Coronavirus Travel Information

We are taking actions to ensure travelling on our trains is as safe as possible for.

To support social distancing, please only travel if your journey is essential. For additional information about essential travel, visit the Government website.

We're asking you to chose your own seat using this guidance:

• In Standard Class, leave at least two rows vacant between yourself and other customers 
• In First Class, leave at least one row vacant between yourself and other customers

For tickets and reservations dated for travel on or after Wednesday 17 June please use the coach and seat number. From this date all designated seat numbers are socially distanced from other passengers.

Face coverings should be used on our trains. The face covering could be a scarf or other form of material that could catch droplets coming from the mouth or nose. While this is guidance and not law, we are asking people to follow the guidance. For more information on how to make a mask visit the government how to guide here. 

You can make a reservation using our free online tool. Alternatively, you can do this at the Station Travel Centre. 

Make a reservation online

If you are suffering cold or flu-like symptoms or live with someone who does, you should self-isolate for 14 days. During this time, you should avoid the use of public transport and should have minimal contact with others. If you need to use public transport to travel home and self isolate, you should take extra care to keep away from others and catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue. You can find more information about self-isolating on the NHS website.

You should follow NHS advice to reduce the risk of catching Coronavirus:

• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• always wash your hands when you get home or into work
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

No. If you have been asked by 111 or a medical professional to self-isolate you should avoid public places and contact with other people until you are told it is safe to do so. The NHS has more information about how to self-isolate.

No. If you have been diagnosed with Coronavirus or are showing symptoms, you should follow the advice from the NHS.

If you decided you don't want to travel during the Coronavirus outbreak, we have relaxed the rules around refunds and changing tickets.

• We have temporarily removed the standard £10 administration charge to change any booking until further notice, to make it easier to rearrange your travel plans after directly booking with us.
• Advance tickets are not refundable, However, if you bought an Advance ticket prior to 7am on 23 March and your plans have changed, you can apply for a full refund. You can claim a refund online (choose "other" as your reason and enter 'Covid19' in the text box).
• Anytime and Off-Peak tickets are refundable. You can claim a full refund online (choose "other" as your reason and enter 'Covid19' in the text box).

Please visit our Book with confidence section of our Coronavirus travel information page for more information.

Find out more about changing your travel plans on our FAQ page.

If you've bought a ticket from a retailer or other train operating company, please visit that company's website and check their updated refund policy. Unfortunately we are unable to process a refund or credit for a ticket that hasn't been purchased directly on our website. 

If you bought your Season Ticket directly from us, we can generally give you a refund under the following circumstances:

• In the case of an annual Season Ticket: provided there are 7 or more weeks validity remaining. Annual Season tickets typically have no refund value after 10 months and 12 days, although they are still valid for travel until the expiry date.
• In the case of a Season Ticket valid between one and ten months: provided there are seven days (or more) validity remaining.
• In the case of a weekly Season Ticket: provided there are three days (or more) validity remaining.

Season ticket refunds due will be backdated to 17 March, or the last day that you travelled on the ticket, whichever is later.

From 11 May, season ticket refunds will only be backdated by up to 56 days. A backdated refund may be available for those with evidence of sickness that pre-dates this time period.

You can see an estimate of your Season ticket refund using the NRE Season ticket calculator.

• Please note that annual Season Ticket refunds are calculated on the difference between the price you paid and the cost of tickets for the time you actually used it.
• Because annual tickets offer significant savings compared to paying weekly or monthly,  refunds are not made pro rata, the calculation is based on the refundable value over 40 weeks instead of 52, as the ticket price is based on the cost of 40 weekly tickets. 

We are currently working to normal timelines for processing Season ticket refunds of 14 working day

Tap or click to find out how to claim a refund.

If you bought your Season Ticket directly from us, we can generally give you a refund under the following circumstances:

• In the case of an annual Season Ticket: provided there are 7 or more weeks validity remaining. Annual Season tickets typically have no refund value after 10 months and 12 days, although they are still valid for travel until the expiry date.
• In the case of a Season Ticket valid between one and ten months: provided there are seven days (or more) validity remaining.
• In the case of a weekly Season Ticket: provided there are three days (or more) validity remaining.

We are currently working to normal timelines for processing Season ticket refunds of 14 working days. You can see an estimate of your Season ticket refund using the NRE Season ticket calculator.

To claim for a Season Ticket refund, please email your ticket image to us at season.tickets@lner.co.uk showing:

• Full name on the season ticket
• Original Ticket Number of the season ticket
• Please cut your ticket in half from top to bottom with VOID written across it
• Take a photograph of the ticket on a plain background with the two pieces of the ticket clearly apart
• Please ensure the details on both halves of the ticket are readable
• It is only necessary to send an image of your actual travel ticket(s), we do not need to see your seat reservation or collection receipt
• Season ticket end date (where applicable)
• Photocard Number (if a season refund)
• Station from and station to
• Class of travel (First or Standard Class)
• Amount
• And your last day of travel

Season ticket refunds are subject to a £10 administration fee. We are currently working to normal timelines for processing Season ticket refunds.

Until further notice, if you have your paper ticket (purchased online from lner.co.uk only) we can process ticket refunds with just an image of your paper ticket. Once you have submitted your refund claim, please follow the instructions below and email your ticket image to us at lner.refunds.evidence@fastrailticketing.com.

• Submit a refund via your online account (choose "other" as your reason and enter 'Covid19' in the text box)
• Please cut your paper ticket in half from top to bottom
• Take a photograph of the ticket on a plain background with the two pieces of the ticket clearly apart
• Please ensure the details on both halves of the ticket are readable
• It is only necessary to send an image of your actual travel ticket(s), we do not need to see your seat reservation or collection receipt coupons

If you require a refund on your car park season ticket, please make contact with the company who the ticket was purchased from.  You will then receive confirmation of the amount to be refund, and the process to be followed. Car park season tickets will be backdated 56 days from the date of receipt.

If you have a rail travel voucher and this is due to expire during Coronavirus please email us, customers@lner.co.uk.We will handle all cases on individual merit, re-issuing or extending vouchers where appropriate.