Railway season ticket holders are facing months of uncertainty amid the coronavirus crisis.
Many passengers will be wondering where they stand as Covid-19 causes things to change by the day.
But train operators have relaxed restrictions on refunds to help travellers out, rail chiefs have confirmed.
Other companies are bringing in extra precautions after the Government’s drastic rollout of social distancing measures, advising against “non-essential” social contact, in a bid to stem the outbreak.
Am I eligible for a refund?
There are three types of season tickets sold on Britain’s railways: weekly, monthly and yearly. Each ticket comes with different limits on refunds.
Train companies calculate season ticket refunds by working out the cheapest alternative way the holder could have travelled the journeys they have made.
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, the umbrella body representing all train companies, told the Standard: “Train companies understand that at the moment people may not wish to travel in the way they had originally planned.
“Season tickets can be refunded, depending on how long is left unused on them, and people should get in touch with their train company or the website from which they bought their ticket to see what they might be entitled to.”
How much can I get back?
The amount passengers can receive in refunds depends on the specific circumstance, and you are urged to contact your operator.
Some train operators charge a £10 admin fee for refunds to season tickets. As things stand, where that admin fee is in place it will still apply due to the sheer volume of tickets that could be involved.
The RDG said train operators have also waived “refund fees” on most refundable fares (Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Rover/Ranger) and the “change of journey fee” for advance tickets, which is normally £10.
What else are train companies doing?
Britain’s biggest rail operators and the London Underground have also brought in a raft of measures to combat the virus.
Transport for London said it is reviewing the frequency of its Tube and bus services across the capital to match supply with demand, and has ramped up its cleaning programme.
Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “We and our staff are doing everything we can to ensure that people who need to make essential journeys can continue to do so. Part of that involves matching service levels to the actual demand for travel. That work is underway and will evolve over time.”
Conductors at London North East Railway (LNER), which operates the popular East Coast Mainline, are asking all passengers to hold up tickets to avoid handling them. Soap and water provision has also been increased at stations and on trains.
