FAQ - East Midlands Trains

Tickets are refunded at the place where the ticket was bought. If your tickets were bought via East Midlands Trains by phone, they need to be sent back to:

Refunds
Contact Centre
Refunds Department
East Midlands Trains Customer Service Centre
Overline House
Southampton Central Station
Southampton
S015 1AL

If they were bought on our website, they need to be sent back to:

Refunds Department
PO BOX 222 333
Edinburgh
EH11 3AF

If bought at a station, they need to be returned to the relevant station ticket office, which will process the refund.

How can I claim compensation?

East Midlands Trains will provide compensation as detailed in our Passenger’s Charter. You can do this by contacting Customer Relations.

TICKETS & TIMETABLES

Where can I get fare and timetable information?

You can find fare information by using the Booking engine (link opens a new browser window).

For the most popular routes, see our PDF timetables or make a personalised version of our timetable by using the Create your timetable feature of this site.

Where can I get season ticket prices?

Contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50. Alternatively there is a "season ticket calculator" available at www.nationalrail.co.uk (link opens a new browser window). This will calculate the cost of any period of season ticket for any rail journey.

Where can I buy a railcard?

At any station ticket office. You will need to bring the relevant form and documents. Further details are available online on the railcard section of our website or at www.railcard.co.uk (link opens a new browser window).

What child fares are available?

There are a number of discounted child fares available for children aged between five and 15. These tickets will automatically be displayed on Step 2 of 7 of the booking process. The total fare quoted on the ticket availability page is with discounts already included (where applicable). Click on the ticket name on the left-hand side of the page to see if it is a discounted ticket.

Children under five travel free of charge so you will not have to book a ticket. Please keep in mind that seating availability is not guaranteed without a ticket.

Why are there no tickets available?

The tickets may have sold out or not yet be available. This includes the cheaper advance purchase tickets that are released by the Train Operator once engineering works have been confirmed, usually six to eight weeks prior to the journey. If you are flexible with your travel, you could search for ticket availability on earlier/later trains.

The ticket may not be available on the service because some tickets are restricted to certain services. For Terms and Conditions of the ticket, including when you can use it, click on the ticket name on the left-hand side of the ticket availability page.

It may be too late for us to get tickets to you. If a FastTicket machine isn't available at your departing station and there isn't enough time to post tickets to you, then we are unable to sell you a ticket.

How can I get the cheaper tickets?

The following information may be useful to obtain the best deals online - the further ahead you book, the more likely you are to get the best value deal.

Travel mid-week, on a midday service or on the very early or late services - that way you’ll have an even greater chance of getting tickets at the lowest prices.

If you see a fare that you want, book it there and then, as it may not be available next time you look. Mix and match your tickets by selecting single fares for each leg of your journey.

Refer also to the Saving money page.

What ticket delivery options are available?

You can choose from a variety of delivery options to suit your needs:

FastTicket machine (no fee): will be ready for collection from the station two hours after ordering. Please remember to take with you the credit/debit card used to make the booking and a note of the FastTicket reference number.

1st Class post (no fee): tickets ordered before 15:00 will be dispatched the same day. To allow for Royal Mail delivery, tickets must be booked at least four postal days prior to travel.

Next Day Delivery (£6): Tickets ordered before 15:00 will be delivered by 13:00 the next working day (Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays). Orders placed on Saturday or Sunday are fulfilled on Monday and delivered on Tuesday.

Can I make a group booking?

You can make a group booking for 10 or more people travelling together by calling our Group Travel team on 08457 125 678 - select option 2 followed by option 2.

How can I book a seat reservation?

Reservations can be made on all tickets (except season tickets) for London services and the Liverpool-Norwich Local service. Reservations are compulsory with some tickets and must be made at the time the ticket is bought. Reservations can be made up to four hours before the departure of the train from its originating station. If you are travelling before 12 noon, reservations must be made the night before travel. However, if you are travelling on one of our Meridian trains, you can make electronic seat reservations for last-minute bookings up to one hour before the train leaves its originating station. Please ensure that you carry your ticket and reservation card when travelling because, as with many tickets, they become invalid if both tickets are not shown.

Can I book a ticket for someone else to collect at the station?

You can only collect a rail ticket from the Fast Ticket machines at the station if the credit card used to make the booking, along with the collection reference numbers, are provided.

Can I book tickets/register from outside the UK?

Our address search only recognises UK postcodes so we are not able to register customers from outside the UK.

For those customers who are already registered with us from outside the UK, please note that we can only deliver to UK addresses.

You may be able to collect your tickets from the station using the FastTicket machines but you must take with you the credit card used to make the booking and the collection reference number.

If you encounter difficulties, then please email the details to our Web Support team who will be happy to set up the account for you. They can be contacted at salessupport@eastmidlandstrains.trainsfares.co.uk.

How can I change my ticket?

There are different conditions regarding changes to tickets and these depend on the ticket you have purchased. Full details of ticket conditions are available at www.nationalrail.co.uk (link opens a new browser window) or from your local station. You can change your ticket by calling 08457 125 678 select option 5 followed by option 1 or at your local station (subject to ticket conditions).

How secure are my payment card details on your ticket booking site?

When paying by credit/debit card on our website you can be sure that any information you send us remains secure and protected.

We use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. This encrypts your card details as they travel through the internet and stops anyone else accessing them. SSL is recognised as a secure method of online payment.

On certain areas of the site, such as when searching for a journey, your internet browser may provide you with a warning that the page is not secure. However, pages where you have access to your account details or payment pages are secure and this is typically shown with a padlock icon in the bottom right hand corner of your browser window.

