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Can I cancel or sell train tickets?

Have you purchased a ticket that you can no longer use for your train journey? You are probably wondering if you can cancel your reservation and get a full refund, particularly if your ticket is non-refundable. Some companies have strict policies across all of their bookings whilst others have more flexible options. Read on to find out if you can get your money back on trains in Europe and the US.

UK trains

Can I Get A Refund?

In the UK, the refund policy will depend on what kind of ticket you bought. For instance, bigger companies like LNER (formerly Virgin Trains East Coast), Transpennine Express and Cross Country all say that if you buy an Advance ticket, your ticket is non-refundable but you can change the date or time for an administration fee. If you have booked directly through the individual company, go to the “Manage Booking” section of their website to make these changes and find out what their fee is. However, if you have booked through another service like Trainline, they state that they charge £10 for each change.

You can get your money back on Off-peak, Super Off-peak and Anytime tickets for a refund fee. Again, this will depend on each company’s terms and conditions unless you have booked through Trainline. Through their app or website, up to £1.99, tickets are free to refund, but after that, there is a charge based upon the ticket’s original price.

 

 

Can I Sell My Train Ticket To Someone Else?

Only tickets with names printed on them aren’t transferable as UK train companies don’t allow name changes.

 

US trains

If you have booked a train in the US, you are most likely travelling with Amtrak, who have recently tightened up their cancellation policy. The stricter rules mean that most ticket types will involve a cancellation fee of up to 25%. Check out this article on Travel+Leisure by Elizabeth Preske for more details on each ticket type’s policy.

 

German Trains

If you have a ticket for a train in Germany, then it is most likely with Deutsche Bahn, who operate the German train network. They have a range of ticket types with individual policies for each one. Some bookings are non-refundable such as regional day tickets and promotional offers. For the flexible and saver fares, the refund fee is usually under €20 but this is based on the time frame you book in.

 

Italian Trains

If you are travelling with ItaliaRail, most tickets are non-refundable. However, if you check the ticket type that you bought, some are eligible for a 75%-80% refund if they are cancelled within 72 hours of booking. With Trenitalia, you can get a refund with a 20% deduction on some tickets before the departure time, then there is a 50% deduction from the original value. This doesn’t apply to Saver or Economy bookings.

 

French Trains

This will depend on the service you are using. TGV and Intercity vary, with the cheaper tickets being non-refundable and the more flexible options allowing for refunds before departure for a small fee (between €5 and €15). After the train has left, you cannot get a refund.

The Thalys service travels between France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The ‘Standard Mini’ is the cheapest fare but is also non-refundable, whereas ‘Standard’ and ‘Comfort’ is eligible for a 50% refund before departure. ‘Premium’ gives a full refund before departure and a 50% refund up to two months afterwards.

TER tickets are all refundable until the scheduled departure time.

 

 

 

We always advise that you check with your train line before you try to resell your ticket in case their policy has changed or is different for your ticket type. Do you need to sell a booking? Find out how to transfer your train ticket!