News

• From 1 April 2026, the following tickets will only be refundable up to 23:59 on the day before they become valid for travel - Anytime, Off-Peak, Day Travelcards and most Ranger and Rover tickets. Advance tickets and Season Tickets are not affected by this change.  
• Refunds will still be available for disrupted/cancelled services and in exceptional circumstances such as medical emergencies. 
• Tickets bought on or before 31 March 2026 will be refundable under the terms of the current National Rail Conditions of Travel (version 6).   
• Tickets bought on or after 1 April 2026 will follow the updated National Rail Conditions of Travel (version 7).  
• This change is aimed to end refund abuse, which industry analysis estimates costs around £40 million each year. Refund abuse refers to claims for refunds on tickets that have been used but not scanned or endorsed, where a customer falsely states that they did not travel.  
• The majority of passengers will not be affected because most only seek refunds before travel or due to genuine disruption - both of which remain protected. 
• More information about the changes can be found here. 

As the one-week countdown to Christmas begins, rail passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys over the festive period, as works taking place will result in significant changes to services in some areas.

As progress continues towards the creation of Great British Railways, the rail industry has today published the first set of results from the new Rail Customer Experience Survey (RCXS). A significant milestone in establishing a culture that ensures customer views are at the heart of future plans for Britain’s railways.

• From 14 December 2025, pay as you go (PAYG) with contactless cards and devices will be available to customers at another 30 National Rail stations in South-East England.   

• PAYG contactless will be rolled out to a further 20 stations, including Stansted and Southend airports, on Greater Anglia route during Summer 2026 after issues were identified in testing.   

• Pay as you go with contactless will be offered to customers as another way to pay for their journey. Alongside existing pay as you go options (e.g. Smartcard, Oyster) where these are available for their journey, customers will also be able to continue to use barcode and paper tickets. 

• This is part of the government’s plan to simplify fares and ticketing. 

As the festive season gets underway, rail passengers are being encouraged to plan ahead for Christmas travel, with advance tickets now on sale for dates throughout the festive period and into the New Year.

• The public are being asked to vote for their favourite railway station from across Britain, as 20 shortlisted stations go head-to-head for the title of ‘Most Life-Changing Station’. 

• The voting phase of the World Cup of Stations competition, hosted by Rail Delivery Group, opens on 13 October and closes on 17 October 2025. 

• As the Railway celebrates its bicentenary, this year’s competition is supporting Railway200 by shining a spotlight on the incredible stories behind Britain’s stations. 

• You can vote for your local station at www.raildeliverygroup.com/WorldCupOfStations 

• Free rail travel offered for serving military personnel and veterans attending Services of Remembrance on 9 November.
• Free rail travel offered for Royal British Legion London Poppy Day volunteers and collectors on 30 October, with an additional one day either side of the event.
• Free rail travel offered for serving military personnel and veterans attending the Submariners’ Remembrance Service on 1 November.
• Travel includes London Terminals and Services of Remembrance nationwide, with proof of ID required.