Off-Peak Day Return

Ticket offices and travel centres, self-service ticket machines at stations, rail-appointed travel agents, online at most train company websites or through other online retailers or train company telesales offices.

Tickets can be bought in advance or immediately before travel.

Tickets can be bought in advance or immediately before travel. You can reserve a seat on many longer distance services. Reservations are recommended on busy services. If you wish to change your time of travel you can pay the difference between the cost of the ticket held and the cost of the ticket that is most appropriate for the journey you need to make. In many cases, if you are still travelling at a time when your ticket is not restricted, no additional fare is payable. If you wish to change the date of travel, or the origin or destination of your ticket, it may be necessary to buy a new ticket and apply for a refund on your existing ticket (see below).

The outward part of the ticket is only valid for travel when accompanied by the unused return part of the same ticket.

Off-Peak Day tickets may require you to travel at specific times of day, days of the week or on a specific route. Website journey planners can tell you when your ticket can be used - simply enter your outward and return journey times to see the trains you can travel on. If you board a train at a time when your Off-Peak ticket is not valid, you will be charged the difference between the fare you have paid and the cheapest valid fare for the service concerned.  In some circumstances you may have to pay a penalty fare.  

If the route shown on the ticket has a + or † symbol then the ticket includes the cost of travelling between certain London Stations (e.g. between Victoria and Paddington) by either London Underground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) or Thameslink services as appropriate to the route of the journey being made. Tickets will only be accepted by London Underground and DLR up to the last day of validity of the ticket and until 04:29 the following day. Other than to change trains, a break of journey at intermediate London Underground or DLR stations is not permitted.

All tickets and travel are subject to the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

Off-Peak Day Return tickets are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 the following morning. All travel must be completed by this time.

The National Rail Journey Planner will automatically work out which tickets are valid for your journey. 

The times when you may use your Off-Peak ticket are indicated by a Restriction Code applicable to the journey you are making. This can be viewed by clicking the link from the Journey Planner ticket terms and conditions page once you have made your selection.

The Restriction Code is a two character (alpha-numeric) code. This is shown on most tickets and the meaning can be found by going to www.nationalrail.co.uk/XX [where 'XX' is the two character code].

You will also be advised of the restriction when buying your ticket.

Break of journey is permitted unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket's Restriction Code.

Off-Peak Day Return tickets are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 the following morning. All travel must be completed by this time.

The National Rail Journey Planner will automatically work out which tickets are valid for your journey. 

The times when you may use your Off-Peak ticket are indicated by a Restriction Code applicable to the journey you are making. This can be viewed by clicking the link from the Journey Planner ticket terms and conditions page once you have made your selection.

The Restriction Code is a two character (alpha-numeric) code. This is shown on most tickets and the meaning can be found by going to www.nationalrail.co.uk/XX [where 'XX' is the two character code].

You will also be advised of the restriction when buying your ticket.

Break of journey is permitted unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket's Restriction Code.

For tickets purchased until 31 March 2026:

Your ticket is refundable. If you decide not to use your ticket to make all or part of your intended journey then you can get a refund by returning your unused ticket to the ticket office or place of purchase (for tickets bought via websites, telesales or travel agents) within 28 days of the ticket expiry date.

You may be required to pay an administration fee (up to a maximum of £5 per ticket). The refund amount will normally take into account any use you have made of the ticket and in some circumstances no refund will be paid.

For tickets purchased from 1 April 2026:

Refundable until 23:59 the day before the ticket becomes valid for travel.

Not refundable once the ticket has become valid for travel unless Condition 30 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel (failure of train service) applies.

In exceptional circumstances a refund may be considered on unused or part-used tickets that have become valid for travel. In such cases an application must be made to the retailer within 28 days of the expiry date of the ticket and should include the reason for non-use. Additional evidence may be requested, refunds will be on a discretionary basis, and any use made of the ticket may mean that in some circumstances no refund will be due.

Refunds are only available from the retailer that sold the tickets.

An administration fee (up to a maximum of £5 per ticket) may be applied.

A ticket will need to be changed in order to travel to a destination further than where it was purchased to, change the route of the ticket, change the class of travel from Standard Class to First Class, change the date of travel, or change the time you are allowed to travel.

Changes to tickets purchased online should be made by the retailer from which the ticket was bought. Staffed station ticket offices can also make changes in most cases, provided that this is done before the start of the journey.

NOTE: A change to the date of travel can only be made BEFORE the date on which the ticket becomes valid for travel. Other alterations such as changes to the route or class of travel will be subject to a suitable alternative product being available. In some cases, it may be cheaper to purchase a new ticket.