A delay certificate ( Japanese: , "certificate of lateness";

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: ''Bescheinigung über Zugverspätung'', "certificate about train delay") is a documentation of proof issued by a railway company 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 and

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Deutsche Bahn The (; abbreviated as DB or DB AG) is the national railway company of Germany. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a joint-stock company ( AG). The Federal Republic of Germany is its single shareholder. describes itself as the se ...

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, 30 June 2008 Paris' 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 The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

Tokyu Corporation The is a Japanese multinational ''keiretsu'' ( conglomerate) holding company headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Its main operation is , a wholly owned subsidiary operating railways in the Greater Tokyo Area. History The oldest predecessor ...

and Tokyo Metro 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,ＪＲ東、携帯で遅延証明書の閲覧可能に——発生から３日間
Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun, 20 June 2008 and print them out if necessary.

References

External links

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JR East e-Delay Certificates
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Tokyo Metro e-Delay Certificates
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delay Certificate Passenger rail transport in Japan Deutsche Bahn