Delay repay - told to claim from different TOC with earlier connection [update - also told season ticket is ineligible for abandoned journey]

[Magdalen Road]

I submitted a claim for an abandoned journey to GNR and they've told me I should claim from XC as my previous train arrived from station A in time to catch the earlier XC train from station B to station C (XC 5 mins due to depart earlier than GNR). The connection time was 7 mins vs. 12 mins.
Both were cancelled as no trains running due an object in overhead wires, with no firm picture of when service would be restored.
I made my own way home as travelling with a full size bike (the problems with replacement taxis and station staff is another issue but what led me to cycle home instead*).

My original claim form explained about the full size bike. I've explained my intended train was definitely the GNR (departing later than XC) but they've told me again to claim from XC. Station B staff regularly advise getting the GNR instead of XC due to space issues.

The reasons for the GNR being my intended train were:
1. the XC is very busy and difficult to get a full size bike on, particularly mid-afternoon from station B
2. XC requires bike reservations, with an additional bike carried by discretion (I wasn't sure when I'd get the train from station A as doing a long bike ride so didn't have a reservation)
3. I have a GNR season ticket (which allows to do travel between A and C, C is home station)
I requested the 2+ hours delay due to having to cycle home with the abandoned journey but it looks like the first running GNR would have been 48 mins late.

My questions are:
1. are GNR allowed to tell me to claim from XC instead of them, because they say this is the 'planned' journey on National Rail. This isn't a case of me claiming for a connection time below the minimum
2. Should I spell out points 1-3 again or try to claim from XC
3. Will XC tell me to go back to GNR as it's a GNR season ticket?
4. I appreciate they may not accept the claim for 2+hours but at least they should do the 48 mins delay.

*me and other cyclists were passed between station staff inside and outside the station for 45 mins. The replacement taxis were being sorted on the concourse. After one taxi declined to take the first cyclist, outside staff who told us to see the supervisor who'd order us a taxi. Supervisor told us to join the queue outside and that they couldn't order anything for us. More taxis wouldn't take bikes and then the outside staff told us to see the supervisor again. We explained what the supervisor said and we were told to make our own arrangements as they couldn't force taxis take us and wouldn't order one. As the previous day's disruption (due to the same issue) took several hours to sort, I gave up and cycled home.

 

[Haywain]

If you didn’t travel, you are not entitled to Delay Repay compensation, instead you should obtain a refund from the retailer you bought the ticket from. Delay Repay is based on the time the railway delivered you to your destination station which did not happen in this case. If you are claiming through the DR process because of holding a season ticket, and the train company has instructed claims to be made in that way, you need to be clear that it is an abandoned journey you are claiming for.

 

[AlterEgo]

Which stations are involved? What was the date? What exact trains were involved?

These situations are so hard to follow when you anonymise them!

 

[Watershed]

Which stations are involved? What was the date? What exact trains were involved?

These situations are so hard to follow when you anonymise them!

Agreed - I am struggling to understand the background here. We need a bit more information to be able to give useful advice here.

1. Where was the intended journey actually from and to, and where was the 7 vs 12 minute change? Did the OP have any reason to believe there would be disruption when they chose to take the GTR service instead of the XC one?
2. Did the OP end up taking any trains?
3. Did they still make the journey (by bike instead of train, perhaps returning by train later?), or did going home mean that they abandoned the journey (we don't know whether A is the OP's home station)?
4. Is the OP's "GNR" season only valid on GTR services due to a route/operator restriction, or is it in fact valid on all operators including XC? If the latter I'm struggling to understand why the OP classes it as a "GNR" season.

The railway doesn't always handle claims for abandoned journeys well, but it's important to claim through the right channel to make sure you get what you are entitled to.

 

[Magdalen Road]

The journey was 10/5/25 1414 Bishops Stortford to Ely, changing at Cambridge.
I have an Ely - kings Cross season ticket with GTR.
Train 1 from Bishops Stortford to Cambridge was fine.
At Cambridge there were no north bound services past Cambridge North.
GA staff were unhelpful and gave contradictory information about getting replacement taxi.
All passengers travelling north (including those changing at Ely) were instructed to go outside for the taxis.
No one could tell us how long it would be before service was restored. The problem was plastic sheeting wrapped around the OHL at Waterbeach. The same problem with plastic sheeting occurred on the previous day and took several hours for service to be restored. 10/5/25 it happened again.
The Cambridge GA station staff could not and would not book taxis for anyone with a bicycle. Eventually they said to make your own arrangements (including booking your own taxi and claiming it back). This was after some staff saying the supervisor would book it. Supervisor said they couldn't.
Due to the uncertainty, I abandoned the second part of my journey and cycled home to Ely instead. I can provide proof of the cycle journey and the train travel to Cambridge.
The season ticket is GTR but valid on all operators.

