Train tickets in Poland and Europe – PolishTrains.eu
Delayed train, late passenger - instructions on what to do

Train delay | PolishTrains

Are you standing on the platform waiting for your train and suddenly an announcement pops up on the information board that your train has been delayed? You have three choices - show patience and wait because you want to make your planned journey, return the pkp ticket you bought and buy one for the next train or cancel your journey. However, everything has its limits and passengers should know their rights and exercise them. You too can miss your train. In this article we outline how to get compensation for a delayed train or a late passenger.

At a glance

At a glance

  • PKP Intercity pays 25% of the ticket price for delays of 60 to 119 minutes
  • Delays of 120 minutes or more entitle passengers to a 50% refund of the ticket price
  • The minimum compensation amount is 4 EUR or 16 PLN; smaller amounts are not paid out
  • Domestic delay claims must be filed within one year of travel; international within one month
  • A conductor's confirmation of delay must be obtained directly after the journey
  • A complete claim with all attachments is processed faster than incomplete submissions

If you get on the train and decide to travel despite the increasing delay, collect a document from the conductor (or from the ticket office when you arrive) and then make a claim and claim part of the ticket. You can do this if the delay is more than 60 minutes and the cost of your ticket was more than PLN 80. The carrier has made provision for shorter delays and a minimum claim amount. Restaurant food will therefore be ordered on every Pendolino and InterCity Premium and on some InterCity trains.

Are you affected by a train delay? PKP considers compensation according to the following rules:

  • reimbursement of 25% of the ticket price in case of a delay of 60 to 119 minutes
  • 50% refund of the ticket price in case of a delay of 120 min or more.

The minimum amount of the claim (refund) cannot be less than €4 or PLN 16 - if 25% or 50% of the ticket price does not exceed this value, the claim will not be accepted. Once the complaint has been properly submitted and the carrier has recognised that the passenger meets the conditions, the compensation will be credited directly to your account within 30 working days. If you have purchased your ticket through polishtrains.eu, you can expect a faster refund.

Ticket refund due to train delay - is it possible?

Imagine this situation... The train you bought a ticket for is delayed. Fortunately, it's not the only connection and another train leaves in just 20 minutes. Not sure what to do? You can return your ticket and buy another one. If you do a ticket return through polishtrains.eu - the money will be back in your account faster. You can also make a complaint to the carrier yourself.

How to return a ticket and receive 100% of the ticket price for a delayed train? Submit a complaint/refund request (form). All you need to do is send a new ticket as a PDF or photo. In this case, you do not need to have a certificate of non-use of this ticket in addition.

Rules for returning a ticket for a delayed train:

  • if you buy a ticket for the next train, you will be refunded 100% of the price of the ticket you are returning,
  • there is no minute limit - even if it is a 15-20 minute delay and you are therefore travelling on a different train, your claim will be accepted,
  • remember that if you return a ticket for a delayed train, the route of the next connection must coincide.

You have missed your train - a claim for an unused ticket is possible!

It happens for various reasons that it is not the train that is delayed, but the passenger. In this case you also have the right to claim for a unused train ticket. How do I get a refund?

Whether you missed your train through no fault of your own or through other obstacles beyond your control, make a claim - either yourself or via polishtrains.eu. It is only possible to recover money if the passenger meets the following conditions:

  • has a certificate of an unused ticket (obtainable at the railway ticket office or from the conductor on the train) or
  • has another ticket that is the same time and route as the ticket in question.

If your complaint is accepted, you are entitled to a refund equal to 85% of the price of the unused ticket.

Example: If Mr. Kowalski purchased a ticket for a train from Cracow to Warsaw for 5.17 p.m. (arrival in Warsaw at 8.42 p.m.) and was late for the above-mentioned train due to traffic jams, he can purchase a ticket for another train on the same route. It is important that the journey starts at the time of the original train. For example, he can buy a second ticket for a train on the Warsaw-Krakow route that will depart at 6.23 p.m. In this way, he will fulfil the conditions for claiming a ticket that was not used. This also applies if there was a mistake when purchasing the ticket for the direction of the route.

When to lodge a complaint with PKP?

Have you had an adventurous journey? Relax, you have time to cool down and prepare the information and documents you need to make a complaint. For PKP trains, the following time limits apply:

  • domestic connections - up to one year from the date of travel,
  • international connections - up to one month after the date of travel.

We hope that our article has been helpful. We invite you to follow further texts within the framework of the traveller's guide. We make travelling easier!

Frequently asked questions

If you purchased a new ticket due to a train delay, a PDF or photo of the new ticket is sufficient. If you missed your train, you need a confirmation of the unused ticket from the ticket office or conductor, or a new ticket covering the same route and time. Requirements may vary between operators, so check the current guidelines on the PolishTrains help page before filing.

Yes, if you bought a new ticket for another service on the same route due to the delay, you can submit a claim regardless of the number of minutes delayed. The conditions depend on the operator and fare type. EU compensation for delays over 60 minutes is a separate process.

For domestic PKP Intercity journeys, the deadline is up to one year from the travel date, and for international connections up to one month. Other operators may apply different deadlines. Bear in mind that a conductor's confirmation can only be obtained immediately after the journey.

Claim a refund for an unused ticket when you purchased a new ticket for another service and want to recover part or all of the original ticket price. Claim EU compensation when you travelled on the delayed train and the delay exceeded 60 minutes. These are two separate processes requiring different documentation.

Gather all documents immediately: a photo of the new ticket or the conductor's confirmation. Enter the correct order number and the email address used at purchase. A complete submission with attachments usually requires fewer follow-up clarifications and is resolved faster.

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