multiple operators, file with the carrier whose service caused the delay, not with the last operator you used.
The operator must respond within one month. If they do not, or if you are unhappy with the outcome, escalate to the national enforcement body for rail passenger rights in the country where the delay occurred. You have three months from the date of rejection to do so.
Practical ways to limit the impact of delays
Allow longer connections than the platform suggests. For separate tickets or a busy hub interchange, 40 to 60 minutes is a reasonable minimum, and more if the first leg is known for delays.
Download the right apps before you travel. DB Navigator for Germany and neighbouring countries. The Trenitalia app for Italian services. The national operator’s app for everything else. Zugfinder for night train tracking. Rail Planner for Interrail or Eurail journeys. Trainline aggregates across operators but may lag behind individual operator apps on real-time updates.
Know which station you are arriving at. Paris, Brussels, Milan, and London all have major services split across more than one terminus. Getting stranded on the wrong side of the city during a disruption is avoidable if you check in advance.
Keep your phone charged. A portable battery is the most useful thing to have during a long delay. If you are on a night train, keep your documents in your cabin bag rather than in checked luggage.
Frequently asked questions
How much compensation am I entitled to for a train delay in Europe?
Under EU Regulation 2021/782, you are entitled to a 25% refund of your ticket price if your train arrives at its final destination 60 to 119 minutes late, and 50% if it arrives 120 minutes or more late. These thresholds apply to your arrival at the final destination, not to delays at intermediate stops. If you hold an Interrail or Eurail pass, compensation is calculated on the reservation fees you paid, not on the cost of your pass. Submit your claim to the operator within three months of the delay.
Can I claim compensation if my train was delayed because of a strike?
Yes. Strikes by railway staff are not classified as extraordinary circumstances under EU Regulation 2021/782, so your compensation rights apply in full during industrial action. Train companies can only refuse compensation when the delay is caused by circumstances genuinely outside their control, such as extreme weather or trespassing. A strike does not meet that threshold.
Does Eurostar follow the same delay compensation rules as other European trains?
No. Eurostar operates its own Delay Repay scheme, which is separate from the main EU passenger rights framework. For journeys departing from London St Pancras, UK transport law may apply rather than EU Regulation 2021/782. Eurostar typically offers a percentage of your ticket price or travel vouchers based on how long the delay is. The thresholds and refund types differ from the standard EU rules, so check Eurostar's current Delay Repay policy before you travel.
What happens if I miss a connecting train because of a delay?
It depends on how you booked. If your journey is covered by a single through ticket, the operator is responsible for your connection. A delay on the first leg that causes you to miss the second means the operator must rebook you on the next service at no extra cost. If you booked each leg on a separate ticket, a missed connection is your own responsibility, even if the first operator caused the delay. Build at least 40 to 60 minutes between connections when booking separate tickets, and more on routes with known punctuality problems.
What can I do if the operator does not offer me a re-routing option?
If railway staff have not offered you a re-routing solution within 100 minutes of your scheduled departure, you are entitled under Regulation 2021/782 to arrange your own alternative transport, including buses, coaches, or other trains, and claim reimbursement from the operator. Keep all receipts and contact the operator before booking a hotel, as they may be required to provide accommodation directly. There is no fixed cap on what the operator must cover, but the standard is reasonableness: a nearby hotel qualifies, a premium option in another city does not.
How do I file a compensation claim for a train delay in Europe?
Gather your evidence first: your original ticket or booking confirmation, proof of the delay (a photo of the departure board, an operator SMS, or an official delay notification), and receipts for any additional costs you are claiming. Find the claim form on the operator's website and submit within three months of the delay. On a cross-border journey with multiple operators, file with the carrier whose service caused the delay. The operator must respond within one month. If they do not, or if you are unhappy with the outcome, escalate to the national enforcement body for rail passenger rights in the country where the delay occurred.
