Payment methods

The following are accepted as methods of payments at National Rail stations and retail outlets. They also apply to paying on-train when no opportunity to purchase beforehand existed.

Self-service ticket machines at National Rail stations will accept a more limited range of payment.

Information shown might not apply to National Rail products purchased at independent rail licensed travel agents or from other third party retailers.

Cash

Credit/Debit/Charge Cards

All National Rail train companies accept the major cards such as Visa, Visa Delta, MasterCard, Maestro and Amex.  Some train companies also accept Diners Club International, Solo and Electron.

Cheques

As from 1 July 2011the cheque guarantee scheme is being withdrawn by the UK banks, personal cheques will no longer be accepted by the majority of Train Operators as a method of payment,

Some Train Operators will continue to accept business cheques and bankers drafts. See table below for further details:

Train Company	From 1 July 2011
Arriva Trains Wales	Company cheques accepted only,no Partnership/ LLP cheques.
c2c	Company cheques accepted only.
Chiltern Railways	Company cheques accepted only.
CrossCountry	Does not have its own ticket offices.
East Coast	No cheques accepted.
East Midlands Trains	Company cheques accepted only.
First Capital Connect	Company cheques accepted for Annual Seasons only.
First Great Western	Company cheques accepted for Annual Seasons only.
First Hull Trains	Company cheques accepted for Annual Seasons only until 31 Jan 2012. No cheques accepted at all after that date.
First TransPennine Express	No cheques accepted.
Grand Central	No cheques accepted.
Greater Anglia	Company cheques accepted only.
Heathrow Express	No information received - contact train company direct.
London Midland	Cheques (personal and company) accepted for renewal of annual seasons only.
London Overground	No cheques accepted.
Merseyrail	Company cheques accepted only.
Northern Rail	Company cheques accepted only.
Scotrail	Company cheques accepted for Annual Seasons only until 31 Jan 2012. No cheques accepted at all after that date.
South West Trains	Company cheques accepted for Annual Seasons only.
Southeastern	Company cheques accepted only
Southern	Company cheques are only accepted at ticket offices in payment for Annual season tickets only and only in the following circumstances: If the ticket is a renewal of an existing Annual season ticket paid for by cheque, it can be issued without further verification. If the ticket is a new issue, the customer must produce ID from the list below.
Virgin Trains	Company cheques accepted only

Travellers cheques

Travellers cheques may be accepted for payment for meals, fares or other customer facilities, provided that they are:

• in sterling, in which case they must be accepted at face value;
• (where accepted by the train company) in foreign currencies that are listed on the conversion tables provided.

Travellers' cheques should be tendered as near as possible to the value of the tickets or services provided. Change will always be given in sterling.

Rail travel accounts (warrants)

Company or MoD warrants are accepted in accordance with the instructions supplied by the department or organisation where you obtained the warrant.

National Rail Travel Vouchers

What are National Rail Travel Vouchers?

National Rail Travel Vouchers are issued as compensation under a Train Operating Company’s Passenger's Charter, ex-gratia payments for other compensatory reasons, as goodwill gestures or for marketing purposes.

These are of varying values, usually £1 (green), £5 (blue), £10 (orange) and £20 (yellow).  Some train companies also issue their own bespoke vouchers for very specific amounts depending on the circumstances in which they have been awarded.

How can I use them?

They can be exchanged for ticket(s) to travel on National Rail services.

They can be exchanged at station booking offices or through some Telesales – if purchasing through a Telesales Department enough time must be allowed for processing, this can be up to 14 days. (Please check with the specific retailer).

They cannot be exchanged for cash.

Change cannot be given if the cost of the ticket(s) purchased is less than the value of voucher(s) tendered.

Do they have an expiry date?

They are usually valid for one year from the date of issue.

London Underground Customer Charter Vouchers

London Underground issue Customer Charter Vouchers to customers who have made legitimate claims for delays or cancellations to Underground train services. They are currently issued up to a maximum value of £7.00 (subject to annual revision) and are valid for 13 months from the date of issue.

These vouchers are accepted at stations and offices in the former Network SouthEast area as full or part payment for any day or period Travelcard or for any ticket that is valid for through travel to a named London Underground or Docklands Light Railway station or to a ‘U’ Zone destination, e.g. St Albans to Zone U12.

They are not exchangable for cash and change cannot be given if the cost of the ticket(s) purchased is less than the value of voucher(s) tendered.

Exchange Orders

Exchange Orders are used only in a limited capacity, mainly in conjunction with the issue of Railcards on behalf of some Councils and certain independent organisations.

They cannot be exchanged for cash and change cannot be given if the value of the transaction is less than that of the Order.

Postal Orders

Postal Orders of the United Kingdom are accepted as payment for goods and services, providing they:

• bear an issue date stamp which is not more than six months old;
• are crossed and made payable to your Train Company. Any received uncrossed must be crossed with two lines at the time of acceptance;
• are not made out for a greater amount than that due since no change must be given.

In no circumstances can a Postal Order be exchanged for cash or accepted when made payable to a third party.

National Transport Tokens

Tokens to the value of 10p, 20p and 50p are minted for purchase by local authorities and welfare organisations who distribute them, in lieu of money, for travel purposes.

National Transport Tokens are accepted by National Rail in payment, or part payment, for travel tickets and associated facilities e.g. reservations, supplements and purchase of timetables but will not be accepted for any on-train catering.

Change in cash may be given but this will not exceed the value of the lowest token tendered. Tokens will not be exchanged for money.

Certain local councils operate independent token or voucher schemes for local travel. For information on whether these are accepted by Train Companies customers should get in touch with the issuing authority.

This information shown might not apply to National Rail products purchased at rail licensed travel agents or from other third party retailers.