New train ticket rule which saves you money if your journey’s cancelled comes into force across UK

A NEW train ticket rule has officially rolled out to make life much easier for travellers. Passengers on Britain’s biggest train operators will now spend much less money when their train is cancelled. A new train rule has come into force making life much easier for passengers Credit: PA:Press Association For the first time, passengers left stranded at stations can use an alternative operator’s service to complete their journey free of charge. The new rule which came into force on Sunday, September 20 hopes to end limbo at stations following cancellations and end the need for costly re-bookings. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! Many regular travellers will be aware that this scheme already operates across all 13 publicly-owned operators, such as LNER, Southern, South Western Railway and Greater Anglia. However, from now, Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry and Great Western Railway will also be involved, offering more stability on a host of key intercity routes across the UK. East Midlands Railway will also be joining the scheme at a later date. The new scheme comes ahead of the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR) – a programme to transfer all rail services to public ownership and to create a “one-stop shop” for train travel. Valid ticket holders can travel with another train operator on a direct or reasonable alternative route, but the service must depart within two hours before or after the original cancelled train. To claim the new ticket, passengers will need to show their original ticket to customer support staff as a proof of purchase, and will not be required to download the new one. Most read in Travel Full list of operators taking part in the new scheme: East Midlands Railway is expected to join the scheme at a later date: c2c Gatwick Express Greater Anglia Great Northern LNER London Northwestern Railway Northern Southeastern Southern Thameslink South Western Railway Transpennine Express West Midlands Railway Avanti West Coast (new) Chiltern Railways (new) CrossCountry (new) Great Western Railway (new) When the new scheme was unveiled, Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said: “This is a simple, common-sense change that puts passengers first. “No one should be left stranded because of a fragmented railway when their journey is disrupted. “From this weekend, if your train is cancelled, you can get on another operator’s service and carry on your journey without paying again. “We’re fixing the railway from the ground up, making it simpler, fairer and easier to use, as we move towards Great British Railways and put public service back at the heart of our railways.” Comment now