Can I get a refund if my EMR train is cancelled?

Yes. If your EMR train is cancelled or delayed before you set off and you decide not to travel, you're owed a **full refund with no admin fee**, even on Advance tickets. If disruption hits partway through and you go back to your starting station, you also get a full refund. The refund comes from whoever sold you the ticket, so that's Trainline if you booked there. If a retailer says a return leg doesn't qualify, push back: both legs can be refunded when the trip can't happen.

Are EMR Advance tickets refundable?

Not if you've just changed your plans. EMR says Advance tickets are non-refundable **unless your train has been delayed or cancelled**. In that case you get the full amount back with no fee. If you only need a different time, you can change an Advance ticket before the booked train for a **£10 admin fee** plus any difference in fare. Do this at a staffed EMR station or through My Account online.

How do I cancel my EMR season ticket?

Season tickets don't auto-renew. Cancelling means **giving the ticket back for a refund on the unused part**. Return it to wherever you bought it. Station-bought tickets go back to the ticket office. For tickets bought online or on a smartcard, email **seasons.emr@trainsfares.co.uk** and include the date you surrendered it. Refunds follow the National Rail Conditions of Travel, not a simple daily split. Changing the ticket at a ticket office can sometimes get you a pro rata refund with no admin fee.

Is there an admin fee for EMR refunds?

Usually. EMR's refund page and terms say **£5** for refunds of unused tickets. Changing an Advance ticket costs **£10** plus any difference in fare. Flexi Season refunds lose up to £10. A second forgotten-season-ticket claim within 12 months costs £10. There's **no fee** if you didn't travel because your train was delayed or cancelled. Older EMR leaflets mention £10 per ticket, so if you're charged more than £5, check which rule they used.

How long does an EMR refund take?

EMR's terms say it aims to process refund requests **within 56 days** of receiving them. Approved refunds go back to the card you paid with, and the money can take up to **five working days** to show on your statement. When you change a ticket, the refund for the original can take up to 10 working days. Delay Repay is usually faster, but you must claim within 28 days of the journey. If you've waited longer than 56 days, chase contact@eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk with your reference.

Can I refund EMR tickets over the phone?

No. EMR's refund page says it **can't process refunds over the phone**. The 24/7 Customer Service Centre on 03457 125 678 can answer questions, and option 2 reaches Ticket Sales / Web Support from 8am to 8pm. The refund itself must go through My Account, the app, email (sales.support.eastmidlandsrailway@trainsfares.co.uk for online bookings), post or a ticket office.

I bought my EMR ticket on Trainline, who refunds me?

**Trainline does**, not EMR. Refunds always come from the retailer that sold the ticket. EMR tells passengers to apply through the app or site they bought from. Delay Repay is different: you claim that **from EMR directly** if EMR ran the delayed train, wherever you bought the ticket. If the retailer's fee would be bigger than a small refund, check whether disruption caused it. In that case no admin fee should apply.

What happens if I forget my EMR season ticket?

Buy a new ticket before you travel, then claim it back. You can do this **twice in 12 months**, and the second claim costs a **£10 admin fee**. Apply at the ticket office where you bought your season ticket. Bring the season ticket, your photocard and the replacement tickets. If you keep forgetting it, it may be worth getting a digital season ticket or smartcard.

EMR refusing to refund

First, ask for a **formal complaint reference** at contact@eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk. EMR's ORR-approved Complaints Handling Procedure says the Customer Service Centre handles complaints by email, phone, letter or web form. State which rule applies to you, such as a fee-free refund because your train was disrupted. Attach your tickets and evidence of the delay. If EMR still refuses, or doesn't answer within its deadline, you can take it to the independent Rail Ombudsman for free.

How do I complain to East Midlands Railway?

Email **contact@eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk**, use webchat or the customer relations form, or call **03457 125 678**. The line is open 24/7, and option 3 is for feedback. You can also write to Freepost EMR Customer Service Centre. Station staff can help you fill in a complaints form too. Keep your complaint reference. If it's still unresolved after EMR's procedure, you can escalate to the Rail Ombudsman. Don't post bank details on social media. EMR says it will never ask for them there.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a East Midlands Railway Refund.

East Midlands Railway refunds are per-order, and their own policy gives you a 28-day window. Miss it and you still have tools, a clear email, a card-issuer chargeback. Here's the playbook.

Last verified today against East Midlands Railway’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

One-off train tickets (Anytime, Off-Peak) can be refunded if unused, minus a £5 admin fee. Claim within 28 days of the ticket expiring, from whoever sold you the ticket. Advance tickets can only be refunded if EMR delays or cancels your train. In that case you get the full amount back with no fee. Season tickets get a partial refund for the unused part, and Flexi Seasons are worked out per day travelled, minus a fee of up to £10. Delay Repay is separate: it's compensation for journeys you actually took that arrived 15+ minutes late, and you must claim within 28 days of the journey.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails East Midlands Railway, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

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What East Midlands Railway actually says

“If you don't use your train tickets, you can apply for a refund in most cases subject to a £5 admin charge. Advance tickets are non-refundable, unless your train has been delayed or cancelled.”
, verbatim from East Midlands Railway’s terms

28-day cancellation windowPro-rata refund: yes

How long does a East Midlands Railway refund take?

Most merchants agree to a straightforward refund within 1 to 3 working days of a well-written email request. Once agreed, the money itself takes another 3 to 5 working days to land, that part is card-network processing and no merchant can skip it. If nothing has arrived 10 working days after a written “refund approved”, reply on the same thread asking for the ARN (acquirer reference number), which your bank can trace.

Note East Midlands Railway’s own policy works on a 28-day window, ask inside it and the request is routine; outside it you’re relying on goodwill or statutory rights.

What you can claim

The law where you live is the strongest hook, lead with it when you contact the company.

United Kingdom

Section 75, Consumer Credit Act
Credit card issuer is jointly liable. £100-£30,000.
For UK credit-card charges between £100 and £30,000, your card issuer is jointly liable with East Midlands Railway for any breach. Call your bank, say “Section 75 claim”, send evidence. Usually resolved in 2-4 weeks.
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Full refund within the 14-day window.
Inside 14 days of starting any East Midlands Railway subscription, you’re entitled to a full refund of any payment taken, no questions, no policy override.
Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail East Midlands Railway can’t ignore.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described”, your bank initiates, East Midlands Railway has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where East Midlands Railway is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described”, applies to services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

Rights in other regions (United States, European Union)

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a East Midlands Railway charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.

European Union

ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If East Midlands Railway is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

The East Midlands Railway refund email

Email the right address
Use sales.support.eastmidlandsrailway@trainsfares.co.uk, the route yoink has verified actually gets read for East Midlands Railway.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request, [your account email]

Send this body

Hi East Midlands Railway team,

I'm requesting a refund for my East Midlands Railway order (reference [order number], placed on [date], for [amount]). I'm within the 28-day window your policy allows for this.

Please process the refund to my original payment method and confirm by reply.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, escalate via the regional route above, a card-issuer chargeback works in every market.

Refund FAQ for East Midlands Railway

Usually, yes. Unused **Anytime and Off-Peak** tickets can be refunded minus a **£5 admin fee**. Claim within 28 days of the ticket expiring. **Advance** tickets can't be refunded unless your train was delayed or cancelled. Where you apply depends on where you bought it: **My Account** or the app's 'My Tickets' for online bookings, the ticket office for station purchases, or by post for paper tickets (EMR Refunds Department, PO Box 23972, Edinburgh, EH3 5DA, recorded delivery). If the online cancel doesn't work, email sales.support.eastmidlandsrailway@trainsfares.co.uk.