What to do if you can’t travel
Some ticket types can be refunded whilst others can be changed to a later date. Check your ticket type below.
We'll also give you a full refund if your train journey is delayed or cancelled part way through and you decide to return to your original station instead.
How to apply for a refund
To claim a refund you will need to return your unused ticket to the place you bought it from. Please be aware that we are not able to process refunds over the phone.
- If you bought your ticket on our website or app: If you have not yet printed/collected a paper ticket you should Log into your online account
and follow the instructions on the 'My account' screen or the 'My Tickets' section on the app. If you are unable to cancel your booking this way you may request a refund by emailing our team at [email protected]
.
If you have chosen to have your ticket(s) sent to you by post, or if you have collected your ticket(s) from a station, please post your tickets with a cover letter requesting a refund to: EMR Refunds Department, PO Box 23972, Edinburgh, EH3 5DA. We recommend using recorded delivery. - At our station (from a ticket office or machine): Please return to the booking office at the station that your ticket was purchased from, or closest EMR station, to obtain a refund.
- Telephone booking team: If you have chosen to have your ticket(s) sent to you by post, or if you have collected your ticket(s) from a station, please post your tickets with a cover letter requesting a refund to: EMR Refunds Department, PO Box 23972, Edinburgh, EH3 5DA. We recommend using recorded delivery.
If you have not yet collected your tickets you can request a refund by emailing your booking confirmation reference to [email protected] . - Smartcards: If you purchased the ticket on your smart card from a station; Please return to the booking office at the station that your ticket was purchased from, or closest EMR station, to obtain a refund. If your ticket was purchased online, you can request a refund through your online account. If you hold a season ticket, you can email us at [email protected] for a refund. In the email, please include the date of which you have surrendered your ticket to enable us to match it within our records.
- Other train operating companies: if you bought your ticket from another train operating company or retailer, contact them directly.
If you're posting tickets to us, we recommend sending them via Recorded Delivery to ensure they arrive safely.
Advance tickets
Advance tickets are non-refundable. If you need flexibility including changing plans on the day of journey passengers should choose flexible tickets such as Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak tickets, depending on the time of day they wish to travel. If you do need to change the date or time of your Advance ticket you can get most tickets amended at our staffed stations before the date of travel and if you have bought your ticket direct through EMR, you can change them in the 'My Account' area on our website and app . There's a £10 admin fee, plus any difference in fare if your new ticket costs more than the original.
Anytime, Off peak or Super off peak tickets
Most Anytime, Super Off peak and Off peak tickets can be refunded if unused or part used. If your tickets have been issued, you will need to return these to us and they must be unused. Terms and conditions of your ticket are available in the booking process. If your refund is approved, we will process your payment back onto the card used to make the purchase (minus our £5 administration fee if applicable). It may take up to five working days for a credit to appear on your statement.
Changes due to Timetable Reduction
If after purchasing your ticket, a service you booked to travel on isn't running in our amended Timetables, you can use your ticket on an EMR service before or after your booked train. Alternatively, if you choose not to travel because of the timetable change, you may apply for a refund on your ticket.
Refunds can be requested from your place of purchase. If you bought your ticket through the EMR App or Website, call 03457 125678 (Option 2 then 1, 0800-2000 daily) or email: [email protected] providing your full journey details and booking reference.
Season ticket refunds
You'll need to buy a new ticket for your journey before you travel. You can claim a refund for the extra ticket twice within a 12-month period, but we will charge a £10 admin fee the second time. Apply for a refund at the ticket office where you bought your Season ticket (you'll need to bring your Season ticket, photocard, and the replacement tickets).
We can issue duplicate monthly or longer Season tickets at the ticket office where you bought your original ticket. We need to make sure your lost Season ticket isn't used fraudulently so may ask you a few questions when you request a new one.
If you don't need your Season ticket anymore, you may be able to get a refund on the unused portion. Return it to place you bought it from. Log into your online account and follow the instructions on the 'My account' screen if you bought your ticket online or have a Smartcard Season ticket.
We can generally give you a refund if there is:
- Seven days (or more) left on a Season Ticket valid between one and ten months
- Three days (or more) left on a weekly Season Ticket
- For an annual Season Ticket, there may not be any monetary value left if it is surrendered in the last couple of months of validity. Annual Season tickets have no refund value after 10 months and 12 days, although they are still valid for travel until the expiry date and you can continue to enjoy any Gold Card benefits along with it
You can use the handy calculation tool here to work out the value of your refund.
If you have less than the minimum remaining duration you will be unable to claim a refund, please do not send your season ticket to us. Refer to National Rail Conditions of Travel for more information.
If you purchased your season ticket on our website, please email us at [email protected] for a refund. In the email please include the date of which you have surrendered your ticket to enable us to match it within our records.
If you purchased your season ticket from a ticket office, you would need to return to the issuing ticket office, or another managed by the same retailer or operator for a refund. The refund calculation will be taken from the date you surrender your ticket in person, so it is important you return to the ticket office as soon as you no longer require this. The same refund conditions as above apply to season tickets purchased at the station.
Read full details of your rights and how we handle Season ticket refunds in the National Rail Conditions of Travel
Railcards & National Rail Travel Vouchers
National Rail Travel Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. If you have an expired Rail Travel Voucher, we are not able to replace this.
Railcard customers save on average £130 per year and for many customers, the cost of a Railcard is saved in just one journey. We are not able to refund the cost of a railcard, or extend the validity, once purchased.
Contact us
If you have any questions about claiming a refund or making changes to your ticket, please contact us:
- Our social media team is online 24 hours a day, tweet us at @eastmidrailway
- Email [email protected]