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Free refunds promised on Scottish rail service after Christmas Covid rule change


By Calum MacLeod

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ScotRail will offer free refunds on unused tickets bought on or before December 20.
ScotRail will offer free refunds on unused tickets bought on or before December 20.

ScotRail will offer free refunds on unused tickets bought on, or before, Sunday December 20, following the Scottish Government’s announcement of more travel restrictions over Christmas and New Year.

Normally there is an administration fee to pay for the processing of refunds, however, due to the exceptional circumstances caused by Covid-19 the train operator is waiving the charge.

In order to claim the fee-free refund, customers must keep hold of their tickets and submit them within 28 days of the expiry of the ticket.

ScotRail’s refund policies are reviewed regularly and the train operator is promising customers will be given notice of at least two weeks when there is to be a change in the new policy. Customers can find details of the temporary policy on the ScotRail website at ScotRail's Updated Covid-19 Refund Policy.

ScotRail will continue to keep its timetable under regular review to ensure service levels meet demand.

The train operator is ready to put on additional carriages and extra services if there are unexpected spikes in customer numbers. Any changes will be shared with customers ahead of time.

Passengers are being advised to please check the public health advice for the start and end of their journey before travelling, to comply with the law, and they should follow the five rules for safer travel, including wearing a face covering on trains and at stations, and maintain physical distancing.

Lesley Kane, ScotRail's commercial drector, said: We know people have bought tickets in good faith based on the travel restrictions that were in place and now those have changed, we are making it as easy as possible to get refunds.

“We feel it’s only fair to customers to make any ticket refunds free of charge so long as they keep hold of their tickets. Our customers should check our website for up-to-date instructions on how to claim their refund.”


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