E-tickets

An e-ticket is an electronic ticket you buy online and receive as a PDF file by email. E-tickets are available on most EMR routes but they're not available for journeys that include travel on the London underground.

If you book a return trip, you'll get two tickets attached to your e-ticket email. They're labelled OUT and RTN so you know which ticket applies to which part of the journey. If you book e-tickets for several passengers, you'll see they're distinguished as Adult or Child tickets with the type of railcard used (if any).

We'll send you an email with your e-ticket as a PDF. You can print this at home before your journey or use it on a mobile device. You can't collect e-tickets at the station.

When you travel, you can show the PDF tickets on your phone or the printed copy. If you have our app (iOS and Android), they will be available within the My Tickets section of the app, so they're easily accessible when you need them.

At some stations the ticket gates have scanners where you can scan the barcode on your e-ticket. If the ticket gate doesn't have a scanner, show your e-ticket to a member of staff at the barrier.

On the train, just show your e-ticket to our on-board staff. They may do a visual check or scan the barcode on the ticket.

If your phone battery dies and you can't show your ticket, you’ll need to buy a new ticket at the full fare. If you don’t or are unable to, you may be issued with a penalty fare. No refunds are available for tickets you are unable to produce at time of travel, and we can't issue duplicates.

You can have your e-ticket on multiple devices at once, you just need to be able to open the PDF attachment from your email. Present your e-ticket for inspection and scanning in any one or more of the following ways:

1. Open the e-ticket PDF attachment from your email and show the ticket on your mobile device
2. Print the e-ticket before you travel and show a paper copy
3. Download the e-ticket and save it to your ticket wallet on the EMR app

No, we don't charge any ticket booking fees. Depending on your mobile contract, you may be subject to data charges for using the internet. If you’re unsure, speak to your network provider.

You can change the date or apply for a refund on Anytime, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak e-tickets, as per the restrictions on a paper ticket.

You can change the time, date or class of an Advance e-ticket. You'll need to pay any increase in fare plus the £10 charge for each ticket. If the new fare is cheaper, you’ll just need to pay the £10, and you won’t be refunded the difference. You can't get a refund on Advance fares, unless you were unable to travel because your train was delayed or cancelled.

To make changes, call us on 03457 125 678 (option 2, 1). Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There's a £10 charge for each ticket for changes or refunds.

If your journey was delayed by 15 minutes or more, you could be entitled to compensation through our Delay Repay scheme .

Make a Delay Repay claim online and upload a screenshot of your e-ticket, plus your booking reference if you have it. Alternatively, you can print out your e-ticket and post it with a paper claim form.

If you’re unable to supply your e-ticket or proof of travel, call us on 03457 125 678 or drop us a line on Twitter at @eastmidrailway . We're here 24/7.

Yes, you can use your railcard as you would with the equivalent paper ticket. Learn more about railcards .

Yes, if they're available you'll be offered the chance to reserve a seat when you buy your ticket. Reservations can usually be made up to midnight the day prior to travel.

Yes, you'll receive an email confirmation with your e-ticket attached as a PDF.

Don't worry, you can open and show your e-ticket PDF directly from the email, or print it off and bring it with you when you travel.

Your phone provider should be able to help if you continue to have problems downloading apps. In the first instance though, check that your phone isn’t just set to download new apps through WiFi only.

You need a data signal to download the e-ticket but once downloaded, you don't need a signal to show it on your phone or in the app. You can also print a copy of your e-ticket to use as a back up.

The same rules as losing a paper ticket apply. You’ll need to buy a new ticket if you can't show your e-ticket when you travel. If you don’t or are unable to, you may be issued with a penalty fare. Find out more in the National Rail Conditions of Travel

Show your e-ticket to our staff for visual inspection. If it’s cracked to the point that your ticket can’t be read or scanned, you may have to buy a new ticket. You can also print a copy of your e-ticket to use as a back up.