Travel Update
Update: 1315hrs, 21 September 2020
Travel with confidence
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic we’ve been playing our part in the national effort by keeping your train service running.
Remember, when travelling with us you should maintain social distancing whenever possible. By law you must wear a face covering at all times - some exemptions apply.
To help you travel with confidence we’re running as many trains as we can with as many carriages as possible to maximise space on board. We’ve also stepped up cleaning on board and at stations, using the latest antiviral equipment and techniques.
If possible, make your journey at quieter times and buy your tickets online in advance. You should also allow some extra time as station layouts may have changed. You can check your train times here.
The information below will help you plan your journey and know what to expect.
Make yours a contactless journey.
Train times and frequency have changed. Online journey planners are showing the right times, you can also download a timetable here, or read the summary below.
Travel at quieter times. If you can change your routine, travel between 10am-3pm or after 6pm on weekdays, chances are there'll be more space on board and your ticket will be cheaper too, making it more comfortable for you and for those people that need to travel at busiest times. Use our 'How busy is my train?' tool to find the quieter trains.
Don't stand in line, buy online and with a barcode ticket you don't have to pick up or handle a paper ticket, you do need a ticket before you board the train.
Face coverings are compulsory on public transport. Please wear yours in stations and on our trains. However, we do recognise this isn’t possible for some passengers, please check here.
Season ticket customers will soon be able to go contactless. Sign up for your card now, and it will arrive in the post within 2 weeks.
- Sign up for your card now
- Find out how our smartcard works and where they're valid here
Pay by phone for your car park. Avoid waiting in line, get your ticket from the comfort of your car - available online, in-app and pay by mobile. Set up an account before you leave home. At some stations car park spaces might be blocked off to help with queuing.
Book passenger assistance before you travel please – it will really help us plan and make sure you’re not hanging around. Our team (if appropriate) will try to keep at arms-length and will spend the shortest time with you. Customers using a wheelchair – please face forward – don’t be alarmed if our team wipe the handles, it’s all part of the service (we’re regularly cleaning our own wheelchairs too) we’ll also position you 2m away whilst we set up a ramp to the train. If we need to use the lift, we might dash to the stairs and meet you at the top or bottom, as we’re trying to keep to one person at a time – it won’t always be possible. And, if you have a visual impairment – rest assured we will still provide this and position ourselves carefully . Our Passenger Assistance call centre will ask extra questions, so allow a little more time to make your booking. Book assistance here.
Video: How to buy tickets using our app
Video: Assistance for wheelchair users
Video: Assistance for the visually impaired
It may take longer to get through the station.
Drop off and pick up points. We want to avoid lots of people gathering in the station, it would be really helpful if you stayed in your car when your picking up and dropping off your loved ones.
Give yourself a bit more time to get through the station. At some stations we are introducing separate entrance and exit, along with one-way and queuing systems (inside & outside) - very similar to supermarket queuing systems. And to help our staff social distance, some ticket windows may be closed.
Hand sanitiser is available at our busiest stations, but it's helpful if you can bring your own.
Availability of ticket windows and ticket machines (in multi-site locations) may be reduced, to help with social distancing for you and our teams. Rest assured all ticket offices remain open. Queues may be longer - that's why we really do recommend buying online before you arrive. Where ticket machines are side by side, we're rolling out divider screens to keep as many open as possible. Also, retailers on our stations haven't yet opened.
Chatting to us at the station. Like you, we need to keep to the social distancing guidelines, so please be mindful of this when you're talking to us - we're not being rude if we take a step back.
Tapping in and out through the barriers. Our ticket barriers remain working as normal, this helps us understand the number of people travelling, you may see more dividing barriers or our staff behind screens to help with social distancing guidelines.
Please keep your distance, extra notices will help you. In confined spaces like lifts - one at a time please, on escalators and stairs, try to keep 4 steps between you. You might find some one-way systems in place - please stay in your lane.
Natural areas of congregation. We'll rely on you to self-regulate, but we'll take measures to help you. We'll try to reopen waiting rooms and toilets where we can so you can keep your distance and wash your hands in line with government advice, but they won't hold as many people. Where possible we'll keep the entrance doors open so it'll be one less thing to touch. We'll continue to focus our cleaning on things you touch most like buttons, door handles and bannisters.
Washrooms are open. Toilet facilities remain open (unless cleaning is in progress) - you may find locations with multiple facilities might just have one of those sites open. Further information on whether toilet facilities at stations are open and where you can find them, please visit National Rail’s stations page.
Platform etiquette. We'll be running the longest trains possible on each service. Customer information screens will let you know how many carriages there are, so that you can spread out as much as possible. Stay on the platform until people get off the train to give everyone space. Please try and keep the vestibule free.
