Anytime Short Return

-

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 and/or destination of your ticket, you will need to buy a new ticket and apply for a refund on your existing ticket (see below).

The outward portions of Anytime Short Returns are valid on the date shown on the ticket.

-

Return portions of Anytime Short Return tickets are valid until 04:29 in the early morning following the last day of validity (i.e. one Calendar month from outward journey).  All travel must be completed by this time.

-

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, 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.