Passenger's Charter

April 2024

Great Northern

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(iX
GATWICK EXPRESS
Thameslink/

WE'RE WITH YOU

Contents
1.0 Passenger’s Charter ..................................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 National Rail Conditions of Travel ................................................................................................................ 3
3.0 Our commitments to you .............................................................................................................................. 3
4.0 Information to help you plan your journey .................................................................................................... 3
4.1 Our websites and other online sources .................................................................................................... 3
4.2 Our apps .................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.3 Travel alerts............................................................................................................................................... 4
4.4 Twitter ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
4.5 Leaflets, timetables and general information ............................................................................................ 4
4.6 Up-to-the-minute information on our trains and stations .......................................................................... 4
4.7 Other sources of information .................................................................................................................... 4
5.0 Ticket advice and information ....................................................................................................................... 5
5.1 Ticket offices ............................................................................................................................................. 5
5.2 Queuing times ........................................................................................................................................... 5
5.3 Ticket machines ........................................................................................................................................ 5
5.4 On our website or app ............................................................................................................................... 5
5.5 The Key Smartcard ................................................................................................................................... 5
5.6 Oyster Pay As You Go / Contactless........................................................................................................ 5
5.7 Children ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
5.8 Group Travel ............................................................................................................................................. 6
6.0 Accessibility and disabled passengers ......................................................................................................... 6
6.1 Assisted Travel Service ............................................................................................................................ 6
6.2 Accessible Travel Policy ........................................................................................................................... 7
7.0 We want your feedback ................................................................................................................................ 7
7.1. The Customer Cabinets and Passenger Panels ..................................................................................... 7
7.2 Access Advisory Panel ............................................................................................................................. 8
8.0 Train Performance ........................................................................................................................................ 8
9.0 Ticketless Travel and Reducing fare evasion .............................................................................................. 8
9.1 Penalty fares ............................................................................................................................................. 9
10.0 Our standards - Customer satisfaction....................................................................................................... 9
10.1 Stations – what you can expect .............................................................................................................. 9
10.2 Car parking .............................................................................................................................................. 9
10.3 Staff ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
11.0 On train - what to expect .......................................................................................................................... 10
11.1 Finding a seat........................................................................................................................................ 10
11.2 Priority seating, wheelchair spaces and Baby On Board scheme ....................................................... 10
11.3 First Class ............................................................................................................................................. 10
11.4 Taking bikes on our trains ..................................................................................................................... 10
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 11.5 Luggage ................................................................................................................................................ 11
11.6 Pets ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
11.7 Smoking ................................................................................................................................................ 11
11.8 Changing between trains ...................................................................................................................... 11
11.9 Travelling to airports.............................................................................................................................. 11
Flying from Gatwick Airport ....................................................................................................................... 11
Flying from Luton Airport ........................................................................................................................... 12
11.10 Travelling by Eurostar ......................................................................................................................... 12
12.0 Keeping you informed when things don’t go to plan ................................................................................ 12
12.1 Delays.................................................................................................................................................... 12
12.2 Planned improvement works ................................................................................................................ 12
12.3 Temporary timetables ........................................................................................................................... 12
13.0 Retail and Refunds ................................................................................................................................... 13
13.1 All tickets – including season tickets .................................................................................................... 13
13.2 Season tickets - refunds and general advice ....................................................................................... 13
13.3 Season tickets – failure or loss ............................................................................................................. 13
14.0 Delay Repay Compensation ..................................................................................................................... 14
15.0 Other compensation arrangements .......................................................................................................... 16
15.1 First Class ............................................................................................................................................. 16
16.0 Lost property ............................................................................................................................................. 16
17.0 Your data .................................................................................................................................................. 16
18.0 Answering your enquiries ......................................................................................................................... 17
18.1 Customer Relations and our contact details ......................................................................................... 17
18.2 Our Complaints Handling Procedure .................................................................................................... 18
18.3 If you’re unhappy with our response ..................................................................................................... 18
18.4 Station information for other Train Operators ....................................................................................... 19
Greater Anglia............................................................................................................................................ 19
LNER ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
London Northwestern Railway .................................................................................................................. 19
London Underground................................................................................................................................. 19
London Overground................................................................................................................................... 19
Southeastern ............................................................................................................................................. 20
South Western Railway ............................................................................................................................. 20

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1.0 Passenger’s Charter
We’ve designed our Passenger’s Charter to be simple and user-friendly. The key areas we cover are:
• Our commitments to you
• How to plan your journey
• Performance targets and where to find information on performance
• The standards you can expect from us
• How we will compensate you if things go wrong
• How to contact us with your suggestions or concerns

We review our Passenger’s Charter annually. Any changes we make will be after consultation with:
• Transport Focus
• London TravelWatch
• Our passengers
• Our staff
We submit the revisions to the Department for Transport (DfT) for their agreement.
Copies of our Passenger’s Charter can be found at our staffed stations or from Customer Relations or
downloaded from our websites. The Passenger’s Charter is available in large print and braille on request.

2.0 National Rail Conditions of Travel

Our Passenger’s Charter does not affect your legal rights – they are set out in the National Rail Conditions
of Travel. You can ask for a copy at any staffed station or download it from one of our websites or from
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/National%20Rail%20Conditions%20of%20Travel.pdf. This is a useful
document that we reference a number of times in our Passengers Charter.