Video: Getting through our stations
Taking extra care on board our trains.
If the train is full. With social distancing in place our carriages now carry fewer passengers, so please make sensible choices when travelling. If the train is too full, consider if your journey is truly necessary.
No reservations on our trains. Some long distance train companies are using their reservations system to manage the number of people they can carry. This is not a service we have available.
We’ll rely on you to follow the guidelines - wear a face covering, carry hand sanitiser, wash your hands before and after you travel, sit by a window and look for seats away from others, avoid gathering by the door, and take your rubbish with you.
Try to keep one seat next to you free on board. Remember, to apply social distancing on a train, the carriage will be full with 15-20 people. This number will vary slightly by train type and those with toilets and first class in the carriage. Please consider whether your travel is necessary.
You'll see more cleaning during your journey. We've increased our on-train cleaning team - they'll be paying particular attention to surfaces people touch the most.
We're still here for you. A Senior Conductor will be available on every train, they'll make announcements to let you know where they are if you need to talk to them. Please remember you must get your ticket before you board. If things have changed at other operator's stations we'll try and let you know that too.
Wash your hands on board. All our trains have toilets; we’re making sure they get emptied more often so they can remain open all day long, and we’re paying extra attention to keeping them topped up with soap and water.
What happens if I see a crime or anti-social behaviour? Text 61016 and British Transport Police will pick up your message 24/7, and take action where they can, or for emergencies call 999.
Bikes on board. Full sized bikes can now be carried on board during peak times to enable you to use your bike at your end destination. There is still limited space and so it remains at the Senior Conductors discretion. We are keeping this amendment under review and it only applies while we have the space due to fewer people travelling. Read the temporary policy here.
Video: Enhanced cleaning on-board and at stations
For full information on the timetable changes please visit our main timetable information page and search your local station. All timetables are available to download here.
If you choose not to travel
To help people during the pandemic train companies made a number of temporary changes for people whose travel plans unexpectedly changed due to Coronavirus. Now that the vast majority of services are running again and lockdown-related refunds have been processed, these temporary changes have come to an end.
From Monday 07 September 2020:
- If you have an Off-Peak or Anytime ticket and you apply for a refund on an unused ticket, an admin fee of £10 may apply.
- Advance tickets are non-refundable (unless disruption to your booked journey means you do not travel) but you can change the date and time of your booking and an admin fee may apply
- Unexpired Season Tickets can be refunded at any time and train companies calculate how much is refunded by how much value is left on your ticket. They do this by deducting the value of any other tickets you could have travelled with in the same time until you stopped using your Season Ticket. This refund can be backdated with evidence that illness prevented you from travelling. (National Rail Conditions of Travel, 40.4).
- To see how much you could get back from your Season Ticket, you can use the handy calculation tool here to work out the value of your refund.
- People can apply for ticket refunds up to 4 weeks from the last day that the ticket was valid.
- In areas where there is disruption, we and other operators will agree cross-ticket acceptance on a case by case basis.
We currently estimate the completion of applications 28 days after submission, please be aware this may take longer if we need to contact you for further information regarding your application.
Where to change your ticket or apply for a refund
| If you bought your ticket via... | Apply for a refund in this way. |
|---|---|
| London Northwestern Railway or West Midlands Railway ticket offices (booking window or self-serve ticket machine) |
|
| Our website (lnr.uk or wmr.uk), our app or from our phone team |
Phone our call centre on 0333 311 0006
If you are unable to cancel in this way, email::
|
| An alternative retailer |
Contact them directly
|
Railcards & National Rail Travel Vouchers
If you have a Rail Travel Voucher which expires between 17th March and 16th September 2020 it can be extended by 6 months. You don't need to do anything right now, hold on to your voucher to use at a later date.
All train companies are working together to understand if it is possible to extend expired railcards. More information will be available soon.
Following the latest government update on COVID-19, we would like to reassure our passengers that we are committed to playing our part in keeping them safe and well, and to getting them to their destinations on time.
We also urge passengers to help out by keeping up to date with the latest official health advice. For health information and for answers to frequently asked questions on travelling by rail during this challenging period please click here to visit National Rail's coronavirus page.
Coronavirus has had a big impact on staff availability as more rail workers go in to self-isolation.
Some routes will have a reduced train service or a bus replacement service. This is to ensure Network Rail and ourselves are focusing resources where they are needed most, particularly on trunk routes carrying both freight and key worker traffic.
If you are travelling with us and have feedback on the services available please contact us. Please also get in touch if our reduced timetables make travel impossible for you.
