Forthcoming changes to National Rail Conditions of Travel

[MrJeeves]

Your Rights and Obligations as a Passenger has been edited to link to the new NRCOT page...

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/NRCOT/

Not to be confused with...
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/nrcot/

...which is the even-older 2022 terms on the unmodified page which (probably) every retailer links to, and is referred to in copy across the rail industry.

Thanks RDG.

 

[Tester]

Your Rights and Obligations as a Passenger has been edited to link to a new NRCOT page...
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/NRCOT/

Not to be confused with...
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/nrcot/
...which is the old, unmodified page which (probably) every retailer links to, and is referred to in copy across the rail industry.

Thanks RDG.

Every day is a school day - I thought that URLs were case insensitive!

 

[alistairlees]

Your Rights and Obligations as a Passenger has been edited to link to the new NRCOT page...

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/NRCOT/

Not to be confused with...
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/nrcot/

...which is the even-older 2022 terms on the unmodified page which (probably) every retailer links to, and is referred to in copy across the rail industry.

Thanks RDG.

Already made that point at 09:21!

I have already written to RDG. What a mess.

 

[MrJeeves]

Already made that point at 09:21!

I have already written to RDG. What a mess.

Whoops... I had totally missed your post! I must have been too caught up in the shambles of rail industry!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Nov 2025 ==

Every day is a school day - I thought that URLs were case insensitive!

You'd have thought a sensible content management system would treat them as such at least.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

If they aren't available to consult then they cannot be legally applied, surely?

 

[alistairlees]

If they aren't available to consult then they cannot be legally applied, surely?

Just choose 2022, 2024 or 2025 NRCoT as you prefer - they can all be found on the National Rail website purporting to be the "latest version" (as opposed to in an historic archive, which would be fine).

 

[Oscar M]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned (I've tried searching the thread with keywords and can't find anything), but I note that the conditions now say this:

28.3 Where a train service is cancelled after you have purchased your Ticket(s), we will advise you what your alternative options for travel are. In addition to the validity that your Ticket automatically entitles you to, you will normally in such circumstances be permitted to travel up to either two trains prior or two trains after the affected service, using the same operator that you are booked onto. Where services are significantly less frequent and this is not a suitable option, we will provide you with an appropriate alternative. Otherwise, you can request a full refund in accordance with Condition 30.

Though I'm not sure if the inclusion of "normally" changes anything...

As a side note, I'm looking forward (not) to the first thread over at Disputes & Prosecutions where someone has failed to obtain a zero fare change of route excess before boarding.

Just choose 2022, 2024 or 2025 NRCoT as you prefer - they can all be found on the National Rail website purporting to be the "latest version" (as opposed to in an historic archive, which would be fine).

Taking customer flexibility to a whole new level...

 

[redreni]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned (I've tried searching the thread with keywords and can't find anything), but I note that the conditions now say this:

Though I'm not sure if the inclusion of "normally" changes anything...

As a side note, I'm looking forward (not) to the first thread over at Disputes & Prosecutions where someone has failed to obtain a zero fare change of route excess before boarding.


Taking customer flexibility to a whole new level...

It doesn't shed much light as to what happens if your intended train is cancelled and yet, contrary to what the new NRCoT would lead you to expect, no advice on options for alternative travel is provided?

And it seems to imply you have to wait to be told what you may do before you may do anything at all? (Even take the next train operated by the same operator if travelling on an Advance?)

It ought surely to be incumbent on the railway to tell passengers about any exceptions to the 'two trains before or after (same operator)' rule which the new NRCoT says 'normally' applies? I can't immediately think why there would need to be any exceptions to that, though?

 

[Oscar M]

And it seems to imply you have to wait to be told what you may do before you may do anything at all? (Even take the next train operated by the same operator if travelling on an Advance?)

It ought surely to be incumbent on the railway to tell passengers about any exceptions to the 'two trains before or after (same operator)' rule which the new NRCoT says 'normally' applies?