3.0 Our commitments to you

As we prepare for the future, GTR is committed to the development of a “One Railway Our Railway”
approach providing an excellent customer experience through focus on brilliant basics and closer
collaboration with stakeholders and industry partners providing an end-to-end journey experience that is
inclusive of all and meets the travel demands of tomorrow.
We will work proactively with the Department for Transport, stakeholders and industry partners to reshape
the rail industry delivering the benefits of Great British Railways.

4.0 Information to help you plan your journey

We want you to be able to make an informed choice about how and when to travel so we provide
comprehensive information about our train services, station facilities and promotions. You can find this
information using the options below:

4.1 Our websites and other online sources

On our websites you can find up-to-the-minute train running information as well as detailed
information on our policies, services and achievements.

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Visit www.tfl.gov.uk to find out about travelling by public transport in London on tubes, buses,
Docklands Light Railway and London Overground services. Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk to find out
about rail journeys across the UK.

4.2 Our apps

Our apps are interactive and can help you plan your journey. You can download them free from the App
Store or Google Play.

4.3 Travel alerts

Get up-to-the-minute information on how our trains are running by signing up to National Rail travel alerts.
Find out more at www.nationalrail.co.uk or by visiting our website.

4.4 Twitter
Follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information on our services on @GatwickExpress,
@GNRailUK, @SouthernRailUK or @TLRailUK. You can ask questions and make suggestions.
The account is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).

4.5 Leaflets, timetables and general information

A wide range of information about our products and services are available at staffed ticket offices or via
Customer Relations, our timetables are available online and you can also sign up to receive our helpful
marketing emails.

4.6 Up-to-the-minute information on our trains and stations

All our stations have real-time customer information systems that give up-to-date, information
about departures and arrivals with details of any delays or disruption. Our stations have help
points and/or staff who can help with enquiries. If there is disruption, advisory announcements
will be made and information boards updated.
Some of our trains have automatic audio and visual information systems. The information provided depends
on the type of train. The minimum information we provide is:

• The train destination and main station stops

• The name of the next station as the train approaches
• The name of the station when the train arrives
Some of our older trains don’t have an automatic passenger information system so our drivers
will make audio announcements. They are trained to take the needs of visually impaired, deaf
or hearing impaired people into account. Drivers will make announcements, where possible, if
there is a delay or disruption.
4.7 Other sources of information
Information on other forms of public transport including the Underground, bus, coach, tram
or ferry services is available from:
Traveline www.traveline.org.uk 0871 200 2233
Transport for London www.tfl.gov.uk 020 7222 1234

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5.0 Ticket advice and information
We are committed to providing accurate and impartial ticket retailing. The document the ‘National Rail
Conditions of Travel’ sets out the legal contract when you buy a ticket and travel by train.
There are a range of ticket types available according to the time of travel and the level of
flexibility you need. Visit our website for full information or speak to any of our station staff.

5.1 Ticket offices

Our dedicated staff will provide you with ticketing options that most suit your needs.
You can pay with cash, credit or debit card and rail travel vouchers. A list of accepted cards is
displayed at each ticket office window. We display ticket-office opening hours, and the definition
of peak and off-peak times at each station along with alternative ways of buying tickets, such as
from self-service ticket machines.

5.2 Queuing times

Please leave enough time to buy your ticket. If you want to renew a season ticket or make a reservation on
another train operator’s services, it may be better to avoid the busy morning and evening rush hours.
Our aim is that you shouldn’t have to wait for more than five minutes before being served during busy peak
periods, and no more than three minutes during other times.
We carry out regular checks as part of our service quality audits to make sure we meet these standards and
sort out any problems we identify.
5.3 Ticket machines
Our ticket machines provide a quick way of buying or collecting a wide range of tickets. The methods
of payment you can use vary as not all take both cash and cards. Speak to station staff if you need
any help or assistance using a ticket machine.

5.4 On our website or app

You can buy the full range of Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance tickets on our website or app and season
tickets on our website for Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express routes (not for routes
outside our network).

You can collect your tickets from self-service ticket machines at stations or we can post them to you.

5.5 The Key Smartcard

The Key Smartcard is an easier and faster way to buy, renew and use train tickets. You can buy tickets on
our Key Smartcard at our ticket offices, online or ticket machines and you can find more information on our
websites showing the routes where the Key Smartcard is valid.
When you switch to The Key Smartcard, we can automatically send you an alert if you have been delayed
and may be due Delay Repay compensation- we’ll even create a claim for you, you’ll find more information
in the Delay repay section. If you add a product called KeyGo to the Key Smartcard, we’ll give you the best
walk-up fares available on any pay as you go travel where available. And it’s easy to replace lost or stolen
tickets this way - we can cancel your card and issue another one. Please visit our website for full details on
which routes the Key Smartcard is available.
5.6 Oyster Pay As You Go / Contactless
Within the Oyster area, you can pay for your journey on our services in London fare zones 1
- 6 with Oyster Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) and Contactless. There are some additional stations

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outside of these zones where you can also use Oyster or Contactless, full details are
available at www.tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/national-rail-fares-beyond-zone-9?intcmp=54712.
You can top up your PAYG at self-service ticket machines in London or other PAYG outlets. Oyster
validators are at every station in the Oyster area. If you have enough PAYG credit on your Oyster Card
to touch in at the beginning of your journey and out at the end, you will be charged the correct fare.
You can use contactless payment on most public transport within London. Use it to touch in and out
and you will be charged the correct PAYG fare. It will be deducted from your contactless payment
card account.
For queries about Oyster or contactless payment visit www.tfl.gov.uk or call 0343 222 1234.

