Buying Tickets Online FAQs

Frequently asked questions about your online account and buying tickets online.

Buying train tickets online

Online booking

You can change or refund your ticket by going to My Account

Remember, not all tickets can be changed or refunded. But don’t worry, we’ll let you know if this is the case in the Purchase History section of My Account.

Telephone booking

You can change or refund your ticket by calling us on 0333 311 0039

Remember, not all tickets can be changed or refunded. But don’t worry, we’ll let you know if this is the case when you contact us.

Station booking

If you booked your ticket at a train station, simply return to the station and hand your unused ticket to a member of booking office staff. If your ticket qualifies for a refund they will ask you to complete a quick form and sign it. They’ll then process your refund.

Remember, not all tickets can be changed or refunded.

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You can pick up your ticket(s) the easy way from one of the self-service ticket machines at key mainline stations or selected locations.

Collection is easy you only need to remember 2 things:

  • The credit / debit card that was used to make the booking.
  • The ticket collection reference given to you when the booking was made.

When at the Self Service Ticket Machine:

  • Insert the credit / debit card used to make the booking.
  • Key in your unique ticket collection reference. Your ticket(s) will then be dispensed.
  • Do not remove tickets from the machine until all tickets have been issued and the main screen informs you that the transaction is complete.

Please note: If you have made a booking on behalf of other travellers the booking confirmation email will be sent to the email address displayed on the delivery details page

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Almost immediately, after you have purchased your mobile ticket will appear on the My Tickets page in our app.

Download ticket

You can then Download ticket to view the actual ticket on your device which includes an image of the barcode that will be scanned at the station. You can only download your Mobile Ticket to one device, so make sure you download it to whichever device you’re planning to take with you when you travel.

Activate ticket

You will need to activate your downloaded ticket before travelling, however this should only be done on the day of travel and once you are sure you will be travelling that day. Activating your ticket is irreversible, once it’s been activated it cannot be changed, refunded or moved so we recommend you only activate it just before boarding. Tickets should not be activated before 04.30 am on the day of travel, unless your train leaves before then.

Activating your ticket is very straight forward all you need to do is open your ticket in you app and you will see a button that says activate. All you need to do is click that button.

Move ticket

If you’ve already downloaded the ticket but now are travelling with a different device then you can move it. Open our app in the device you’d like to move your tickets to. Log in to your account and then download your tickets to your new device.

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Mobile Tickets and etickets aren’t valid for the London Underground so if you book a journey with us that travels through London on the tube, we won’t offer you this option. However, if your ticket says ‘any route permitted’, you’ll have the flexibility to travel to your destination on a different route to the one you originally chose when you booked.

Please bear in mind that if you’re travelling with a Mobile Ticket or eticket and decide to take a route that goes via a London Underground station, your Mobile Ticket or eticket won’t be valid for this part of the journey. You’ll need to buy a separate ticket for the London Underground, or use an Oyster Card or contactless payment option.

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Second Class post

You’ll get your tickets within two to three working days. We’ll only offer this delivery option to you if your journey’s more than seven days away, just to make sure there’s plenty of time.

If you’re due to catch your train in the next three days and you’ve not received the tickets, then call us on 0333 311 0006.

Next Day Delivery

If you booked before 15:00 on a weekday, you’ll get your tickets by 13:00 the next working day. If you booked after 15:00, you’ll have to wait two working days.

Tickets booked with Next Day Delivery at the weekend will reach you by Tuesday at 13:00. It’s also worth noting that these delivery timeframes may change if it’s a public or bank holiday.

Make sure someone’s in to sign for your tickets. It doesn’t have to be you specifically, but Royal Mail won’t hand over the tickets without a signature.

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You don't need to pick up your tickets from the station you selected when making a booking. You can collect from an enabled machine at any one of over 1700 stations in the list below. The list of available stations is below:

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There are a number of reasons why your payment request may have been rejected. We suggest checking all of the following:

  • To ensure you are protected from unknown use of your card we employ a number of identity verification techniques. To ensure we are verifying the correct details please can you ensure the address your card issuer holds for your account matches the details we have for you.
  • Sometimes the obvious is overlooked; check that the card has not expired and that the card number was input correctly.
  • Check that the correct card type was selected and that it is a card type we accept (e.g. MasterCard, Visa etc).
  • Your payment request may have been declined by your card issuer.
  • In certain instances your card issuer may not permit your particular card to be used when you are not physically present. Unfortunately, this card type will not be accepted on ours or any internet site.
  • Many card issuers are now adopting Verified by Visa and MasterCard Securecode internet verification systems.
    • Your card issuer may be one of them. You may already be enrolled in the scheme, having previously registered. Please ensure you are entering the correct details when prompted.
    • Your card issuer may have stipulated that you enroll in the scheme before you can continue with the booking. In cases like this please follow the onscreen instructions.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Verified by Visa or MasterCard Securecode schemes please visit the following www.visaeurope.com or www.mastercard.com. If you have checked that you comply with all of the above suggestions and continue to experience difficulties with payments, we suggest contacting your card issuer.

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Simply click Buy Tickets and enter your journey details.

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Our website clearly highlights the cheapest fare for your chosen journey. And if any tickets are limited in numbers, we will tell you. We also have a Best Fare Finder where we highlight the cheapest fares for your journey over a period of five days.

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Yes, you can buy daily tickets using PayPal on our website and mobile app. Just select the PayPal payment method at checkout.

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We will email your booking details to you. This email will confirm your journey, seat reservations, passengers, total cost and details on how to get your ticket.

You can also manage your booking in My Account

Or see your bookings in our mobile app - you just have to download the app and sign into your Ticket Wallet.

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If you experience any problems collecting your tickets at a station, please go to the booking office where a member of staff will be happy to help you.

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A number of options are available, including collect at station and postal delivery. When booking online, many tickets can be sent you by email or downloaded to our mobile app .

For postal deliveries to be available you must book at least five working days in advance.

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Yes. When you book you will be asked for your billing address (this is the address to which your card is registered and your statements are delivered). You must complete this field. You can then choose to have your tickets delivered to another address.

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Our website allows customers outside the UK to register with us and purchase tickets. We are unable to deliver overseas, however you will be given the option to collect tickets from the station, have them sent in an email, or download to our app - subject to ticket type and journey.

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Yes, a Season Ticket that includes ‘London Travelcard zones 1-6’ allows you to travel on the tube, bus, DLR, Overground, tram, and other trains in zones 1 to 6.

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Firstly, please check your spam or junk folder. We do sometimes end up in these places.

Alternatively, click Login/Register and log in to see your booking details. You can print these if you need to.

If you really need the email then feel free to call us on 0333 311 0039 and we’ll be happy to send you another one.

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Absolutely. When making a booking you can request that the tickets are sent to a different address. Remember that if you do purchase tickets for someone else and have them posted to them directly, the sales receipt will be included and will show the last four digits of the credit card as well as the purchase price.

If you are choosing a Collect at Station delivery option, remember that only the cardholder can collect the tickets.

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  • If you have chosen to have your tickets delivered by mail, please allow 7 working days from the booking date for delivery
  • If you have chosen to collect your tickets from a ticket vending machine, please insert the payment card used to make the booking and enter the collection reference, which can be found on your booking confirmation email or in My Account
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Yes, as long as they have access to a payment card and the 8 character reference shown on your email confirmation.

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We accept all major UK credit/debit cards registered to UK addresses and non UK addresses.

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We accept Visa, MasterCard, Diners and American Express. And we also accept PayPal.

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Your booking confirmation email serves as your receipt.

Alternatively, you can log into your online account and download or print details of your booking.

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