In June, the UK experienced the largest rail strike we have seen since 1989. Members of the RMT union spanning 13 train operators walked out, leaving many passengers struggling to get from A to B, or not being able to travel at all. Many who book train tickets online are now looking for means of compensation, some of which have been listed below.
Rearrange your ticket BEFORE travel
As a result of the ongoing rail strikes, many ticket providers are now supplying their customers with the option to re-arrange their trip if they are due to travel before 30th September 2022. If you purchase a UK Advance ticket, you will be able to amend your booking, free of fees.
Claim your refund
While this tip won’t help you get to your destination, it will help you fund it! Unused train tickets, due to the cancellation, are eligible for a refund up to 28 days after you were due to travel. This refund will be in full if your train was cancelled as a result of the strike action, or in the form of an eVoucher if you chose not to travel, despite your train not being cancelled. Anyone who travelled, despite their train being cancelled, is not eligible for a refund. You must be advised however, that not all rail providers have the same criteria for a refund – be sure to check with your directly!
Search for alternative travel dates
Many travellers have found that their tickets are often valid for use on different train services, on different dates. For example, after the rail strikes in June, passengers who were due to depart on the 21st, 23rd or 25th and were not able to make the journey, were eligible to travel on all services departing between 20 and 28 June.
What about my season ticket?
Good news for season ticket holders, you can also qualify for some of your money back. Your refund will be based on the price of a ticket for a single journey, so if you hold a monthly season ticket your refund will be worked out at 1/40th of the price, and if you have a weekly ticket, it will be worked out at 1/10th.
Rebook your journey
After you’ve taken the opportunity to receive any possible refunds, it’s time to rebook your journey for a date and time that suits you. Right now, strike action is being discussed and will likely take place at the end of July or the beginning of August, to coincide with the school holidays. The union must give two weeks notice before walking out, so you will have plenty of time to change your tickets if you need to.
Disputes over pay for transport workers will likely be ongoing for some time, so RMT have told passengers to be prepared for more strike action before the autumn. Be sure to keep an eye on all of these tips, as well as social media and the news, so you’re aware of any planned strike action and you can put all of these suggestions into practice.