5.7 Children
Up to two children under five can travel with you free of charge if you have a valid ticket.
Children under 16 are entitled to discounts on most tickets.

5.8 Group Travel

If you are travelling in a group of between three and nine people or a combination, you could qualify for a
Group Save discount of up to 34% during Off Peak times. Our website outlines where and when you can
travel. You can book in advance or just turn up at the station.

6.0 Accessibility and disabled passengers

We are committed to making our services and facilities as accessible as possible and our friendly and
knowledgeable Assisted Travel team can answer your questions.
Our commitments to improving accessibility across our network include:
• Improving access, free Blue Badge parking and interchange with other forms of transport
• Providing alternative transport including taxis
• Improving customer service by training our staff in disability and equality awareness
• Regular online surveys of passengers who have used our Assisted Travel Service
• Enhanced information – more information about the accessibility of every GTR station on the
National Rail Enquiries web site and our own websites
6.1 Assisted Travel Service
Our Assisted Travel service is available for passengers with specific assistance needs. We use the National
Rail booking system - Passenger Assist, and our team can book your entire train journey even if you
change onto another operator’s trains, and where possible, give assistance tailored to your needs.

The majority of passengers travel on our network without booking assistance. If you want to book
assistance our call centre can help you plan your journey. Bookings can be made up to three months before
you travel.
We recommend assistance is booked at least two hours in advance of travelling so we can make sure we
have staff available to help you. You can contact us at any time of the day. If your journey involves another
train company, we may need to confirm part of your journey with them. This might depend on their contact
centre opening hours. If this is the case, we will discuss options with you.
You can contact the team for general advice or to book assistance every day except Christmas Day or
alternatively by completing our on-line booking form or use the bespoke App.

Thameslink / Great Northern

Tel:0800 058 2844 Textphone:0800 138 1018

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www.thameslinkrailway.com/assistedtravel
www.greatnorthernrail.com/assistedtravel
Southern / Gatwick Express
Tel:0800 138 1016 Textphone:0800 138 1018
www.southernrailway.com/travel-information/travel-help/assisted-travel
www.gatwickexpress.com/travel-information/travel-help/assisted-travel
If you have impaired hearing the Textphone service run by National Rail Enquiries is available to ask about
train times and fares. The number is 0345 60 50 600 available 24 hours every day except Christmas Day.
If we fail to provide the assistance you booked through our Assisted Travel service let us know as soon as
possible and we will investigate why this happened and arrange a refund of your ticket.

6.2 Accessible Travel Policy

Our leaflet ‘Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers’ has more information and
is available from all staffed stations, on our website or on request from our Assisted Travel team. It
includes details about discounted tickets, accessibility at stations and on trains and what to expect if
your service is delayed or cancelled.

7.0 We want your feedback

Your views are important to us and by listening to your feedback; we can measure how we’re doing. There
are a variety of ways you can give feedback:
• Join our Online Passenger Panel team to take part in polls and surveys
• Through our Customer Cabinet groups who meet regularly with senior staff
• Contact Customer Relations – details at the end of this document
• Access Advisory Panel
• Consultation on major or local changes
Please report safety or security worries immediately to staff or text the British Transport Police on 61016
Our organisation also has a Customer Experience Strategy Group made up of the senior management
team. This group actively considers customer feedback and oversee action plans built on driving
improvement.
We also work closely with Transport Focus and London TravelWatch, who are passenger watchdogs,
carry out customer research, conduct surveys with passengers and consult with rail user groups across
the network to obtain rich and diverse feedback.
7.1. The Customer Cabinets and Passenger Panels

Our Customer Cabinets and Passenger Panels comprise a broad cross section of our passengers. They
work with us to improve the customer experience on our network, sharing their journey experiences,
observations and recommendations.

They work independently but have regular contact with our staff and senior management team and provide
input, insight and data to help improve our service.

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7.2 Access Advisory Panel

The Access Advisory Panel began in July 2016. The Panel was brought together to represent the needs of
all our passengers, including:

• Passengers with visual/hearing impairments

• Passengers with young children
• Elderly passengers requiring assistance when travelling
• Passengers with non-visible disabilities
• Passengers with physical disabilities

8.0 Train Performance

We work closely with the Network Rail team, who manage the railway infrastructure, to deliver a punctual
railway. We have a joint performance improvement plan in place, the initiatives in our plan include:

• Infrastructure upgrades
• Improving information
• New maintenance regimes
• Initiatives to reduce and minimise the impact of incidents
• Training and development of our teams
• Focus on delivering an On-Time railway

Industry performance targets

‘Public Performance Measure’ or PPM is a standard method of measuring performance in the rail industry.
This records trains arriving at the final destination within five minutes of their scheduled arrival time.

In April 2019 a new metric known as ‘On Time’ was introduced, this measures train punctuality to the minute
at each stop along its journey. This gives passengers more detail about their specific journey.

We will publish our targets, and how we are performing against them on our websites.