There is usually no point in trying to get on the 1500 Cambridge XC to Birmingham with a bicycle because it's packed and I didn't have a bike reservation. I planned to get the GTR 1505 from Cambridge to Ely because there's more space and easier to get your bike on. It also allowed me time to get water / visit loo at Cambridge.

I filled in the GTR contact form and was quite clear the second part of the journey was abandoned due to the uncertainty of when I'd be able to get either on a train or when a taxi might eventually agree to take a bike (this as after 45 mins of back and forth at Cambridge).

GTR say I would have been able to get the 1500 XC despite that not being my intended train. They've told me to claim from XC instead.

 

[Watershed]

Thank you, that makes much more sense now.

There is no obligation to plan your journeys such that you take the first available connection; you are perfectly entitled to decide you want to take a later train. Hence the suggestion to claim from XC is wrong in this instance.

It's a bit of a complicated situation because of the combined factors of you holding a season ticket (which means that Delay Repay is the usual mechanism for an abandoned journey refund) and making part but not all of the journey by rail.

I would get back to GTR and reiterate that it was the 15:05 service you intended to take, and thus they are the ones that need to pay out. In any event this is really more of an abandoned journey claim so the exact train you intended to take is neither here nor there - the point is that there was disruption, they were unable to arrange alternative transport and so you made your own arrangements.

 

[Magdalen Road]

Thank you, that makes much more sense now.

There is no obligation to plan your journeys such that you take the first available connection; you are perfectly entitled to decide you want to take a later train. Hence the suggestion to claim from XC is wrong in this instance.

It's a bit of a complicated situation because of the combined factors of you holding a season ticket (which means that Delay Repay is the usual mechanism for an abandoned journey refund) and making part but not all of the journey by rail.

I would get back to GTR and reiterate that it was the 15:05 service you intended to take, and thus they are the ones that need to pay out. In any event this is really more of an abandoned journey claim so the exact train you intended to take is neither here nor there - the point is that there was disruption, they were unable to arrange alternative transport and so you made your own arrangements.

I have told them three times now that the 1505 was my intended train and that it is an abandoned journey.
This was the latest reply yesterday - restating the XC option now with their image of the journey planner. The second image is the response to my reply (first image).
GA runs Cambridge so it was them rather than GTR that didn't sort out alternative transport.
I will try again.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If it was an abandoned journey (gave up and returned to origin having not reached the destination) then the claim is for a refund from the retailer, not Delay Repay.

 

[Haywain]

If it was an abandoned journey (gave up and returned to origin having not reached the destination) then the claim is for a refund from the retailer, not Delay Repay.

But that doesn't necessarily work for a season ticket.

 

[Magdalen Road]

If it was an abandoned journey (gave up and returned to origin having not reached the destination) then the claim is for a refund from the retailer, not Delay Repay.

I don't want to get a refund for my annual season ticket for one abandoned journey.
I was travelling from A to C via B (changing at B). C is home.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But that doesn't necessarily work for a season ticket.

Ah.

Some TOCs ask that this is indeed put through as Delay Repay. For others you would need to go via customer services. Do we know what is the case for yours?

 

[Magdalen Road]

Ah.

Some TOCs ask that this is indeed put through as Delay Repay. For others you would need to go via customer services. Do we know what is the case for yours?

I have previously explained what I did earlier.
Completed a contact form on GTR website stating the intended journey and reason for abandoning the second leg and making my own arrangements to get home.
This is the appropriate method for an abandoned journey claim. The GTR app/website direct you to the contact section if you choose abandoned journey as reason for delay repay.
The problem is that GTR customer service seem to be under the impression that they can insist I should have intended to catch a different TOCs train and I should claim from XC instead.

 

[Watershed]

I have previously explained what I did earlier.
Completed a contact form on GTR website stating the intended journey and reason for abandoning the second leg and making my own arrangements to get home.
This is the appropriate method for an abandoned journey claim. The GTR app/website direct you to the contact section if you choose abandoned journey as reason for delay repay.
The problem is that GTR customer service seem to be under the impression that they can insist I should have intended to catch a different TOCs train and I should claim from XC instead.

