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Anytime Return

The following terms and conditions apply to this type of ticket. Please note that some tickets have restrictions on the days or times you can travel. Please check before you travel.

Terms and Conditions

Description

Anytime fares are fully flexible walk-up tickets with no restrictions on when you can travel.

Single or Return

Return

Operator

  • Transport for Wales
  • c2c
  • Caledonian Sleeper
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • East Midlands Railway
  • Gatwick Express
  • Grand Central
  • Great Northern
  • Great Western Railway
  • Greater Anglia
  • Heathrow Express
  • Hull Trains
  • Island Line
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • West Midlands Railway
  • London Overground
  • Merseyrail
  • Northern
  • ScotRail
  • South Western Railway
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • Stansted Express
  • Elizabeth line
  • Thameslink
  • TransPennine Express
  • Avanti West Coast
  • LNER
  • Lumo

Standard Class Ticket Code

E1R, GOR, GTR, HOR, HX4, LAR, LRA, SOR & 8AC

Availability

Purchase Location

-

Purchase Availability

Available to buy online and at stations, at any time before departure.

Return travel must be completed within 1 calendar month of outward date.

Pre-booking Requirement

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.There are no restrictions on when you can travel, however if you wish to change your date of outward travel or the origin andor destination of your ticket, you will need to buy a new ticket and apply for a refund on your existing ticket (see below).

Reservations Compulsory

Yes

No, but you can reserve a seat on many longer distance services and reservations are recommended on busy services. Please note that some train services are designated as reservation only, regardless of ticket held.

More information on seat reservations can be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-and-offers/buying-a-ticket/seat-reservations/

Discounts

Children

Yes

Children (aged 5 to 15 inclusive) 50% discount. Up to two children aged under 5 can travel free with each fare paying passenger.

Railcards

Yes

Minimum fare (applicable to 16-25 and HM Forces) is £12.

Outward Journey

Day Of Travel

Anytime Return tickets are valid for one return journey. The outward portion is valid for five days including the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 in the morning after the last day of outward validity. All outward travel must be completed by this time.

Break Of Journey

Break of journey is allowed.

Return Journey

Day Of Travel

Anytime Return tickets are valid for one return journey. The return portion is valid for travel until 04:29 in the morning after the last day of validity (i.e. one calendar month from the outward journey). All travel must be completed by this time.

Break Of Journey

Break of journey is allowed.

Refunds

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.

Changes To Travel Plans

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, or change the date of 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 Anytime product being available. In some cases, it may be cheaper to purchase a new ticket.

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