9.0 Ticketless Travel and Reducing fare evasion

It is estimated that fare evasion costs the rail industry over £240 million a year. We work alongside
other train companies, Transport for London and the British Transport Police to reduce ticketless
travel. An independent third party also measures our ticketless travel performance by carrying out on
board surveys and then shares our results with the Department for Transport.
There are unannounced ticket checks from time to time at our stations and on trains. Our staff may be in
plain clothes or uniform.
In addition, we have installed automatic ticket gates across the network to help reduce fare evasion and
keep stations safer. If you need to retain your ticket after your journey, please show it to a member of
gateline staff. They will open a gate for you.
It is your responsibility to purchase a valid ticket, and this must be done before you board our trains – there
are very few reasons why buying a ticket before travel was not possible- at stations we have ticket
machines, ticket offices, a small number of ‘permit to travel’ machines and online purchasing available
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where tickets can be bought. If you do not have a valid ticket or a valid ticket for the class of
accommodation you are travelling in, you may be issued with a penalty fare or even be prosecuted,
resulting in a criminal record, more information below.

9.1 Penalty fares

We operate a penalty fare system. When travelling with us you must have a valid ticket or
validated Contactless / Oyster Card or flexi season ticket for your entire journey covering the class
of travel you are using. If your ticket has a railcard discount applied, you must have the valid
railcard you used to buy the ticket with you. If you have a digital product, it is your responsibility to
ensure it is accessible for checking on your device.
If you travel without a valid ticket from a station where ticket facilities are available, the full range of
tickets won’t be available to you on the train or at your destination station. You may also be charged a
penalty fare – more information on what you might be charged can be found on our website. In certain
circumstances, we may consider taking legal action. If you receive a penalty fare, you’ll be given
instructions on how to appeal if you choose to.
If, for any reason, all ticket selling facilities are unavailable at a station, or a member of staff gives you
permission to do so, you may board the train without a ticket and won’t be charged a penalty fare.
Our staff on the train will know about the problem and will sell you the most appropriate ticket from the
full range available for your journey with a railcard discount if applicable.
If you don’t see a member of staff on the train, you must buy a ticket from the station where you get off.
The full range of tickets will be available, with railcard discount if applicable, and you won’t be charged a
penalty fare. If your journey involves an interchange, please buy a ticket at your earliest opportunity.
You can find full details of our penalty fare policy on our website.

10.0 Our standards - Customer satisfaction

We operate a ‘service quality regime’, administered by an independent third party, to measure various
factors impacting the customer experience. This includes mystery shopping and looks at the upkeep and
repairs at our stations and on board our trains. We will continue to report our performance against this
regime on our website.

10.1 Stations – what you can expect

We aim to provide safe, comfortable and attractive stations, which are clean and well maintained with
trained, helpful staff.
Our stations are well lit, and at main stations and car parks, we conduct regular security checks. We work
closely with the British Transport Police to combat crime and anti-social behaviour on the railway.

10.2 Car parking

There are car parking facilities at many of our stations. More information about stations with car parks
including the number of spaces and prices can be found on our websites. All of our car parks have Park
Mark accreditation.

10.3 Staff
You’ll find staff at most of our stations as well as being able to access Help Points to speak to a staff
member. Our website and printed notices at the station indicate the staffed times. They can help you with
any aspect of your journey and they will:
• Be courteous, helpful and willing to deal with your problems
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 • Be smartly dressed, easily recognisable and wear name badges
• Assist during service disruption

11.0 On train - what to expect

11.1 Finding a seat

Your rail ticket does not automatically entitle you to a seat, and at busy times you may have to stand. Our
aim is that nobody should stand for more than 20 minutes, even during our busiest times. We regularly
monitor the number of people on each train using automatic passenger load detection equipment or manual
counts. We use the information to help plan future services. You can find more information about passenger
loadings on our websites that will help identify less busy trains.
Advance tickets require a reservation ticket to identify which train they are valid on. The
reservation ticket entitles you to board a train but does not guarantee you a specific seat.

11.2 Priority seating, wheelchair spaces and Baby On Board scheme

There are designated seats for disabled passengers, expectant mothers, older passengers and those
with mobility issues on our trains. Our ‘Priority Seat card’ allows you to demonstrate your need to sit in
one of these seats.
Full details on applying for a ‘Priority Seat card’ are available on our website or by calling Assisted Travel.
We also operate a Baby on Board scheme- apply for your free badge online.
All our trains can accommodate wheelchairs. The locations of wheelchair spaces are indicated by signs
on the outside of the train doors. For safety reasons, we have some restrictions on the size and weight of
wheelchairs and mobility scooters we can carry. Larger wheelchairs or mobility scooters may not fit safely
onto our ramps or into the accessible spaces on our trains. The maximum limits are: width of 700mm,
length, including footplates of 1200mm and weight, including your weight, of 300kg. Full information is
available on our website.

11.3 First Class

There are First Class seats on the following Great Northern, Southern, Gatwick Express and
Thameslink routes, but not necessarily to all intermediate stations:
• Brighton to Bedford
• London to Cambridge and King’s Lynn
• London to Peterborough
• London to Gatwick, Brighton, Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton Central, Ore, Littlehampton, Bognor
Regis, Uckfield and East Grinstead.