I would see what they say when they respond to your latest email. You have already submitted your claim by virtue of contacting them, so there is no further deadline despite what they (wrongly) insinuate.

 

[Magdalen Road]

(Removed all the automerged text as no one will read to this bit otherwise)
The latest GTR reply to my explanation and clarification to claim for an abandoned journey.
Apparently season ticket holders aren't allowed to claim it.
Any advice on how to proceed? In light of their reply
@Watershed could you clarify for me please
- is abandoned journey only when you return to origin without reaching your destination? If you reach your intended destination by alternative means then it isn’t abandoned?
- if you do reach your destination by alternative means and by doing so are delayed compared to when your cancelled train would have arrived which delay repay is this classed as?
Thank you



Any advice on how I should proceed please from the GTR reply yesterday?
- is an abandoned journey only when you return to origin without reaching your destination? If you reach your intended destination by alternative means then it isn’t abandoned
- if season ticket holders can't claim for an abandoned journey why do they have less rights than a non-season ticket holder?
- if you do reach your destination by alternative means and by doing so are delayed compared to when your cancelled train would have arrived which delay repay is this classed as?

 

[Magdalen Road]

I'd like help in dealing with GTR who say annual season tickets aren't eligible for an abandoned journey.
I was travelling from origin A to destination C, via B. A to B was train 1, no problem. I intended to change at B onto train 2 for C.
No trains were running from B to C due to a problem. Suitable replacement transport wasn't available so I was advised by station staff to make my own arrangements (see https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...different-toc-with-earlier-connection.286612/>

Is an abandoned journey only when you return to origin and don't reach your destination?
Is my issue better described as cancelled train with an alternative transport to my destination (which is home)?

Apologies for starting another thread but no one replied to my follow up query yesterday afternoon about abandoned journeys and season tickets.
My season ticket covers more than the journey made (details in link above)

 

[Iskra]

I’m sure someone will be along shortly with an explanation, however:

I had a similar situation recently. Rightly or wrongly in such scenarios I just find it easier to claim for a delay, and request a Complimentary ticket, which is worth more to me compared to a pittance in delay repay money/or the refund.

 

[Watershed]

Sorry for the delayed response @Magdalen Road

Any advice on how I should proceed please from the GTR reply yesterday?

I would push back and ask them to confirm whether this is GTR's 'final response'. They can decide how they want you to claim for this disruption, but they cannot deny all responsibility as they currently appear to be doing.

- is an abandoned journey only when you return to origin without reaching your destination? If you reach your intended destination by alternative means then it isn’t abandoned

That is how the NRCoT now frames it, and I would argue that if the railway gets you far enough through your journey that you can finish it by alternative means, it's probably not an abandoned journey.

- if season ticket holders can't claim for an abandoned journey why do they have less rights than a non-season ticket holder?

They absolutely can claim for abandoned journeys; condition 30.1 of the NRCoT includes an "INFORMATION" box which states:

Season Tickets have their own compensation process when disruption or cancellation prevents travel. Season Ticket holders should refer to www.nationalrail.co.uk/season-tickets for details.

Of course, somewhat predictably, there isn't really any detail on how this works on the link they send you to, but in very broad terms it is made clear that Delay Repay is the mechanism for claiming compensation whether you travel or not:

7. Compensation​

7.1. If you are affected by cancellation or disruption to your journey, you may be entitled to compensation under the terms of the Passenger’s Charter of the operator you are travelling with. This could be in the form of a compensation payment (such as Delay Repay), or in the form of a discount on your Season Ticket renewal. This will be made clear in the Passenger’s Charter of the operator concerned.

INFORMATION: Activated Flexi Season tickets

A day already activated on your Flexi Season ticket cannot be de-activated or refunded. If due to cancellation or disruption you choose not to travel or abandon your Flexi Season ticket journey, please apply to the train operator for consideration of compensation such as Delay Repay.

- if you do reach your destination by alternative means and by doing so are delayed compared to when your cancelled train would have arrived which delay repay is this classed as?

I would suggest it is still classed as Delay Repay and you would compare your actual arrival time to the timetabled arrival time.

Is my issue better described as cancelled train with an alternative transport to my destination (which is home)?

I think that's probably the best way of framing it, yes.