Train services across the UK will be gradually reduced next week, in part to reflect lower usage, and in part to preserve the service for critical workers.
The move reflects the reducing passenger demand as people are urged to stop all unnecessary travel and decrease non-essential social contact in line with government advice to help stop the spread of the virus.
London Bridge station
Running reduced services will also help protect the welfare of frontline railway staff essential for day-to-day operations, as train companies have already had to start cancelling some timetabled services due to a shortage of staff.
The reduction in passenger services will also ensure key freight services can continue to move around the country.
There will be a gradual move towards introducing reduced service levels on wide parts of the network over the longer term. To minimise disruption, services will be reduced progressively across the network over the coming days.
For people who have already booked train tickets, all operators have agreed that customers can get 100% of their fare back on Off-Peak and Anytime tickets with no admin fees. In the case of Advance tickets, which are not refundable but can be changed for a fee, operators and retailers will allow fee-free changes if someone decides to travel on another service, using the value of the fare as credit towards a new ticket. If the Advance ticket is for a service that’s cancelled due to the timetable changes, then you will be able to claim a refund.
For full details, you should contact the company or retailer that sold your original ticket.