11.4 Taking bikes on our trains

We welcome passengers with bikes when there is enough space for them to be carried safely.
You can bring compact folding bikes at any time, but they must be fully folded before boarding and
remain folded throughout the journey. There are separate rules for transporting e-scooters and
electric assist pedal cycles, more information is available online.
We can’t accommodate non-folding bikes on our busy morning and evening peak services
between Monday and Friday. We provide secure bike storage facilities at most of our
stations. More comprehensive details of our cycle policy are available on our websites.
Further restrictions
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In addition, we cannot carry non-folding bikes on:
• Any train at any time if your bike may cause an obstruction
• When a member of staff asks you to remove your bike
• Replacement bus services, unless otherwise stated
Bikes should not be locked to any part of the train or left unattended. Please don’t leave your bike in
the designated wheelchair spaces on board our trains even if they are not occupied by a wheelchair
user. Space for bikes on board our trains is limited due to the high number of passengers we carry.
Failure to follow the restrictions is a breach of Railway Byelaws which can result in legal action. You
can download a copy of the byelaws from www.gov.uk/government/publications/railway-byelaws

11.5 Luggage
The National Rail Conditions of Travel provide further information about the luggage train operators
accept on their services. Our staff can help disabled passengers with their luggage but can’t carry heavy
items or lots of bags. Please refer to our Accessible Travel Policy for further information.
11.6 Pets
Some pets can travel with us but please don’t allow them on seats and use appropriate
restraints and containers. We are happy to transport assistance dogs.

The National Rail Conditions of Travel at

www.nationalrail.co.uk/National%20Rail%20Conditions%20of%20Travel.pdf has more
information about travelling with luggage and pets.

11.7 Smoking
We have a strict no-smoking policy on all our stations and trains. This includes the use of electronic
cigarettes and vaping devices.

11.8 Changing between trains

In the interests of customers already on a connecting train, onward services are not normally held for
late-running connections. However, we give special consideration to services that operate
infrequently or are the last connecting service of the day.
Our timetable says how long you should allow for changing trains at each station. This is typically five
minutes but is longer at some stations and you may prefer to build a longer connection time into your
journey. You can find further details on connection times at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Sometimes there may
be a short notice platform change but we’ll aim to provide as much notice as possible.

11.9 Travelling to airports

We recommend you plan to arrive at the airport in good time for your flight. You should plan to arrive at the
airport itself at least two and a half hours before the scheduled departure time for domestic and European
destinations and three and a half hours before flights to other destinations. If you have allowed enough time
in line with our policy, we will assist if possible, with onward travel arrangements for your train journey if
there are no trains or replacement bus services within a reasonable time.
Flying from Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport has its own station linked directly to the South Terminal and is a
few minutes from the North Terminal by free transit train. Please factor this
additional travel time into your plans.

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Flying from Luton Airport
A frequent transfer shuttle is available from Luton Airport Parkway station to the
airport. Connections are available throughout the day, please factor the additional
travel time into your plans.
If you buy a ticket to ’Luton Airport’, the fare includes the transfer but if you buy a ticket to
‘Luton Airport Parkway’ you will have to buy a separate ticket for the transfer.

11.10 Travelling by Eurostar

Eurostar trains leave from London St Pancras International station. We recommend you arrive at
London St Pancras International or Ashford International at least 90 minutes before your Eurostar
train is due to leave. For further details, please go to www.eurostar.com.

12.0 Keeping you informed when things don’t go to plan

From time to time, there may be delays to our services such as planned engineering work or extreme
weather conditions. We aim to keep you up to date delays by providing accurate, timely information which is
a vital part of our service. Working with Network Rail and our industry partners, we will do our best to make
sure you have the information you need when you’re planning and making your journey.
12.1 Delays
If delays occur, we will do our best to get you to your destination as quickly as possible. In agreement with
other train operators, we may re-route you, for example we may arrange use of London Underground
services or those of other transport providers.
If you miss the last train with us because of a delay or cancellation to one of our services, we will
arrange onward transport either by road or with another train operator. If this is not possible, we will, if
we reasonably can, provide overnight accommodation.
If your journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more, we will tell you how you can make a claim for Delay
Repay compensation. We will do our best to tell you about your entitlement to claim compensation by
making announcements on trains and at stations or by providing information on how to claim. See more
about delay repay and how to claim later and further detailed information can be found in the National
Conditions of Travel.

12.2 Planned improvement works

To maintain the railway, our partner Network Rail carries out essential engineering work. This may mean
changes to our timetables, and we may have to replace train services with buses. When engineering work
is needed, we will tell you as soon as possible using posters, information on our websites and the National
Rail website or via calling National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
Before starting a journey, we strongly recommend you always check your travel arrangements, particularly
if you’re travelling late at night or at weekends. If we operate a replacement bus service, you’ll find
information about where they will leave from at the affected station. If you need assistance, we will provide
accessible alternative transport which may be a taxi if an accessible coach is not available.

12.3 Temporary timetables

If we need to introduce a temporary timetable for any reason, for example, heavy snow is forecast, we
will display details on websites and through social media as soon as possible.

