On this page:
We work hard to make sure your journeys with us run smoothly but we know that sometimes things don’t go to plan. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused you.
To help you with your claim for delay repay, a refund or compensation, please read the following and contact us via the relevant method as this will help our team process your claim quicker.
These guidelines are intended to support fair and consistent claim assessment. South Western Railway (SWR) reserves the right to consider exceptional circumstances and exercise reasonable discretion where appropriate.
If you completed any part of your journey but were delayed by 15 minutes or more:
If your journey with us has caused you to arrive at your destination 15 minutes or more late, you may be entitled to compensation.
Claims can be made via our Delay Repay website where you will also find further information on how to submit your claim.
If you had to abandon your journey:
If your train was cancelled/delayed or we issued a ‘Do Not Travel’ Message and you chose not to travel or you were not able to make it to your destination, you may be entitled to a refund of your ticket.
This applies to all ticket types except Season Tickets, which have separate arrangements.
The ticket refund can only be issued by the retailer that sold your ticket.
Your refund rights are set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel and in the terms and conditions that apply to the ticket you have bought. so please check the National Rail Conditions of Travel and your ticket terms for full details. You may find it helpful to check our Refund page before making your claim.
If you purchased your ticket from SWR please complete our Ticket Refund form and our Customer Services team will be able to investigate your claim.
If you had to use a taxi to complete your journey:
In some circumstances, severe disruption may mean that we are unable to operate services as planned. Customers must always follow any alternative travel arrangements or replacement transport advice provided by SWR. Where SWR authorises customers to arrange their own taxi transport and claim reasonable costs back from us, the authorisation will normally apply on a station-to-station basis only. Journeys to or from home or work addresses will not normally be reimbursed unless exceptional circumstances apply and supporting information is provided.
If no taxi authorisation has been issued and you choose to arrange your own taxi, any claim will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Reimbursement is not guaranteed.
If you have been severely delayed and had to complete you journey using an alternative form of transportation, please complete our Taxi Claim form and our Customer Services team will be able to investigate your claim.
If you had to stay in overnight accommodation as you could not get to your destination:
If the disruption you experienced meant you were unable to complete your journey and you were left stranded overnight and our local team have advised you to find alternative overnight accommodation, please complete our Hotel Claim form and our Customer Services team will be able to investigate your claim.
To help us assess your taxi or hotel claim, you must
- Provide a valid ticket for the disrupted journey.
- Submit your claim within 28 days of the date of travel.
- Provide valid taxi receipt that includes, official company name, time of travel, pick up and destination, fare paid and supporting evidence.
- A valid hotel receipt, where accommodation costs are being claimed.
- Ensure Smartcard journeys have been correctly tapped in and out where applicable..
- Provide details explaining why the claim is being made.
For any other issue associated with your disrupted journey:
If you believe you have incurred additional costs because something went wrong with your journey, such as onward travel or other reasonable expenses, you can contact us to explain what happened and provide supporting evidence. We will consider claims on their individual merits, including whether any compensation may be due under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Delay Repay does not affect any statutory rights you may have.
Please fill in the Contact Us form with the relevant details and we will investigate.
Alternatively, you may write to:
FREEPOST: SWR CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Once again, we are sorry that your journey with us has not gone to plan and apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused.
