Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2021 to Question 133124, for what reason advance rail tickets purchased before the announcement on 24 November 2020 of rules for Christmas travel are not eligible for a full refund.

In accordance with the National Rail Conditions of Travel, Advance tickets are non-refundable and this is clearly stated at the point of purchase. The Government announced on 26 October 2020 that passengers with an Advance ticket who are prevented from travelling due to local or national restrictions are eligible for a fee-free change of journey or, if purchased directly from a train operator, they may apply for a Rail Travel Voucher, valid for 12 months. These were the arrangements in place that applied to purchasers of Advance tickets prior to 24 November 2020.

Special refund arrangements were put in place specifically for passengers who had bought Advance tickets in good faith for travel between 23 to 27 December 2020, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 24 November 2020 about the Christmas travel window. Therefore, in the exceptional circumstances which led to tougher restrictions being announced on 19 December 2020, the Government agreed that passengers with an Advance ticket for travel during the Christmas travel window, if purchased between 24 November 2020 and 19 December 2020, could exceptionally apply for a fee-free cash refund.