Rewards FAQs

Rewards

Information about the Rewards scheme, membership points and free tickets

• • What is East Coast Rewards?

    About our Loyalty scheme

    • East Coast Rewards is our loyalty scheme which launched on July 25 2011. It is a Points-based scheme where you can earn Points for purchases on the mobile and desktop versions of eastcoast.co.uk. With the exception of some East Coast tickets, the minimum spend to qualify for loyalty points is £22 per booking. Tickets booked for travel with other train operators, not just East Coast, will qualify for points.

  • I have got a message to say my account is on hold, what does this mean?

    Account on hold

    • The most likely reason is because for some reason the email address you have registered at eastcoast.co.uk is not valid and may need changing or updating. We are unable to maintain Rewards accounts with invalid / incorrect email addresses. Please contact web support to seek further advice.

  • Can I book for additional people with me when I book a free Rewards train ticket?

    Additional people when booking a Rewards train ticket

    • Yes, as long as you have sufficient free tickets in your account for all the people travelling. Additionally, up to two children under the age of 5 per ticket can travel free but no seat reservation will be issued. Up to 3 child tickets can be purchased per 1 adult free ticket, The costs for these are £5 for a Standard single ticket or £10 for a First Class single ticket.

  • How do I book my free train tickets?

    Booking free tickets

    • To use your free train tickets, simply follow our step by step guide from the desktop version of our site, by clicking here.

  • Can I earn Points on all my trips?

    Can I earn Points on all my trips?

    • You can earn points on all train travel trips with all train operators on whichever route you choose when booked on the desktop and mobile versions of eastcoast.co.uk. With the exception of some East Coast tickets, there is a minimum spend of £22 required for that booking to qualify for points

  • My Rewards free train ticket is showing on my Rewards account page as available to book, but when I go to book I cannot see a £0 ticket on the booking engine mixing deck...

    Can't see a £0 ticket

    • Please check you are doing the following –
      • You have signed in at eastcoast.co.uk
      • You are booking at least 7 days in advance
      • You have sufficient free Rewards tickets in your account
      • You’ve selected stations served by East Coast
      • You will not be able to make a booking if you only enter a child within in the search criteria
      • All free tickets are subject to availability. There may not be any availability on your selected date. In this case, the £0 voucher will be shaded in grey.

  • How do I change my contact details?

    Change contact details

    • If you want to change your name or email address you will need to update your eastcoast.co.uk account by Signing In on the desktop version of the website and clicking on 'My Account' at the top of the screen.

  • I need to change the journey date and time on my Rewards ticket booking, is this possible?

    Changing journey date and time

    • Unfortunately, once a Rewards ticket has been redeemed and booked, it cannot be changed, amended, cancelled or refunded, as per the Rewards terms and conditions.

  • The train journey I took with my free ticket was delayed / cancelled. Am I able to claim compensation through the ‘Delay Repay’ scheme?

    Claiming compensation on free ticket

    • No. Unfortunately we do not offer any compensation on Free tickets if a train is delayed or cancelled.

  • How do I collect my Rewards tickets?

    Collecting your free train tickets

    • Rewards tickets can be printed using Print@Home. If you select this option you will need to provide some information about personal ID for the lead traveller when you book. To collect your Rewards train tickets by 'Ticket on Departure', you need your eight-character booking reference and a valid debit or credit card when you collect your tickets at the station. You can then collect your tickets from a Fastticket machine (at the station you selected when making the booking) by inserting your card and entering the reference number on the screen. Your card will not be charged unless you added additional items such as child tickets or London Travelcards in your transaction.

  • Will I be charged when I collect my tickets?

    Collection charges

    • Not unless you have added additional items in your transaction. A valid debit or credit card is required for security only and is required each time tickets are collected using Ticket on Departure.

  • What are the conditions of Rewards membership?

    Conditions of Membership

    • East Coast Rewards is open to anyone who purchases on our website and it is free to join. A major condition of Rewards membership is that you are agreeing to receive marketing communications from East Coast. Please see our full membership terms and conditions. If you opt out of receiving communications from East Coast you will automatically be opted out from the Rewards scheme. For full terms and conditions of the scheme, click here when accessing from the desktop version of our website.

  • How do you earn Points?

    Earning points

    • You earn Points on all purchases made on the East Coast desktop or mobile website where that booking is a minimum spend of £22 in value unless specified (certain East Coast tickets have no minimum spend to qualify for points). For more details on how to earn points full terms and conditions or visit the Rewards section of the desktop version of our website.

  • How do I join?