Where can I find my booking reference number?

Booking reference numbers are sent out in the confirmation email of your booking.

To access this information online, click on My Account, then click on Check your order status. This shows the details of all bookings that you’ve made in the past 90 days. The booking reference number is at the top of this page.

If you have already received your tickets in the post, the booking reference will appear on the bottom of the tickets and is nine digits long. It will also appear on the name and address voucher on the right-hand side.

What should I do if I have not received my tickets?

Tickets ordered by 1st class post are dispatched the same day (if ordered before 15:00) and delivered within four working days.

Note: Postal booking deadlines may change (eg. postal strike, floods etc).

If you have not received your tickets, please call our Web Support team the day before your journey and they will make alternative arrangements to ensure that you get your ticket(s). The Web Support telephone number can be found in your booking confirmation email or online by logging into My Account and clicking on Check your order status.

Where can I find my booking reference number?

Booking reference numbers are sent out in the confirmation email of your booking.

What should I do if I have not received my booking confirmation?

Within 2 hours of making a booking you should receive a confirmation email. If you haven't received this email then please first check that the email address we have stored is correct by logging into My Account and clicking on Update Personal Details.

Recently, there has been a large increase in SPAM/Junk mail which has made some Email Service Providers to put tighter controls on their SPAM filters. We occasionally receive notification that genuine emails we have sent to our customers have been incorrectly blocked in this way. To ensure that you are able to receive all emails we send, please make sure that our address noreply@eastmidlands.trainsfares.co.uk is listed as a safe sender and not in a blocked mail list.

Confirmations are not essential for travel as the same booking information can be found online by logging into My Account and clicking on Check your order status.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

What are the conditions of my ticket?

As many tickets carry different terms and conditions of use, these are shown on our website under "tickets" and "ticket types" or www.nationalrail.co.uk (link opens a new browser window). Whether you will be charged for making a change to your journey will depend on several factors: whether your change means taking a different route, the date and time of your new journey, the ticket type you originally purchased.

When is peak time?

Generally, peak time trains are those which depart before 09.30 from Monday to Friday although there are also evening restrictions for customers travelling on London services out of London. Full details are shown on the specific timetable for your journey.

Is First Class available at weekends?

You can travel in First Class at weekends, although complimentary refreshments are only available Monday to Friday.

Can I make a reservation for my bike?

We advise that reservations are made for cycles as space is limited. You can do this on most London services and certain Local services trains by calling 08457 125 678 - select option 5 followed by option 1. You should also hold a valid rail ticket before the cycle space is booked.

You can also block-book cycle reservations by contacting the Customer Relations team on 08457 125 678 - select option 5 followed by option 3 or book online.

JOURNEY INFORMATION

Where can I find maps showing the UK rail network?

Maps showing all Train Operator stations and routes across the country are available on the National Rail site (link opens a new browser window).

How can I find out if my train is running on time?

You can view the running of your train online. You can also use our automated TrainTracker service by calling 0871 200 49 49.

How can I find out if there are any engineering works affecting my journey?

Details of any forthcoming engineering works are available online at www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk or by visiting our timetable alterations page. You can also call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.

MY JOURNEY

How does East Midlands Trains use my data?

East Midlands Trains has a strict privacy policy which you can see at www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/Legal/PrivacyStatement.htm. We use information held about you in the following ways:

To ensure that content from our site is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer.
To provide you with information, products or services that you request from us or which we feel may interest you, where you have consented to be contacted for such purposes.
To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us.
To allow you to participate in interactive features of our service, when you choose to do so.
To notify you about changes to our service.

Can I access this information from another computer?

You can access your personal profile from another computer by simply logging in using the ‘register’ button at the top of the www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk homepage

How often is the information on engineering works updated?

Engineering works information is updated daily by our Customer Service Centre team who track all developments around the network. This generally covers all planned engineering works up to one-month ahead.

How often is the information in the disruptions panel updated?

Disruption information is taken as a live feed from the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) via the National Rail Enquiries site. This information is therefore as up to date as that available anywhere.

How often is the information on the Live Departures Board updated?

The Live Departures Board is a feed from ATOC via National Rail Enquiries. It should therefore be as up to date as the boards in stations and as help available on the National Rail Enquiries helpline.

LOST PROPERTY

What happens if I lose my property on one of your trains/at one of your stations?

You will need to contact the Customer Relations team on 08457 125 678 - select option 5 followed by option 3. They will contact the lost property offices on our route to try and locate the item. The online form can be found in the lost property section of the site.

STATION INFORMATION

Can I get assistance at the station?

You can arrange for assistance when travelling on our trains and at stations by calling 08457 125 678 - select option 3 - textphone 08457 078 051 or find details online at www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk.

Can I park at the station and how much does it cost?

You can park at many of our stations; although some of the car parks are not operated by East Midlands Trains but the local council. Further details about our stations are available on the our network and stations page. Refer also to the car parking and cycles page.

Can I reserve a disabled parking space at the station?

Unfortunately, we do not currently have this facility at our stations.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS

How do I contact Customer Relations?

Customer Relations can be contacted by: Using our online form, Emailing getintouch@eastmidlandstrains.co.uk, Calling 08457 125 678 (lines are open from 8:00 to 16:00 daily) By post at Customer Relations, East Midlands Trains, FREEPOST RSAK-GETK-BSJX, Customer Relations, East Midlands Trains, Nottingham, NG2 3DQ. For people with hearing difficulties, our TextDirect service is 18001 08457 125 678.