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13.0 Retail and Refunds

13.1 All tickets – including season tickets

If you bought your ticket through us and the train you planned to catch is delayed or cancelled and you
decide not to travel, return your unused ticket (except season tickets) to one of our stations or the relevant
retailer for a full refund. This applies if you abandon your journey and return to your point of origin where
we will give you a full refund immediately if we can. No administration fee will be charged in any case,
wherever you apply for the refund.
If we issue a ‘do not travel’ warning and you follow our advice and do not travel, you can apply for a full
refund from the point of purchase if you have a single or return ticket. If you have a season ticket and are
unable to travel, please contact our Customer Relations team who will process compensation covering the
cost of the journey.
If the train service is running normally and you decide not to travel, you can apply for a refund at a station
run by the operator who you bought it from or the relevant retailer. You must do this within 28 days of the
expiry of the ticket’s validity. Our staff will tell you if your ticket is eligible for a refund. You may have to pay
an administration charge not exceeding £5 per transaction.
Please note Advance tickets are non-refundable unless you decide not to travel because your train is
delayed or cancelled. However, even with an Advance ticket it may be possible to change the time or
date of your journey if the train you booked hasn’t left yet. You will be charged an administration fee
plus any excess fare if only a more expensive ticket is available.

13.2 Season tickets - refunds and general advice

If you no longer need your season ticket, return it immediately to the ticket office you bought it from. If you
bought a ticket from a travel agent or online ticket retailer, contact them directly. Any refund is based on the
difference between the original price of your season ticket and the cost of travel for the time you held it, less
an administration fee.
If there is only a short period of validity left, the amount refunded will be little or nothing. For example, for an
annual season ticket, there may not be any monetary value left if it is surrendered in the last couple of
months of validity. Annual season tickets have no refund value after 10 months and 12 days, although they
are still valid for travel until the expiry date.
Flexi Season tickets are only valid for 28 days. If you haven’t used all 8 day passes you may be entitled to a
refund if you apply before the end of the 28 day validity period. There must be a minimum of one unused
day pass left to refund and a £5 admin fee will apply.
If you anticipate being unable to use a season ticket for a lengthy period, you may consider
applying for a refund –station staff or customer relations can help you understand your options.
Season ticket holders who are temporarily unable to travel for more than four weeks because of sickness
can apply for a discretionary partial refund. We will ask for supporting evidence, such as medical certificates
and offer any we’ll refund in non-cashable rail travel vouchers. The gesture is limited to up to four weeks
travel regardless of the length you’ve not used your ticket. Please check if a refund is more appropriate.
If you need to change your season ticket because you’ve moved home or your place of work, you can apply
for one covering a different journey or even class of travel. This applies to season tickets valid for longer
than a month with at least 7 days’ validity left. If there is a difference in price, we will give you a pro-rata
refund or charge the difference. You won’t have to pay an administration charge.

13.3 Season tickets – failure or loss

If your paper season ticket stops working in the automatic barrier or becomes faded, you can replace
it free of charge at the station of issue. If you bought the ticket online, you can get a replacement at
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the origin or destination station (or any station along the line of route). If the print is unreadable,
please replace your ticket at the earliest opportunity so staff can read the ticket details.

Lost / stolen season tickets

Your season ticket is valuable and should be looked after. If you lose or mislay a season ticket (or a
smartcard containing a season ticket) or it is stolen, we can arrange a duplicate season ticket (or
replacement smartcard) if you purchased the ticket at one of our stations or from our websites. If you
forget your season ticket, you should buy a ticket for that day and claim a refund, you can do this
twice in a calendar year. On the second occasion you will be charged an administration fee.
If you bought it elsewhere, please contact the retailer directly.
We can accept your application for a duplicate season ticket providing that:
a. You tell staff at the ticket office where you bought the ticket promptly and complete the paperwork
so we can verify the validity of the application. If your ticket was bought online, you should go to
either the origin or destination station to complete an application. If your smartcard is lost or stolen,
please call Customer Relations as soon as possible so we can cancel it and issue a replacement
card with your current season ticket pre-loaded
b. You must return the lost season ticket (or smartcard) to us straightaway if you find it
c. The lost season ticket (or smartcard) is valid for one month or longer (duplicate season tickets are
not given for weekly tickets)
You pay a £20 administration fee for the processing of the duplicate ticket. We aim to get in touch within
14 days of receiving your application or if you have a Smartcard, it will be cancelled and a replacement
sent within 5 working days. During the time you are without your season ticket, please buy and hold onto
any weekly tickets matching the journey on your season ticket If your application is successful, we will
refund these for you.

14.0 Delay Repay Compensation

Under our Delay Repay scheme, if your journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more, irrespective of
what caused the delay, you’re entitled to claim compensation.
Delay Repay is based on the time you should have arrived at your destination station, not the delay
to any particular train. For example, if you’re late because a train is delayed en route, we will pay
compensation based on the time you arrive at your destination station. We need to know the time of
the train you took if you are delayed due to a cancellation. If you have a combination of tickets for
your journey, we will compensate you for your whole journey. If you were delayed by another train
operator and it affects your journey with us, you can claim with either operator although it will be
quicker to claim from the operator responsible for the delay.
If you have a multi modal ticket, we’ll only pay compensation on the rail part of your ticket and if you
experienced a delay on that leg of your journey.
Key Smartcard customers benefit from our Auto Delay Repay service where we will automatically
generate a claim on your online account. To benefit from this service, you must always touch in and
out at the beginning and end of your journey using your Key Smartcard on one of our routes. Find
out more on our websites- it’s quick and easy to sign up.
Single and return tickets
We are committed to paying compensation under our Delay Repay scheme:
• Delays of 15-29 minutes: for a single ticket at least 25% of the fare paid, or for a return journey at
least 25% of the fare paid for the affected portion i.e. either the outward or return part of your
journey

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 • Delays of 30-59 minutes: for a single ticket at least 50% of the fare paid, or for a return ticket at
least 50% of the affected portion
• Delays of 60-119 minutes: for a single ticket at least 100% of the fare paid, or for a return ticket at
least 100% of the fare for the affected portion
• Delays of 120 minutes or more: 100% of the cost of the single ticket or 100% of the cost of the
return ticket

Season tickets
The table below shows the value of each journey you make depending on the type of season ticket.
Compensation will be 25%, 50% or 100% of the value of a single journey. The amount will be based
on the length of the delays detailed for single and return journeys above. For season tickets and
travelcards, compensation is capped at the cost of a pro rata full days travel.

