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This is another wrinkle on the existing For a UK rail delay, which train company do you claim compensation from question. Assume you buy a ticket from a London tube station to your destination, which therefore includes a tube journey at the start. (Such a ticket might be a "London U12 to Cambridge", for example)

On such a journey, the tube is suspended, and you consequently arrive at the National Rail station to commence the train part of your journey much later than you should have done. As such, you get to your final destination late.

Were it Train+Train, first train delayed, then the answers in this question would cover it. However, in this case, the initial delay is caused by the tube (operated by Transport for London / London Underground), and not a train. In this case, who should you be approaching for delay compensation? TFL, responsible for the initial delay? Or the rail company who first carried you after the delay, as the first train company you dealt with?

(I tried asking TFL, they said that as I was travelling on a rail ticket I had to contact the first train company instead. Contacted them, they said talk to TFL. I therefore need to work out who should be responsible to re-complain to, since both are pointing the finger at the other...)

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  • Excellent question. Under standard contract law, I would imagine the train company you bought the ticket from ultimately has the responsibility (IANAL), and they in turn need to take it up with TfL if they have an issue with the service they provide. But good luck explaining that to them. Personally, I wouldn't even try (i.e. I would forfeit the compensation).
    – Andrew Ferrier
    Feb 2, 2015 at 15:10
  • I take it the delay was actually TFL's fault? If not (act of God, passenger on track, etc) then it sounds not claimable.
    – Mark Mayo
    Feb 2, 2015 at 22:35
  • Signal fault resulting in the need for emergency engineering works, and from that no trains for several hours. As such, should be claimable
    – Gagravarr
    Feb 2, 2015 at 22:42

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Found a case of someone else who successfully did this:

They had a signal failure / fire and after a bunch of delays, missed their train at King's Cross.

Long story short, they applied at the TFL station for a 'delays on the underground compensation form', in which the supervisor puts your surname and details of the delay, and they sent this off, and apparently it was successful in their claim.

I certainly don't see how it could possibly be a claim from the train company - they've done nothing wrong and you want to claim from them? Or TFL tells you to claim from them? TFL caused the delay, it's their responsibility.

However, do note Moneysavingsexpert has an article on this and notes a few conditions where you CANNOT get a refund - for example, when it's an act of God, passenger on tracks, or when the delay is under half an hour. You also have to show you allowed yourself a 'reasonable' length of time to make your train (whatever 'reasonable' means, it'd get closed here as subjective) ;)

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