Delay certificate
Encyclopedia
Railway company
A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
that its scheduled passenger train arrived at a station later than what is stipulated in the company's scheduled timetable.
This practice is only prevalent in private and public Japanese railway companies
Rail transport in Japan
Rail transport in Japan is a major means of passenger transport, especially for mass and high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolitan areas.-Overview:...
and Germany
Rail transport in Germany
, Germany had a railway network of 41,315 km. 19,857 km are electrified. The total track length was 76,473 km. Germany is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Germany is 80.-Overview:...
's Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
, where a well-established reputation for its trains' punctuality
Punctuality
Punctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously designated time. "Punctual" is often used synonymously with "on time."...
exists and its passengers take for granted that they always operate on time. Parisian
Transport in Paris
The Paris transportation network is very diverse and exists literally over many levels. The city's buses, trams, Métro, Autoroutes, trains and planes together all serve to maintain a high level of connectivity between Paris's many different districts and beyond.-Streets and thoroughfares:Paris is...
RATP also issues such certificates under the name "bulletin de retard" if the delay is greater than 15 minutes. They can be used for example for late admission at university exams. In addition, a few bus companies in Japan have also adopted this practice.
The certificate is issued when delays as little as five minutes occur, and even for instances where the delay is caused by circumstances beyond the railway company's control (e.g. foul weather, person under train). Handwritten certificates or printouts given out (generally in 10 × 15 cm strips) by conductors or station staff can be collected by passengers affected by lateness or delay, who can then produce it to their superiors at school or work and considered as a valid reason for reporting late.
Major Japanese railway companies such as JR East, Tokyu Corporation and Tokyo Metro
Tokyo Metro
is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...
have introduced electronic versions of the delay certificates on their websites, which would remain there for a week or less. Affected passengers who were unable to or did not collect the certificate could alternatively access and download it into their mobile phones or computers, and print them out if necessary.