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National Rail Conditions of Travel - Part C: Planning Your Journey and Buying Your Ticket

10. Penalty Fares

Information

Some Train Companies issue Penalty Fares. More information on Penalty Fares and a list of the Train Companies operating such schemes can be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk/penaltyfare.

10.1 Train Companies are required to ensure that warning notices are clearly displayed at stations where Penalty Fares apply. You may be charged a Penalty Fare if:

  • 10.1.1 You travel on a train service without a valid Ticket; or

  • 10.1.2 You travel in first class accommodation with a standard class Ticket; or

  • 10.1.3 You travel on a train service at a time when your service-specific Ticket is not valid (unless Condition 9.4 applies); or

Information

Service specific Tickets are those that require you to use a particular specified train service or train services for all or part of your journey, such as Advance Tickets.

  • 10.1.4 You travel with a Train Company for which your Ticket is not valid; or

  • 10.1.5 You do not have the necessary supporting document(s), where required (for example a valid Railcard or photocard).

10.2 Where notices indicate that Penalty Fares apply from that station and you do not have a valid Ticket, you must, where indicated, obtain a "promise to pay" from a self-service Ticket machine.