GWR Delay Repay: claim for 15+ minute delays on Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway (GWR) operates intercity, regional and suburban services from London Paddington to South Wales, the West of England, the South Coast and the Thames Valley. It runs a Delay Repay 15 scheme, so if your GWR journey is 15 minutes or more late you are entitled to compensation. This guide covers the tiers, the 28-day claim window, and exactly how to submit through the official gwr.com portal.
GWR Delay Repay tiers
| Delay | Compensation | Example (£60 single) |
|---|---|---|
| 15–29 minutes | 25% of single fare | £15.00 refund |
| 30–59 minutes | 50% of single fare | £30.00 refund |
| 60–119 minutes | 100% of single fare | £60.00 refund |
| 120+ minutes | 100% of return fare | Up to full return value |
Long-distance GWR services to Cardiff, Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance often push past the 60-minute tier during disruption around Reading, Swindon or Westbury — unlocking the full single-fare refund. Season tickets are refunded on a pro-rata basis using the daily value of the pass.
Advance vs Anytime tickets on GWR
The compensation you receive depends on the ticket you bought. Both are eligible from 15 minutes, but they behave differently at the top tier:
- Advance single — refund is a percentage of the exact fare you paid. A £29 Advance single delayed by 60+ minutes returns £29. Advance tickets are single-leg only, so there is no "return fare" tier.
- Off-Peak / Anytime single — refund is a percentage of the walk-up single fare. Fully flexible so easily rebooked on the next GWR service.
- Off-Peak / Anytime return — treated as two singles for 15–59 minute delays. At 120+ minutes you can claim 100% of the full return fare on a single delayed leg.
- Season tickets — refunded per delayed journey at the daily equivalent of your weekly, monthly or annual ticket.
Which tickets are eligible?
Delay Repay 15 applies to virtually every GWR ticket type:
- Advance singles and returns (Standard and First Class)
- Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Anytime fares
- Weekly, monthly and annual season tickets (pro-rata)
- GWR Flexi Season tickets, calculated per day of travel
- Split-ticketed itineraries where the GWR leg was delayed
- Sleeper (Night Riviera) tickets on the Paddington–Penzance overnight service
Free travel passes (e.g. staff or complimentary upgrades) are not eligible for Delay Repay.
Step-by-step: claim GWR Delay Repay online
- Confirm your GWR service arrived 15 minutes or more after the scheduled time. National Rail Enquiries or the GWR app can be used to verify actual arrival.
- Open the official portal: gwr.com/DelayRepay.
- Sign in with a GWR account, or continue as a guest.
- Enter the affected date, scheduled departure, actual arrival, and origin and destination stations.
- Upload proof of travel if requested — a photo of your paper ticket, e-ticket PDF, or booking confirmation email.
- Choose your refund method: bank transfer, original payment card, PayPal, or GWR rail travel vouchers.
- Submit within 28 days. GWR typically processes claims within 20 working days.
What counts as a GWR delay?
GWR operates Delay Repay regardless of the cause of the delay. That covers signalling faults, track defects, fleet issues (including IET/Class 800 problems), severe weather, staff shortages, industrial action, and knock-on delays from other operators sharing the Great Western Main Line. The single test is whether the service arrived 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time.
If your booked GWR train is cancelled and you take a later GWR service — or an accepted replacement on another operator — the delay is measured against the arrival time of your original booked service. Keep your original ticket and any alternative booking references.
Let Transport for Claims track your GWR delays
Transport for Claims monitors live service data across the Great Western Main Line and the West of England routes, and flags GWR delays that match your route history. When a delay hits the 15-minute threshold, you get a reminder to claim before the 28-day window closes — so no refund is ever missed.
Check my GWR delaysFrequently asked questions
What is the GWR Delay Repay threshold?
GWR uses Delay Repay 15. Compensation is 25% of the single fare for 15–29 minutes, 50% for 30–59 minutes, and 100% for 60 minutes or more.
How long do I have to claim?
You must submit the claim within 28 days of the delayed journey. Claims submitted after 28 days are normally rejected.
Are Advance tickets eligible?
Yes. Advance singles are eligible from 15 minutes. The refund is a percentage of the exact Advance fare you paid, and there is no return-fare tier because Advance tickets are single-leg only.
Can I claim for a cancelled GWR train?
Yes. If your train is cancelled or you are delayed by 15+ minutes on a replacement journey, you can claim Delay Repay.