If I buy an advance for the 17:00 on a route with half-hourly service and the train is subsequently cancelled, it doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence when the conditions effectively say "well the operator will probably let you on the 16:00, but they might not".

 

[sheff1]

It doesn't shed much light as to what happens if your intended train is cancelled and yet, contrary to what the new NRCoT would lead you to expect, no advice on options for alternative travel is provided?

If a train is cancelled NRE normally () has a link to alternative options. Those options are not restricted to the same TOC which was cancelled (where other TOCs are available of course). I think there is an argument to be made that this is the "advice" mentioned in the first sentence of 28.3 and effectively permission to use a different TOC.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned (I've tried searching the thread with keywords and can't find anything), but I note that the conditions now say this:

Though I'm not sure if the inclusion of "normally" changes anything...

I suspect the "normally" is intended to cover low frequency services, where waiting for the next train operated by the same train company could result in an excessive wait.

To give an extreme example, if CrossCountry cancelled their 0748 from Glasgow after the 0648 had departed, the next train wouldn't be until 0648 the next day. So they'd presumably make arrangements with ScotRail to get customers across to Edinburgh for onward XC services.

 

[redreni]

I suspect the "normally" is intended to cover low frequency services, where waiting for the next train operated by the same train company could result in an excessive wait.

To give an extreme example, if CrossCountry cancelled their 0748 from Glasgow after the 0648 had departed, the next train wouldn't be until 0648 the next day. So they'd presumably make arrangements with ScotRail to get customers across to Edinburgh for onward XC services.

Maybe, but I'm still not sure why that requires the entitlement to take the two XC trains before or after to be qualified? Why shouldn't the customer travel the next day if they wish?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

28.3 Where a train service is cancelled after you have purchased your Ticket(s), we will advise you what your alternative options for travel are. In addition to the validity that your Ticket automatically entitles you to, you will normally in such circumstances be permitted to travel up to either two trains prior or two trains after the affected service, using the same operator that you are booked onto. Where services are significantly less frequent and this is not a suitable option, we will provide you with an appropriate alternative. Otherwise, you can request a full refund in accordance with Condition 30.

Who will advise 'what your alternative options' are?
Define 'normally'.
Define 'significantly less frequent'.
Why just the two trains either side of your booked train? As an example, view the west coast meltdown last Friday at Stafford or the preceding Friday at Congleton. Train after train cancelled. Two trains after your booked train and still no train to catch

 

[Mainline421]

Who will advise 'what your alternative options' are?
Define 'normally'.
Define 'significantly less frequent'.
Why just the two trains either side of your booked train? As an example, view the west coast meltdown last Friday at Stafford or the preceding Friday at Congleton. Train after train cancelled. Two trains after your booked train and still no train to catch

... And what if you have no booked train? Quite shocking that all these vague new conditions made it through their legal teams.

 

[redreni]

... And what if you have no booked train? Quite shocking that all these vague new conditions made it through their legal teams.

Have the arrangements to accept people with (super) off-peak tickets on trains they wouldn't normally be permitted to use when their intended train is cancelled always been discretionary?

It would be quite unreasonable, for instance, to expect people to wait until after the end of the evening peak period, or penalise them with an excess fare, if the last train before the evening peak restrictions kick in was cancelled. But what about if the penultimate train before the start of the evening peak is cancelled? It's unclear if the two trains before and after rule trumps time restrictions on (super) off-peak tickets?

It does seem fairly clear you need to have a booking on the cancelled train (presumably an itinerary and/or a reservation) in order to benefit from this condition.

 

[furlong]

Have they taken on a major new contractual commitment with "we will advise you"? You buy a ticket from a ticket office on Wednesday for travel on Saturday. On Thursday they cancel your train. They are now legally obliged to give you this advice. So does the ticket office now need to collect your contact details at the point of sale and pass it to the train operator so that it will be able to perform this contractual obligation should your train be cancelled? Similarly surely station ticket machines must also now collect your contact details and use them to notify you of all cancellations of services relevant to your ticket?

