Rail travellers are being warned against purchasing certain tickets, as stricter policies are set to take effect. Mark Smith, formerly of the Department for Transport's (DfT) train fares and ticketing division, has accused the Government of "approving a reduction in consumer protection for its own financial benefit".

From the beginning of next month, Off-Peak and Anytime tickets will only qualify for refunds if returned by 11.59pm on the day before they become valid for travel, barring service disruptions. Train operators will still consider refund requests in exceptional circumstances, such as medical emergencies.

Under current rules, unused tickets can be refunded without explanation if returned to the point of purchase within 28 days of expiry. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) claims the updated policy will tackle "refund abuse", where passengers claim refunds on tickets that have been used but not validated, costing the industry an estimated £40 million each year.

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Mr Smith, who runs international rail travel site Seat61.com, posted on X: "If you wake up and find your event cancelled, NO REFUNDS, even on £100+ tickets. Advice to passengers is simple: NEVER buy Super-Off-Peak, Off-Peak or Anytime tickets in advance.

"ALWAYS buy on the day, five minutes before you board the train. If you buy in advance, any on-the-day change of plan could lose you £100s on a long journey. Even with a flexible ticket."

While refunds or date alterations for Off-Peak and Anytime tickets will no longer be available on the day of travel, non-refundable Advance fares – discounted tickets for specific services – can still be modified. Mr Smith argued the changes render fares "more complex" and branded the situation as "a mess".

He said: "If train operators can't check a ticket on a 200-mile journey they don't deserve to keep the money. Simply making all tickets non-refundable is very lazy revenue protection."

The financial arrangements of English train operators – including those not yet brought into public ownership – are significantly controlled by the Government due to contracts implemented at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Smith observed: "It's the Government's money now, not the train operators'. Government approving a reduction in consumer protection for its own financial benefit. Government is marking its own homework."

The RDG maintained the alterations were intended to "modernise a system that no longer reflects how people travel today".

It continued: "Refund abuse, where someone claims a refund for a ticket they have already used by falsely stating they did not travel, is estimated to cost the railway around £40 million annually. This is a legacy of the outdated refund system that was designed for an era of paper tickets and cash payments, which allowed customers 28 days to return to the station that sold them their ticket to request a refund.

"Today, however, more than 80% of customers use digital tickets or tap in with payment cards or smart devices, and most refund claims are handled through self-serve processes online. The outdated rules in recent years have become a significant source of fraud and misuse."

The Department for Transport was contacted for a comment by the Press Association.

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