Season ticket type Value of a single journey

Annual 1/464 x total ticket price

Quarterly 1/120 x total ticket price
Monthly 1/40 x total ticket price
Flexi Season 1/16 x total ticket price
Weekly 1/10 x total ticket price

Making a Delay Repay claim

You can make a claim via our websites; it’s easy and straightforward to submit online using the websites
listed below or apply using our Thameslink or Southern app.
www.gatwickexpress.com/delayrepay
www.greatnorthernrail.com/delayrepay
www.southernrailway.com/delayrepay
www.thameslinkrailway.com/delayrepay
If you’re a season ticket holder, please create a password protected online account and upload a copy of
your season ticket to make claims for as long as your ticket is valid- it’s quick and easy to set up.
For other tickets, fill out your details on one of our websites or apps and upload a copy of your ticket or
journey history for each claim. If you need to retain your ticket, please show it to a member of gateline staff
and they will open the gate.
The quickest method is to claim through our online portal although you can
download a paper form from our websites or we can print out a form at some of
our stations.
Please check our website for any alternative payment options that may be available to you
You can also make a claim in writing. Send it to us with your used ticket or copy of your season ticket to the
address below - we suggest you use a tracked postal service:
Freepost RUET-ZEJB-TKKZ
Govia Thameslink Railway
Derby
DE1 9RQ
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If you require a refund on an Oyster card, please contact Transport for London. Details on how to
claim are at tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/
You must submit all claims within 28 days of the journey claimed for and we aim to process claims
within 20 working days. We cannot accept claims from a third party unless there are mitigating
circumstances you tell us about.
We treat the submission of fraudulent Delay Repay claims very seriously and regularly review the
claims we receive – we may look for irregular travel patterns and impossible journey combinations. If
we suspect that fraudulent claims have been submitted, we may take further action - this could
include legal action or requesting the return of ineligible payments.

15.0 Other compensation arrangements

Where the industry arrangements as set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel and our Passenger’s
Charter apply, we do not accept liability for any losses but we do have discretion to consider additional
claims (for example, the cost of alternative travel arrangements) in exceptional circumstances.
As set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel, this does not affect your legal rights to make claims e.g.
under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

15.1 First Class

Sometimes we may be unable to provide First Class accommodation as advertised in our timetable.
If you hold a First Class ticket and the train you travel on does not have First Class accommodation
as indicated in our current timetable, we will refund the difference between Standard and First Class
fares for that journey. This also applies if First Class is declassified due to major disruption or all
seats are occupied. For season ticket holders, compensation is based on the proportional daily cost.
Please submit your claim within 28 days of the incident using our online web form.

16.0 Lost property

If we find lost property, we will do our best to contact the owner. If you lose something on one of our
services, please use the web form on our web site to report your loss, this is the quickest way for
your request to be processed. If you don’t have access to the internet, please contact our team in
Customer Relations who will help.
For Thameslink and Great Northern you can collect lost items at our lost property office at City Thameslink
station. For Southern and Gatwick Express you can collect lost property at London Victoria. We charge a
collection fee to cover our administration costs. We will dispose of any perishable items or those that may
cause damage or injury; you can find more information on our websites.

17.0 Your data

We take the care of your personal details seriously. All your data is held in secure systems.
We will ask you in advance whether we have your permission to hold your data on file to then allow us to
contact you about our services and offers. We will not give your data to third parties without your express
permission and will always ask in advance whether you agree to this. You have the right to ask us to delete
any information we hold on you at any time. Please email or write to our Customer Relations team to have
your personal data removed from our records. We have a specified data retention period depending on the
type of contact received and if you need further detailed information about this then please contact us.

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18.0 Answering your enquiries
18.1 Customer Relations and our contact details
Our Customer Relations team will answer your call as quickly as possible; we aim to answer calls
within 60 seconds, with most of them answered within 5 minutes. When this is not possible, we
may arrange to call you back. If you contact us using our web form we will send an
acknowledgement within five working days. Our aim is to send a full response to enquiries and
complaints within 10 working days, or 20 working days if we need to investigate the issue in detail.
During times of unusually high demand, we’re sometimes unable to meet these response targets.
Please bear with us as we’ll respond to you as quickly as we can.
If your complaint involves another train operator, we will pass it on and let you know we have done so.
Please send your complaints and comments, including a daytime telephone number where possible, to:
Email: customerservices@gatwickexpress.com
customerservices@greatnorthernrail.com
comments@southernrailway.com
customerservices@thameslinkrailway.com
Twitter: @GatwickExpress
@GNRailUK
@SouthernRailUK
@TLRailUK
Website: www.gatwickexpress.com
www.greatnorthernrail.com
www.southernrailway.com
www.thameslinkrailway.com
Telephone: Gatwick Express 0345 850 1530 Textphone: Gatwick Express 0345 127 2940
Great Northern 0345 026 4700 Great Northern 0800 975 1052
Southern 0345 127 2920 Southern 0345 127 2940
Thameslink 0345 026 4700 Thameslink 0800 975 1052