Let's see if failing to advise a passenger of a cancellation now after they bought their ticket in breach of the contract can introduce any additional consequential liability (where they would have travelled earlier to arrive on time, had they been informed as per the contract).

 

[ainsworth74]

So as of now if I buy, say, an Off-Peak Day Return Middlesbrough to York routed "Not Via Darlington" (£23.30) and then coming back in the evening want to go via Darlington (£35.60 - £23.30 ÷ 2 = £6.15 excess due) I am now required to buy a whole new ticket (York to Middlesbrough Off-Peak Day Single £35.50) if I wish to avoid prosecution/penalty fare? The ticket office is closed from 2000 (a couple of hours before the last possible option of going via Darlington), the excess cannot be purchased from a TVM or online so there is no option now?

 

[Belperpete]

Why just the two trains either side of your booked train? As an example, view the west coast meltdown last Friday at Stafford or the preceding Friday at Congleton. Train after train cancelled. Two trains after your booked train and still no train to catch

A non-existant train is surely not a train. I read it as meaning that you are not required to catch the actual next train, but can catch the one after. For example, if the next train that turns up is rammed solid, you can wait for the next one that might have a bit more space.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2025 ==

Have the arrangements to accept people with (super) off-peak tickets on trains they wouldn't normally be permitted to use when their intended train is cancelled always been discretionary?

It would be quite unreasonable, for instance, to expect people to wait until after the end of the evening peak period, or penalise them with an excess fare, if the last train before the evening peak restrictions kick in was cancelled. But what about if the penultimate train before the start of the evening peak is cancelled? It's unclear if the two trains before and after rule trumps time restrictions on (super) off-peak tickets?

It does seem fairly clear you need to have a booking on the cancelled train (presumably an itinerary and/or a reservation) in order to benefit from this condition.

Where does it say that you need to have a booking? It says that you are entitled to travel on the services either side of the affected (cancelled) service, it does not say the train that you are booked on. The only place where it mentions booking is in respect of that you must travel with the operator that you are booked on (i.e. if you have a ticket with a TOC specific restriction).

 

[eoff]

Every day is a school day - I thought that URLs were case insensitive!

Don't think that because it is wrong.
The part right of the domain is case sensitive. But in the land of varying OSs and filesystems the behaviour will depend on the web server environment or settings.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A non-existant train is surely not a train. I read it as meaning that you are not required to catch the actual next train, but can catch the one after. For example, if the next train that turns up is rammed solid, you can wait for the next one that might have a bit more space.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2025 ==


Where does it say that you need to have a booking? It says that you are entitled to travel on the services either side of the affected (cancelled) service, it does not say the train that you are booked on. The only place where it mentions booking is in respect of that you must travel with the operator that you are booked on (i.e. if you have a ticket with a TOC specific restriction).

Yes, quite possibly. Glass half-full or half-empty.

I always read that statement (at times of disruption) as being 'oh how gracious of them, they have so generously allowed me to travel on a alternative train', what with them having cancelled your expected train I would expect so!

 

[eoff]

So looking at 4.3 and 5.1.3, is a ticket sold by the original purchaser to another individual at face value definitely valid...

4.3
You may only buy your Ticket from a Train Company or Licensed Retailer, otherwise it may not be valid.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Have they taken on a major new contractual commitment with "we will advise you"? You buy a ticket from a ticket office on Wednesday for travel on Saturday. On Thursday they cancel your train. They are now legally obliged to give you this advice. So does the ticket office now need to collect your contact details at the point of sale and pass it to the train operator so that it will be able to perform this contractual obligation should your train be cancelled? Similarly surely station ticket machines must also now collect your contact details and use them to notify you of all cancellations of services relevant to your ticket?

Essentially it's codifying the change to automatic ticket acceptance that was introduced in August 2024 into the NRCoT.

