hack

Neil Roarty has shared his “genius” travel hack that he believes is foolproof – but there is a major caveat that could leave you out of pocket if executed wrong

A British rail passenger’s “genius” travel hack has gone viral online after he appeared to travel in first class for free thanks to a strategic use of the UK railways’ compensation system. However, the trick carries a big risk for those willing to take it.

On Christmas Eve, one man shared a thread on X celebrating what he called his “biggest Christmas gamble.” Neil Roarty wrote: “Booked first class train home knowing that there would be a delay and I’d get the refund. There’s ALWAYS a delay.”

According to his post, he paid £238.20 for two first-class tickets, making his total a whopping £476.40, only to discover that his train was delayed by an hour and a half. Under UK rail rules, this meant he qualified for full compensation – including the cost of his ticket – through the industry’s Delay Repay scheme, effectively making the first-class journey free.

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What is the Delay Repay Scheme?

The Delay Repay scheme is a compensation system designed to reimburse passengers whose trains are significantly delayed or cancelled, regardless of the reason for the disruption.

Under the standard rules:

• Delays of 30–59 minutes can qualify for 25 percent refund of the ticket cost.
• Delays of 60–119 minutes typically qualify for 50 percent refund.
• Delays of 120 minutes or more generally mean passengers can claim a full refund – even if they complete the journey.

Importantly, compensation is based on the actual departure and arrival times recorded by the train operator, not what was printed on the timetable. This can vary depending on the train company.

How to Claim

Most UK train operators now allow passengers to submit a Delay Repay claim online, either through the operator’s official website or app. Here’s a general guide to the process:

1. Keep your ticket or reference number. You’ll need either the digital ticket confirmation or a paper ticket reference.
2. Visit your operator’s Delay Repay page. Common operators (e.g., Avanti West Coast, LNER, Great Western Railway) all have dedicated forms.
3. Enter your journey details. This includes date, time, origin and destination, and ticket price.
4. Upload supporting information. Depending on the operator, this could be a screenshot of the delay or your ticket receipt.
5. Submit and wait for a response. Claims usually take a few days to several weeks to process. Many operators will email you with an approval and payment instruction.

Some operators also allow passengers to make claims by post or at station ticket offices – though online submissions are fastest.

When this ‘hack’ works – and when it doesn’t

At first glance, booking an expensive ticket and waiting for compensation may seem like a clever loophole. But experts caution that it’s far from a guaranteed strategy.

Here’s why:

• Delays are not guaranteed. While rail services often experience disruptions, many journeys run on time – which would leave passengers out of pocket.
• Compensation depends on operator policies. Though most UK operators use Delay Repay, the exact terms and payment timeline vary, and not all refunds are paid in cash; some are offered as vouchers.
• Increased fare doesn’t always mean larger compensation. Refunds are proportional to the price paid, but for journeys with unusual fare structures or advance tickets, terms may differ.
• Operators may challenge borderline claims. If a delay is very close to the qualifying threshold, or was caused by external factors, train companies sometimes review claims more closely.

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JO Whiley has revealed the “horrifying” secret ingredient she uses to make the perfect Christmas dinner.

The radio host says that her husband was left disgusted when he realised how she was pulling together the family’s feast.

Talking on her Dig It podcast with co-host Zoe Ball, Jo said: “My secret ingredient has always been a really good dash of ketchup.

“It gives that slightly vinegary and everyone loves it.”

Jo’s husband Steve Morton only recently discovered the dinner addition, and wasn’t best pleased

She laughed: “Last year, my husband actually saw me put the ketchup in and was genuinely horrified.

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“He’s been eating this gravy for years and praising it. But now, he insists its wrong?”

“Obviously i’m going to keep doing it, Jo added, before asking fans what their thoughts were.

She also made a call-out for any other strange food combos that listeners do at Christmas time.

From marmite to garlic, commenters had plenty of secret ingredients to share.

“I put a small spoon of jam . Everyone loves it,” wrote one fan.

Another said: “My husband always adds brown sauce to our gravy”.

Jo and Zoe have hosted Dig It since July this year, with the longtime friends discussing the everyday reality of trying to live well on the show.

While they will continue their podcast, the duo won’t be seeing one another in the BBC offices now after Zoe stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 show earlier this month.

After nearly two decades at Radio 2, Zoe said she will be stepping down in the new year but will return to host specials for the station.

She took on the show after quitting as the voice of the Radio 2 Breakfast show in 2024, which she helmed for six years.

The 55-year-old’s departure followed the news the BBC bosses have lined up a “Golden Ten” shortlist of presenters to step into the shoes of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

The Sun revealed that Zoe Ball was one of the ten stars put through their paces in order to find the perfect on screen partnership in a top-secret chemistry test.

Zoe is yet to speak out on the speculation.

Booking a hotel can feel like a daunting task, especially with the surge in prices, but there’s a simple Travelodge hack to get a bigger room without needing to fork out extra for an upgrade

Aside from choosing your room category when booking a hotel, you never quite know what room you’ll be given. However, I discovered a clever hack that can get you a bigger hotel room, and it costs just £3.50.

Booking a hotel for any occasion, whether that’s a city break with pals or a romantic weekend away, can be a daunting task, with a lengthy list of establishments to choose from. Yet, even when you’ve chosen your desired hotel, you then need to select your room category, although the price often determines which one we book (in an ideal world, we’d all book the premium suites if we could afford them).

However, what if I told you that you could get a bigger room when booking through Travelodge, without having to hope that the booking system gods have been kind? I found this out during a trip to London with my friends earlier this year.

We were spending the night after watching an evening show, so I found us a Travelodge in London, Central City Road, to book for the night. As there were three of us, I booked a triple family room – the most affordable option I could find for a Saturday night in the capital.

A few days before our stay, I discovered an option in my booking that allowed me to ‘choose my room’ before arrival. I was a little sceptical at first, but I’m so glad I investigated further.

For an additional £3.50, I found that I could choose the exact room my friends and I would stay in during our trip. In the name of research and curiosity, I paid the mere £3.50 and was taken to a site map of all the rooms available in my category, which allowed me to choose our room.

What surprised me was that, although the rooms shown were all in the specific category I had booked, a few were noticeably larger as shown on the floor plan. So naturally, I selected the biggest room available.

Even at this stage, I was questioning whether I’d get this room at check-in, considering I had paid less than £5 and it was noticeably larger than the others. So when I checked in on Saturday afternoon, I was delighted when they handed me the keys to the exact room I had chosen, and it was well worth the extra £3.50.

We were treated to a sprawling room with a double bed and two twin beds, despite never changing the room category. Plus, it gave us vital extra space when getting ready for a night out without having to fork out for a pricey upgrade.

This handy hack can be used at more than 575 Travelodge hotels, and it’s not just for extra space. You can select to ‘choose your room’ to ensure you’re staying near family or friends, have a specific view, ensure you have a top or ground floor room, or that you’re near a lift.

Not only can it provide an additional perk of a bigger room, as I found out, but it also avoids the uncertainty at check-in. However, it’s essential to note that using this hack is contingent upon the hotel’s availability and layout.

Some Travelodge hotels may not have a larger room available in the category that you’ve booked, but it’s certainly worth checking. Additionally, the price can vary by hotel, room type and length of stay, but it’s available for a selection of Travelodge room categories.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com