Advance Purchase Tickets – Change of Travel Plans Admin Fee 16th December 2020

Following the government’s announcement this week regarding the revision of Medium, High, and Very High areas across the country, the DfT have confirmed an extension of fee free changes to Advance tickets.

This is in addition to the current fee free arrangements for Advance tickets, whereby customers with Advance tickets purchased on or before 26th November to travel on or after 3rd December 2020 and up to and including 2nd January 2021, are permitted to change their journey free of charge. This rule applies for journeys from any station to any station across the network.

Following the announcement this week, customers with Advance tickets purchased between 27th November and 14th December, to travel after 16th December to or from a High or Very High area, are permitted to change their journey free of charge.

Further to this, in future when an area changes from Medium to High or High to Very High, Advance tickets purchased before that announcement, for travel to or from a station in that area, may be exchanged for another ticket free of charge.

This also includes travel to a National Rail station outside of a High or Very High area but with onward travel via another means.

Advance Tickets Purchased After an Announcement
Advance tickets from a Medium or High area, to a High or Very High area purchased after the change to the alert level has been announced will not be eligible for this relaxation of the change of journey fee, or for customers to surrender their Advance ticket for credit. Tickets may still be exchanged to travel on another day, but normal fees will apply.

Verified Stations in High or Very High Local COVID Alert Areas
A list of every National Rail station is available on the internal National Rail website at https://internal.nationalrail.co.uk/258996.aspx  with information on whether that station or local authority has travel guidance advice in place.

Rail Delivery Group Travel Agents Team