Service alteration emails are triggered by a Rail Delivery Group system called the Timetable Comparator Service, use of which is not (currently) required for Ticket Office, TVM or on-board sales.

There are three main times Ticket Office staff should capture customer details:

• When selling a Railcard
• When selling a Monthly or longer Season Ticket
• When selling a Sleeper ticket

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Essentially it's codifying the change to automatic ticket acceptance that was introduced in August 2024 into the NRCoT.

Service alteration emails are triggered by a Rail Delivery Group system called the Timetable Comparator Service, use of which is not (currently) required for Ticket Office, TVM or on-board sales.

There are three main times Ticket Office staff should capture customer details:

• When selling a Railcard
• When selling a Monthly or longer Season Ticket
• When selling a Sleeper ticket

A frightening thought. Capturing details at every opportunity. Rather like those shops where, at the till they ask, "would you like to give us your email address?". Err, no thanks I get enough sales junk as it is.

Then of course there is the issue of forced reservations as, when purchasing a ticket online or at a TVM, an itinerary is required. So you select any old train just to get the ticket bought. Shortly you may receive emails / alerts when the train you had no real intention of catching is cancelled.

I just can't wait to have an even longer queue at the single TVM whilst slow typer tries to remember, enter incorrectly etc their personal details.

Technology, it's making life so much easier!

 

[furlong]

Service alteration emails are triggered by a Rail Delivery Group system called the Timetable Comparator Service, use of which is not (currently) required for Ticket Office, TVM or on-board sales.

Well I'd suggest that under this updated contract, it became mandatory as of yesterday for all sales channels including ticket offices and on-board sales and TVMs either to collect contact information or to record that the passenger has explicitly opted out (so they cannot later take successful action for lack of notification). Until this can be implemented, train companies all need to provide a simple alternative way for people to opt in and advertise this at all points of sale that don't already use such a system.

(Knowing the railway, we'll get the usual fudge of a new sticker on all TVMs saying how to register to receive real time updates and a tiny notice on ticket office windows.)

 

[AlterEgo]

A frightening thought. Capturing details at every opportunity. Rather like those shops where, at the till they ask, "would you like to give us your email address?". Err, no thanks I get enough sales junk as it is.

So you'd prefer the railway not to advise customers when their train is retired or cancelled then?

 

[Belperpete]

Well I'd suggest that under this updated contract, it became mandatory as of yesterday for all sales channels including ticket offices and on-board sales and TVMs either to collect contact information or to record that the passenger has explicitly opted out (so they cannot later take successful action for lack of notification). Until this can be implemented, train companies all need to provide a simple alternative way for people to opt in and advertise this at all points of sale that don't already use such a system.

(Knowing the railway, we'll get the usual fudge of a new sticker on all TVMs saying how to register to receive real time updates and a tiny notice on ticket office windows.)

Nowhere does it say that notification is going to be by email. For example, someone who has bought an off-peak return is entitled to travel on any off-peak train on the day of outward travel, and within the next month for the return journey, on any permissible route. The idea that you are going to be sent emails about every train that you might possibly travel on, potentially long after you have travelled, is ridiculous, and such a volume of emails would probably cause the emails to be bounced.

It does not say that you will be advised personally. I suggest that they will treat publishing notice of the cancellation on their website and/or NRE as having advised you. In the same way as they treat making an on-board announcement as providing advice - the guard doesn't have to go round and speak to every individual passenger.

 

[Hadders]

So as of now if I buy, say, an Off-Peak Day Return Middlesbrough to York routed "Not Via Darlington" (£23.30) and then coming back in the evening want to go via Darlington (£35.60 - £23.30 ÷ 2 = £6.15 excess due) I am now required to buy a whole new ticket (York to Middlesbrough Off-Peak Day Single £35.50) if I wish to avoid prosecution/penalty fare? The ticket office is closed from 2000 (a couple of hours before the last possible option of going via Darlington), the excess cannot be purchased from a TVM or online so there is no option now?

