The form for your money: Was your coach cancelled, overbooked or did it depart with a delay of more than two hours? Then, under certain conditions, you can demand from National Express the refund of the fare and additionally 50% compensation, as well as reimbursement for meals and hotels. Important: For coaches, the departure delay counts, not the arrival. The generator calculates your claim and creates the appropriate letter.
Editorially reviewed on: 30.10.2026
Long-distance coach passengers have their own rights since 2013. Following Brexit, the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport are enshrined in The UK Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport Regulations (as amended by SI 2019/559). It applies to regular services with a scheduled distance of at least 250 kilometres, provided the place of departure or arrival is in Great Britain or the EU. It regulates what National Express must offer in the event of cancellation, overbooking and significant departure delays, and when you can claim additional money.
For rail travel, entitlement is based on the delay in arrival at the destination. For coaches it is different: what matters is the cancellation, overbooking and a departure delay of more than 120 minutes. If the coach departs on time and gets stuck in traffic en route, no entitlement to compensation arises under the regulation, even if you arrive late.
| Situation | Your entitlement (UK Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport Regulations) |
|---|---|
| Cancellation, overbooking or departure delay of more than 120 minutes | Choice between continuation / re-routing at no extra cost and a refund of the fare, possibly including a free return journey to the point of departure in the event of a refund (Art. 19) |
| The operator does not offer this choice | In addition to the refund, compensation of 50% of the fare (Art. 19) |
| Departure delay of more than 90 minutes from a coach station on journeys of over 3 hours | Snacks, meals or refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time (Art. 21) |
| Overnight stay becomes necessary | Hotel room for up to two nights, maximum £70 per night, including transfer, except in adverse weather conditions or severe natural disasters (Art. 21) |
| Disruption at departure | Information no later than 30 minutes after the scheduled departure (Art. 20) |
A common misconception: that you would be entitled to 50% of the fare for every delay of more than two hours. In fact, the compensation is an additional payment in the event that National Express does not offer you either continuation of the journey or a refund. If you have been offered a replacement coach or a refund, the compensation does not apply. You must also expressly choose the refund, which must be paid within 14 days. The 50% must be paid within one month of your claim at the latest.
Assistance is only provided if the journey is scheduled to last more than three hours and the disruption occurs at the coach station (terminal). Hotel cover is limited to two nights and £70 per night and does not apply in the event of severe weather or natural disasters. The generator above automatically takes these limits into account. Keep all receipts and spend sensibly.
No rights under the regulation exist, in particular, for delays en route (traffic, breakdown, accident) as long as the departure was on time, as well as for routes of less than 250 kilometres, for which only basic rights apply. You also have no entitlement if you arrive late yourself or voluntarily give up your ticket. Your contractual rights under the terms and conditions of carriage remain unaffected. Note: If your journey is interrupted en route due to a fault, the operator must ensure onward travel or refund the fare; the details depend on the individual case.
Submit your complaint within three months of the journey. The operator should inform you within one month whether your complaint is accepted, rejected or still being examined, and must give a final answer within three months at the latest. A refund of the fare must be paid within 14 days under the regulation.
If the operator does not respond or wrongly refuses, you can contact Bus Users UK free of charge in Great Britain. It is the approved independent complaints handler for the coach sector and can ask the operator to comply with the rules. It does not enforce individual claims on your behalf. For that, an ADR scheme or court action may be considered. Our guide can be found at Submission tips and ADR.
If your journey was cancelled, overbooked or the departure was delayed by more than 120 minutes and National Express did not offer you either continuation of the journey or a refund of the fare. The 50% is then paid in addition to the refund. The prerequisite is a regular service with a scheduled distance of at least 250 kilometres.
No. Unlike rail travel, the UK Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport Regulations are based on departure delays, cancellations and overbooking. If the coach departs on time but arrives late at the destination, there is no entitlement to compensation under the regulation.
In the event of cancellation or a departure delay of more than 90 minutes from a coach station, and a scheduled journey time of more than three hours, you are entitled to snacks, meals or refreshments. If overnight accommodation is required, the operator covers up to two nights at a maximum of £70 per night, including transfers. In the event of severe weather or natural disasters, hotel coverage does not apply.
Complaints and claims should be submitted to the operator within three months of the journey. The company must usually inform you within one month of how it will handle the complaint, and must provide a final response within three months at the latest.
In Great Britain, you can contact Bus Users UK free of charge — the independent complaints handler for the coach sector. The Department for Transport (DfT) is the national enforcement body. Depending on the operator, an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme may also be available.
The rights to compensation and assistance basically apply only to regular services with a scheduled distance of 250 kilometres or more. For shorter routes, only basic rights apply, such as the right to information. Further claims may arise from the operator's terms and conditions or national law.
National Express is a long-distance coach operator with a nationwide scheduled network and connections to airports and major cities. For scheduled journeys over 250 km, UK passenger rights apply under The Bus and Coach Passengers Rights Regulations 2013: In the event of cancellation, overbooking, or a departure delay of more than 120 minutes, you can choose between continuing your journey or a full refund of the ticket price. If this choice is not offered, you are entitled to compensation of 50% of the ticket price. Complaints should be submitted to the operator within three months of the journey.
Our guides and generators are based on the analysis of current UK regulations (such as The Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport Regulations), national transport and travel law, and official public administration information. They are developed by Marc (Project Lead) & team to enable travellers to enforce their rights against transport operators in a structured way.
Important note: Our tools offer self-help for flight delays, hotel problems, coach and train cancellations. They do not replace individual legal advice from a solicitor.
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