diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 51bba99..e3965b2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -373,6 +373,14 @@ The application is deployed on **Railway** (railway.app) with automatic deploys
 https://final-project-ibm-springboot-production.up.railway.app/
 ```
 
+> **Note:** This deployment is currently offline. Railway's free trial period ($5 credit) has expired and the project does not require a paid production environment at this stage. To test the application, use Docker Compose locally:
+>
+> ```bash
+> docker compose up --build
+> ```
+>
+> The Railway configuration documented above remains valid — re-deploying is a matter of connecting the repository again and setting the same environment variables.
+
 ## License
 
 This project is open source and available for educational purposes.