Important update to UK rail ticket refunds from 1 May 2026

There is a change to UK rail ticket refund rules, introduced by the rail industry from 1 May 2026.

What’s changing?

From 1 May 2026, the following ticket types will only be refundable up to 23:59 the day before travel:

• Anytime tickets
• Off‑Peak tickets
• Day Travelcards
•  Ranger and Rover tickets

Ticket on Departure (paper ticket collected from a station):

• If the ticket has not been collected, it can still be refunded, provided the refund is requested by 23:59 on the day before travel.
• Once a ToD ticket has been collected, it is treated as used and can no longer be refunded after the day before departure, unless there is disruption or exceptional circumstances. If you wish to refund a picked-up TOD ticket the new rules require us to have the paper to be able to process the refund. If we don’t have the ticket at least the day before travel a refund will not be able to be processed.

For this reason, we recommend not collecting ToD tickets until the day of travel, unless you are certain the journey will go ahead.

What’s not changing?

• Advance tickets and Season tickets are not affected
• Refunds will still be available if your train is cancelled or disrupted
• Refunds can still be considered in exceptional circumstances, such as medical emergencies

Tickets already purchased

If you bought your ticket on or before 30 April 2026, it will continue to follow the current refund rules.

Why is this happening?

The rail industry is updating its rules to prevent misuse of refunds and to better reflect how tickets are now bought and used. Most passengers will not be affected, as refunds before travel and refunds due to disruption remain protected.

If you have any questions or would like help reviewing your rail travel options, your account management team will be happy to help.