Address for Delay Repay and refund applications:

Freepost RUET-ZEJB-TKKZ
Govia Thameslink Railway
Derby
DE1 9RQ
For all other contacts:
Govia Thameslink Railway Customer Services
PO BOX 8644
Derby
DE1 9RQ

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Assisted Travel

You can contact us for assisted travel on the following numbers or textphone 0800 138 1018:
If travelling with Southern or Gatwick Express - 0800 138 1016
If travelling with Thameslink or Great Northern 0800 058 2844

18.2 Our Complaints Handling Procedure

If you want to make a complaint about our service, you can speak to any member of staff or contact
Customer Relations. If appropriate we will give you compensation in line with the National Rail
Conditions of Travel or our Passenger’s Charter. For more details please see our Complaints Handling
Procedure on our website.
The contents of this Charter and the Complaints Handling Procedure may change from time to time,
please check online for the most up to date versions.

18.3 If you’re unhappy with our response

Please give us the opportunity to try to resolve your complaint. If you’re unhappy with the response
you receive, you have the right to appeal to the Rail Ombudsman. The Rail Ombudsman is there to
help resolve on going complaints between us and our passengers. It’s free to use their services and they
are independent of the rail industry. They don’t take sides, but just look at the evidence available. They
will help us both to try to reach an agreement, but if this doesn’t happen, they will make a
decision based on the evidence they’ve received. If you agree with their decision, then we have to act on
what they say.
You can appeal to the Rail Ombudsman if:

• You’re unhappy with our final response to your complaint which will be contained in a letter or email
(sometimes called a ‘deadlock letter’); or
• We haven’t resolved your complaint within 40 working days of receiving it; and
• No more than 12 months have passed since we sent you our final response.
There are some complaints that the Rail Ombudsman won’t be able to look into, for example if it’s
about the way one of our services has been designed or industry policy. If that’s the case, then they’ll
contact you to let you know. If possible, they will transfer your complaint to another organisation that
may be able to help you further, such as Transport Focus or London TravelWatch - the independent
consumer watchdogs for the rail industry. They will independently review your complaint and where
appropriate, follow things up on your behalf.
The Rail Ombudsman contact details and hours of operation of their contact centre:
Website: (including online chat):
www.railombudsman.org
Telephone: 0330 094 0362
Email: info@railombudsman.org
Twitter: @RailOmbudsman

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Post: FREEPOST – RAIL OMBUDSMAN
The Contact Centre team are available:
Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00

18.4 Station information for other Train Operators

Our trains call at stations that are managed by Network Rail and other rail companies. If you have a
problem at one of these stations, you should contact the operators.

Greater Anglia
Stations: Cambridge, Ely
Email: contactcentre@abelliogreateranglia.co.uk
Twitter: @greateranglia
Website: www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk
Telephone: 0345 600 7245
LNER
Stations: Peterborough
Twitter: @LNER
Website: www.lner.co.uk
Telephone: 0345 722 5333
London Northwestern Railway
Stations: Berkhamsted, Bletchley, Hemel Hempstead, Leighton Buzzard, Milton Keynes, Tring,
Watford Junction
Twitter: @LNRailway
Website: www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
Telephone: 0333 311 0006
London Underground
Stations: Farringdon, Harrow & Wealdstone, Moorgate and West Brompton
Twitter: @tfl
Website: www.tfl.gov.uk
Telephone: 0343 222 1234
London Overground
Stations: Anerley, Brockley, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Imperial Wharf, Kensington Olympia,
New Cross Gate, Norwood Junction, Penge West, Shepherd’s Bush, Sydenham, Wembley Central,
West Croydon
Email: overgroundinfo@tfl.gov.uk
Twitter: @ldnoverground
Website: www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-overground/
Telephone: 0343 222 1234

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Southeastern
Stations: Ashford International, Bat & Ball, Beckenham Junction, Bickley, Borough Green & Wrotham,
Bromley South, Eynsford, Herne Hill, Kent House, Maidstone East, Orpington, Otford, Penge East, Petts
Wood, Sevenoaks, Shoreham (Kent), Shortlands, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Sydenham Hill, West Dulwich,
Hastings, St Leonards Warrior Square
Twitter: @SE_Railway
Website: www.southeasternrailway.co.uk
Telephone: 0345 322 7021
South Western Railway
Stations: Bookham, Bedhampton, Bitterne, Bursledon, Clandon, Cosham, Eastleigh, Effingham
Junction, Fareham, Fratton, Hamble, Havant, Hilsea, Horsley, London Road (Guildford),
Netley, Portchester, Portsmouth Harbour, Portsmouth & Southsea, Sholing, St Denys,
Southampton Central, Southampton Airport Parkway, Swanwick, Woolston, Wimbledon
Email: customerrelations@swtrains.co.uk
Twitter: @SW_help
Website: www.southwesternrailway.com
Telephone: 0345 6000 650
Network Rail
Stations: Clapham Junction, Guildford, London Bridge, London King’s Cross, London St Pancras
International, London Victoria
Twitter: @networkrail
Website: www.networkrail.co.uk
Telephone: 0345 711 4141

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