Overview
- From Sunday 20 September 2026, passengers whose trains are cancelled can board a participating operator’s service free of charge within two hours of their original booked departure.
- Customers must show their original valid ticket to customer support staff on the new service and may use a direct or reasonable alternative route without buying another fare.
- The expansion adds CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, Avanti West Coast and Chiltern Railways to existing publicly owned operators, with East Midlands Railway expected to join later.
- The Department for Transport paired the rule change with a £156 million programme to roll out digital pay-as-you-go ticketing at over 100 more stations and to build a GBR website and app by 2027.
- The independent watchdog Transport Focus and regional outlets welcomed the move as a practical step to stop passengers being stranded and reduce last-minute ticket purchases and refund disputes.