Simply fill out our online form giving details of your journey, your place of work and your working hours. This will help us to understand whether an alternative solution can be found.
Your safety is our priority which is why we are running as many trains as we can with as many carriages as possible. We have also stepped up our cleaning regime using the latest antiviral equipment and techniques. You should practice social distancing whenever possible on your journey. Face coverings are now mandatory on board, helping all our passengers follow the latest social distancing advice.
No. If you have cold or flu-like symptoms you should be self-isolating for 14 days according to the latest government and NHS guidelines. You should follow NHS guidance to reduce the risk of catching coronavirus or spreading it to others. See www.gov.uk/coronavirus for guidance.
Yes. In June 2020 the government announced it is mandatory for all passengers to use a face covering when on the train. If you do not wear a face covering on board, you may be refused travel.
You can make a face covering – follow the government guidelines here.
No. Children aged under 11 and people with breathing difficulties do not need to wear a face covering. We are asking our staff to be considerate when using their discretion and would consider that customers living with conditions such as PTSD, asthma etc. will not be expected to wear a face covering. We are asking customers with a disability or illness who can wear a mask to please do so.
Not necessarily. Some larger stations will have vending machines installed where face coverings can be purchased but most smaller stations will not have facilities to purchase them. Face coverings can be made inexpensively at home – click here for more information.
We are running as many trains as we can with as many carriages as possible. We are urging our passengers to travel at quieter times if they can. It is a passenger’s individual choice whether to board any particular service or to choose to wait for another train.
We encourage passengers to avoid relying on the last train and to use our 'How busy is my train?' tool to check in advance which services may be busy and plan accordingly. If your last train is cancelled or you are unable to board because it is too full we will seek to provide replacement transport to get you to your destination station. Please contact a member of station staff or use the customer information contact facilities to seek assistance.
At some of our larger stations and those operated by Network Rail or other train companies, there may be one-way systems in place to help enable social distancing. One-way routes will be clearly signposted.
We are taking a number of steps to support social distancing, including putting in place one-way systems in stations, introducing queuing systems where necessary and putting up signs and floor markings. The latest government advice says that whilst 1 metre distance is acceptable with a face covering, 2 metres is best.
We are running as many trains as we can with as many carriages as possible and urging our passengers to travel at quieter times. Face coverings are now mandatory on board, helping all our passengers follow the latest social distancing advice. We are monitoring train performance carefully, listening to feedback and will adjust our timetables where appropriate.
For full information on the timetable changes please visit our main timetable information page and search your local station. All timetables are available to download here.
Yes. We have stepped up our cleaning regime on board our trains and at our stations, focusing on high-touch areas such as handrails and flat surfaces.
There are many reasons why a train may be delayed or cancelled on a given occasion. Rail workers are also not immune from the effects of coronavirus, so short-notice cancellations due to sickness are a possibility.
Only as a last resort where there are no other means to pay. The first choice will always to be to pay online, by mobile phone, card or contactless payment, to minimise risk to staff and customers.
It's important to remember that, in effect, season tickets offer 'free travel' based on the alternative of buying other tickets. In the case of weekly season tickets, it's roughly three days free travel, for monthly seasons it's roughly a week of free travel and for annuals it's roughly two months free travel. So, the amount you could get back would depend on these specific circumstances.
If you request a refund, whether you have a weekly, monthly or annual ticket, London Northwestern Railway will calculate the cheapest way you could otherwise have bought the travel which you have already used. In some cases this may mean that you will receive less than what you may have been expecting and sometimes there is little or no value left on a ticket that has been used for several months.
As a precautionary step to combat the spread of coronavirus, waiting rooms at some stations may be kept closed. We are keeping this under review in accordance with the latest government guidance.
Live help with your journey is available via our ticket machine from 7am - 7pm. Just press the VITA Help Point button on the left side of the screen to speak to our advisors who can help with ticket queries or onward journey information. The facility is available from any operational London Northwestern Railway ticket machine (except Wolverhampton, where it will be available once the new station building opens.) Outside these times live departure information is available here.
The pass is valid for travel after 9.30am on weekdays and all day at weekends in accordance with the standard terms and conditions. Pass holders were temporarily allowed to travel before 9.30am on weekdays during the strict lockdown period in order to help vulnerable people access dedicated shopping times. Following the easing of lockdown restrictions and with train capacity reduced due to social distancing, the standard terms and conditions were reinstated on Monday 8 June.
Full sized bikes can now be carried on board during peak times to enable you to use your bike at your end destination. There is still limited space and so it remains at the Senior Conductors discretion. We are keeping this amendment under review and it only applies while we have the space due to fewer people travelling.