What happens if I miss my connection due to a delay?
Travelling in the UK
If you miss your next train because a previous connecting train service was delayed, you will be able to travel on the next train provided by the train operator (if the entire journey is booked under one ticket). We recommend speaking to a member of staff on the delayed train or at the connecting station to confirm this or any other options that may be available to you.
Travelling in mainland Europe
General advice is available below, but we always recommend speaking to a member of staff on the delayed train or at the connecting station to get specific advice for your situation.
Connecting to the same carrier
If your connecting train is with the same carrier as the delayed train you will be able to travel on the next available train to your destination. Speak to the train staff to find out if you can board the next train with your existing ticket as you may need to exchange the ticket for a new one, free of charge.
Connecting to a different carrier
If you are travelling by high-speed trains and your connection is between 2 different carriers, then you could benefit from:
HOTNAT guarantee (“Hop On The Next Available Train”)
Eligible criteria:
- Missed a connection between 2 high-speed trains from the Railteam alliance: DB (ICE), SNCF (TGV), Eurostar, Thalys, TGV Lyria.
AND
- Your connection departs from one of these stations.
France | France & Belgium | Germany |
Paris Gare du Nord | Lille Europe Station | Frankfurt Main Station |
Paris Gare de l’Est | Lyon Part Dieu | Cologne Main Station |
Paris Gare de Lyon | Strasbourg | Offenburg |
Paris Montparnasse | Brussels Midi-Zuid | Stuttgart |
AJC (Agreement on Journey Continuation)
The Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC) is an agreement between 15 European rail operators to allow passengers on international trains to catch the next available train at no extra cost if they miss their connection.
The 15 operators involved are:
SNCF (France) | BLS (Switzerland) | SZ (Slovenia) |
SNCB (Belgium) | SBB/CFF/FFS (Switzerland) | NS (Netherlands) |
Trenitalia (Italy) | CD (Czech Republic) | ZSSK (Slovakia) |
Renfe (Spain) | DSB (Denmark) | SJ (Sweden) |
Deutsche Bahn (Germany) | ÖBB (Austria) | CFL (Luxembourg) |
If you miss your connection on an international journey because your previous train was delayed, you should go to the ticket office of your connection station (the station where you should have boarded on the international train you missed).
The procedure is the same for all operators who have signed up to the agreement.
Other carriers and stations
If your journey is not covered go to My Bookings to check if the flexibility of your ticket means you can go on a different train. As always we recommend speaking to a member of staff on the delayed train for further advice.
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