News

The national rollout of Welcome Points began on 24 September, marked with an event at Birmingham New Street.  

• Disabled Persons Railcard eligibility expands from 30 September, helping more disabled people access discounted rail travel;
• Customers with a long-term impairment, health condition or neurodivergence that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months and significantly affects their ability to use rail services will be able to apply for the Disabled Persons Railcard;
• Eligibility under the expansion will be based on the impact a person's condition has on their ability to travel by rail rather than a diagnosis alone;
• Part of the rail industry's wider commitment to accessibility and inclusion, putting customers at the centre of decision-making and helping more people travel with confidence.

British rail journeys will now be calculated on station-to-station data from Rail Delivery Group — the first national dataset REM has adopted at this scale. 

Experienced Executive Team members appointed to lead Rail Delivery Group through its next chapter towards Great British Railways (GBR). 

• The nomination phase of the World Cup of Stations 2026 opens on Monday 14 September and runs until Sunday 20 September. 

• This year’s theme, ‘The stations creating connections that matter’, will celebrate stations that bring communities together, connect friends and family, to hosting community events, creating welcoming spaces, and helping people reach the places that matter to them.  

• You can nominate your local station at http://www.raildeliverygroup.com/WorldCupOfStations 

Following a successful pilot, Rail Delivery Group (RDG) in partnership with passenger train operators, ASLEF and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), has developed a new framework to enhance practical on-the-job training for train drivers.

• Rail passengers save 71% on average once the full cost of flying, including transfers, baggage and airport charges, is factored in, a saving of £147 per journey.  

• Rail passengers gain an average of 3 hours more productive time per journey than those flying; 

• Rail produces 85% less CO₂ per passenger - a saving of 102kg CO2e per passenger which is the equivalent of boiling 20,439 cups of water compared with travelling by air; 

• London – Edinburgh: the full cost of flying is almost three times that of rail (£64 vs £202), with 45 rail services a day compared with 29 flights 

• Passengers and frontline rail staff are set to receive more protection from persistent antisocial behaviour at train stations across the rail network, as early trials show encouraging results.

• 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.