This is something where there really needs to be some guidance issued.

The right to a change of route excess has been removed from condition 9.5 which means if you don't obtain the excess before commencing your journey then the train company is entitled to deal with you as though you do not hold a ticket at all (i.e. sell a new undiscounted ticket, Penalty Fare or prosecute as per condition 9)

On the other hand, condition 6 says that if there were no facilities for the issue of the Ticket you require then you must buy an appropriate Ticket to complete your journey as soon as you are reasonably able to do so. This suggests to me that you may board the train and purchase the excess at the first available opportunity.

However, there must be a reason why the entitlement to a change of route excess has been removed from condition 9.5 (especially as the entitlement to an excess if you travel with an off peak ticket at an invalid time has been retained). We also know that obtaining excess fares at ticket offices is nototiously difficult so there is much opportunity for misunderstanding and confusion.

 

[MrJeeves]

However, there must be a reason why the entitlement to a change of route excess has been removed from condition 9.5 (especially as the entitlement to an excess if you travel with an off peak ticket at an invalid time has been retained). We also know that obtaining excess fares at ticket offices is nototiously difficult so there is much opportunity for misunderstanding and confusion.

I think the existing wording was far too vague. The phrase "are using a route for which your Ticket is not valid" could extend well beyond not following the geographic route on the ticket. I would bet that, instead of thinking of some way to reword this to be more restrictive, they simply removed it entirely.

Someone could probably argue that their London Terminals to Reading ticket, used via Coventry, was simply them using a route for which their ticket wasn't valid.

 

[furlong]

It does not say that you will be advised personally. I suggest that they will treat publishing notice of the cancellation on their website and/or NRE as having advised you. In the same way as they treat making an on-board announcement as providing advice - the guard doesn't have to go round and speak to every individual passenger.

That's not how I read the new wording - it is specific about a cancellation after YOUR purchase - and the sentence is active and specific "we will advise you". It doesn't say "you may check some website repeatedly to make sure your train is still running and you won't need to set off earlier if you still want to arrive on time". The wording is triggered at the time of the cancellation and puts the onus on the railway to get the information to the passenger rather than placing any obligation upon the passenger to actively go and check repeatedly that a rare and unlikely event hasn't occurred!

It's not rocket science. We know that some retailers have already implemented early versions of this and industry systems are available so it seems reasonable to believe that this has been added to the NRCOT to push industry laggards into rolling this out universally.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

So you'd prefer the railway not to advise customers when their train is retired or cancelled then?

In many cases yes. Silence is golden.

If there is to be a widespread rollout of such notification it needs to be an 'opt-in' service and not an 'opt-out' hidden at the bottom of a page (or off-screen as per Trainsplit).

Railways are not airlines with their generally infrequent service and unpublished timetables which are frequently altered at the drop of a hat. Ditto twice per day ferries from Fishguard or the Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya operating just three times per day, where prior booking is compulsory and would often be essential anyway as standing is not allowed.

Where the service is infrequent, and cancellation can have large implications on previous / post travel arrangements then yes, prior notice, as far out as possible, is a good thing. As per those examples above. In Great Britain services such as the sleeper or remote infrequent routes such as the West Highland, Far North or Heart of Wales then notification (and offering genuine realistic alternatives) may often be beneficial.

Where the train runs three times per hour and capacity is not restricted to the number of seats available then the need for notification is much less. Especially if you are on a flexible ticket and may catch 'whatever the next train is' anyway.

At the point of travel there already is sufficient information out there, on sites accessible to the general public, to advise of late running, cancellations, disruptions etc. The quality and usefulness of that information is a different matter "trains may be cancelled, diverted or delayed by 60 minutes" doesn't really tell the traveller anything.

People need to take some responsibility for their lives. That includes checking you have clean socks, whether rain is forecast and whether your trains are running on time before you leave the house.