All about cookies

Use of “cookies”

A cookie is a tiny file that is stored on your computer or browser when you visit certain web pages. eastcoast.co.uk uses cookies to enable you to browse our website and use its features (e.g. tracking items in your basket whilst making a booking, remembering you when you return to our site and informing us how many visitors we have to the site and what content is of most interest to you). This helps us to ensure our site is designed to make finding what you need as quick and easy as possible.
Our cookies don't harm your computer and don't store personally identifiable information (i.e. information which can be used to reveal who you are - such as your payment details, just the unique identifier that is associated with that information). A list of all the cookies used on this website, by category, is set out in the table below.

Types of cookies

First party cookies are set by the website that you are visiting.

Third party cookies are set by a party other than the owner of the website you are visiting (i.e. a third party). Typically, third party cookies will be set by the organisations providing analytics services to the website owner (e.g. WebTrends and Google Analytics) or advertising network providers.

Session cookies are stored only during a browsing session and are removed from your device when the browser is closed.

Persistent cookies remain on your device even when the browser is closed.  Persistent cookies enable a website to remember you on subsequent visits, speeding up or enhancing your experience of services or functions offered (e.g. by remembering preferences). 

Disabling cookies

For more information on how to remove cookies or prevent cookies from being created on your particular browser, visit the Managing Cookies section of allaboutcookies.org (Note: this will open in a new window).

If you choose to disable cookies through your browser settings, you will lose some functionality of this website and, if you have signed up for the East Coast Rewards scheme, you may not receive the benefits that would otherwise be available to you. 

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation of this website. Without these cookies, we wouldn’t be able to remember the products and services you have ordered as you go through the check out process. These cookies are all “session cookies” on this website - they allow us to link your activity during a browser session. A browser session starts when you open the browser window and finishes when you close the browser window. Session cookies are created temporarily and once you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted. Session cookies will not be used to advertise products or services to you or remember your preferences or username beyond your current visit.

Performance cookies

We collect non-personalised information about your visit to help us enhance your experience on this site, such as some of the pages you visit and some of the searches you perform. These cookies don’t collect information to identify you, all information is non-personalised and only used to help us improve how the website works. We use it to improve the contents of the site, to compile (for internal market research purposes), aggregate statistics about site usage and to resolve errors.

Functionality cookies

If you check the "Remember me on this computer" box on the "Sign In" screen or the "Register as a new user" page, we will remember the device you are using the next time you visit this site. We will remember you by name and email address on the Sign In page, on the device you are using. To do this, we will use a cookie which doesn’t hold any personally identifiable information (i.e. your name or email address) but, instead, holds a globally unique identifier (GUID) that is associated with that information. If you have checked the "Remember me on this computer" box, you can change your mind at any time by simply unchecking this box on the "Sign In" screen so that the cookie will expire at the end of each browser session.

We also use a cookie to remember the choices you make, so that our website can be more tailored to your needs, improving your journey through it. By using information based on your "home station" (which is chosen by you as your nearest station during the registration process or within My Account) and your interests, we can display, for example, the cheapest fares from your nearest station and show you offers and service improvements that are relevant to you. This cookie doesn’t store personally identifiable information, it simply holds a globally unique identifier (GUID) that is associated with that information. This cookie cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. 

Targeting cookies

We also place internet tags in combination with cookies on different pages on this site and deploy these tags through a third-party. We use this technology to measure visitor response to our site and the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns (e.g. whether a search engine was used to find our site, how many times a page is opened and which information is consulted). These cookies don’t collect personally identifiable information - all information these cookies collect is aggregated. 
Targeting cookies are also used to link to services provided by third parties, such as 'Like' buttons and 'Share' buttons for social networks like Facebook. The third party provides these services in return for recognising that you have visited our website.  Additional third-party cookies may also be dropped from time to time and these cookies may vary slightly from the list below, however all of the suppliers are approved media partners who adhere to industry best practise.

East Coast Reward Scheme

We set first party session cookies to enable us to administer the East Coast Rewards scheme.  These cookies allow us to recognise you and help us to track your Points.  You will need to have the East Coast Rewards cookies (shown in the table below by reference to the "rewards.eastcoast.co.uk" domain) enabled in order to use East Coast Rewards.  You will lose the benefit of East Coast Rewards if you disable the use of cookies through your browser settings.

East Coast Mobile

We set first party persistent cookies to enable us to track whether users have viewed the cookie privacy message, to enable the saved journeys feature and remember recent searches. We set first party session cookies to detect the kind of device you are using and whether you have been re-directed from the desktop site. All cookies used on the mobile site are shown below with reference to the “m.eastcoast.co.uk” domain. We also set a first party session cookie if you book a ticket via the mobile site – this is shown below under the “Strictly necessary” section with reference to the “tickets.eastcoast.co.uk” domain. You will lose the ability to use these features if you disable the use of these cookies through your browser settings. 

Banner advertising on other websites

This type of advertising is designed to provide you with a selection of products based on what you're viewing on eastcoast.co.uk, which are presented to by Audience Science (the company we use to help us advertise) when you visit other selected websites. The adverts may highlight alternatives as well as offers deemed relevant to your browsing history. The technology behind these adverts is based on cookies.
The data contained in the cookie used in these adverts is completely non-personalised. For more information on Audience Science's privacy policy, please visit their website.  Please note that we cannot be responsible for the content of external websites, including Audience Science's website).

We would like to continue to display content that's relevant to you.  However, you can change your preferences to stop this type of advertising by following this link to Audience Science's privacy policy and opt-out function.  If you would like more information about display advertising and to know your choices regarding behavioural advertising (i.e. advertising which is tailored based on your internet browsing activity), please visit the Your Choices website.

Partner cookies

We also have relationships with carefully-selected partners (e.g. our hotel booking service).  our partners may also set cookies during your visit on their site(s).  Please note that we're not responsible for the content or cookie policy of other websites, including those belonging to our partners.

We're giving you this information to make sure we are honest and clear about your privacy when using our website.  We will continue to audit our use of cookies as we continue to improve our website.

Further information about cookies
If you'd like to learn more about cookies in general and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org (these open in a new window).  (Please note that we can't be responsible for the content of external websites including aboutcookies.org and/or allaboutcookies.org).