What are you entitled to if your train is late or cancelled?

This site neither files nor handles claims for you — it only points at where the rules actually are written down. The figures below were checked against the Swedish Consumer Agency’s own pages in September 2026, but rules change and operators may offer more than the statutory minimum. Always check with your train operator and with the Consumer Agency.

Two sets of rules, depending on how long the journey is

Which rules apply is determined by the distance between your origin and destination stations, not by which company runs the train:

  • Shorter than 150 km — roughly what most commuter journeys are — and the Swedish Act on public transport passengers' rights applies. If the journey is delayed by at least 20 minutes, you can claim a reduction in the ticket price.
  • 150 km or longer (and all journeys crossing an EU border, whatever their length) — the EU rail passengers' rights regulation applies instead, giving a right to compensation, rerouting or a refund at the levels below.

Cancellation or a long delay (150 km or longer)

You have the right to choose between:

  • a full refund of the ticket price, or
  • rerouting on a comparable journey, by train or replacement bus, at no extra cost.

If you choose rerouting and still arrive late at your final destination, the following compensation levels apply to the ticket price:

  • 60–119 minutes late: 25 per cent back.
  • 120 minutes or more: 50 per cent back.

For a longer delay or a cancelled journey, the operator must also cover reasonable costs for meals and, if an overnight stay is required, accommodation (its duty of care) — but not for things like lost earnings or missed events.

Shorter journeys (under 150 km)

Here the threshold is simpler: a delay of at least 20 minutes gives the right to claim a price reduction. The Consumer Agency's own page (linked below) does not state a fixed percentage for this case, so ask your train operator what applies to your ticket rather than assuming a figure.

How to make a claim

Always contact the operator that ran your journey, in writing, so that you have a record of what you asked for and when. Keep the ticket. If you are not satisfied with the answer, you can turn to Konsumentverket, the Swedish Consumer Agency, which is the national enforcement body for rail passengers' basic rights — but it is the operator, not the agency, that pays out compensation.

Some operators (SJ, for instance) offer their own, sometimes more generous, guarantees on top of the statutory minimum. Check the operator's own website for your specific ticket and journey.

Read more, straight from the source

The Consumer Agency publishes in Swedish only; the EU page below is available in English.