    How to join Rewards

    • There are 3 methods of joining
      
      1. If you are already registered to buy tickets at eastcoast.co.uk and are opted in to receive special offers and promotions by email you simply need to Sign In to your East Coast account from the desktop version of our website and, click the ‘Join now’ button on the first page within the Rewards section of the website at http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/loyalty-intro-page/
      2. If you are already registered to buy tickets at eastcoast.co.uk but are NOT opted in to receive special offers and promotions by email, you will need to Sign In to your East Coast account on the desktop version of our website, then click on ‘My Account’, then ‘Personal Details’. At that page you will need to ensure you have ticked the boxes to ‘receive details of special offers and promotions’ and ‘to join East Coast Rewards’
      3. If you are not registered, you will need to register with East Coast and join Rewards at the same time. This can be easily done by selecting visiting eastcoast.co.uk/rewards and selecting the ‘Join Now’ button on the main page within the Rewards section of the desktop version of our website.
      Alternatively Click Here to join when accessing from a desktop rather than mobile device.
      

  • What can I spend my Points on?

    How to spend Points.

    • Currently you can spend your Points on free Rewards Leisure Single tickets for travel with East Coast; eVouchers which can be spent be on any train journey when booked through eastcoast.co.uk, free East Coast on-board Wi-Fi access for a 24 hour period (valid in Standard, Wi-Fi in First Class is currently free of charge), a range of wines and First Class Lounges, we also offer a range of member benefits. For more details about our rewards, when on the desktop version of our website, click here. We plan to expand the range of benefits to include third party rewards. Details will be published on the desktop version of our website.

  • How do I log in to my East Coast Rewards account?

    Logging into your Rewards Account

    • Assuming you have already registered as a Rewards member, simply visit the desktop version of eastcoast.co.uk and Sign In at eastcoast.co.uk/rewards. You will be firstly asked to sign in and will then be directed to the East Coast Rewards account summary, from where you can view your Points and redeem them on the rewards available to you from the desktop version of our website.

  • Why are there no seats available when I try to book a Rewards ticket?

    No seats available when booking

    • There is a limited number of seats available. These will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. If the seats on the train on which you wish to travel have already been allocated, you will need to select an alternative East Coast service that has availability. Please note that the number of seats available on our trains will vary from train to train and on certain peak-time East Coast trains Rewards tickets will not be allocated. There may be certain dates at busy times (such as Christmas and Easter) on which bookings are not permitted. Our Rewards ticket allocation is subject to availability.
      
      If no seats show as available it’s also worth checking the following:
      • You’re booking your journey at least 7 days in advance
      • You’re selecting stations which are served by East Coast
      • You have sufficient vouchers to cover the booking

  • I have not received Points for a booking I made. Where are they?

    Not received points for a booking

    • Was your booking a minimum of £22? If you didn’t book Advance ticket types you need to wait 2 months after the outward date of travel for the Points to be allocated to your account.

  • I have a problem booking a Free ticket, who should I contact?

    Problem booking a Free train ticket

    • Please check the step by step guide for help, when accessing from a desktop device. If you are still having difficulties booking a journey, please use the 'Contact Us' to email the Web Support Team or call 08457 225 111, open seven days a week Mon – Sat 8am – 8pm and Sun 10am – 8pm. Bank holidays are standard working days from 8am.

  • I have redeemed my Points for the wrong voucher and I would like to start this process again. Is there anything I can do?

    Redeemed points for wrong voucher

    • Unfortunately, once a reward has been selected and redeemed, you are unable to change it.

  • I buy Season Tickets, so it’s not possible for me to buy my tickets online, can I still earn Points through Rewards?

    Season Tickets

    • As a monthly (or longer) Season Ticket holder, you may be eligible to earn Points as we are able to offer East Coast Rewards Points on eligible routes when purchased through an East Coast ticket office. You could earn 0.5 Points per £1.00 spent on Standard train tickets and 1 Point per £1.00 on First Class tickets. To find out full details please click here from the desktop version of our website, or pick up a leaflet in your local East Coast Travel Centre

  • Can I book my free travel by phone?

    Telephone booking for free travel tickets

    • No. All bookings for Free travel must be made through your Rewards account on the desktop version of eastcoast.co.uk.

  • Can I change my free tickets once booked?

    Ticket change once booked

    • No. Once a booking has been made, changes to travel plans are not permitted and tickets or Points cannot be refunded to your account where the ticket is subsequently unused.

  • Do I have to complete my Free ticket journeys before the Free ticket expiry date which was stated when I redeemed my Points?

    Ticket expiry date

    • No, the Free ticket expiry date, which is currently 6 months from date of redemption, is the date by which you need to book your travel – as long as you’ve made the booking before the end of the 6 month expiry date, the travel can take place afterwards.

  • Can I use my benefits with other train companies?

    Use benefits with other companies

    • No. East Coast Rewards benefits are only valid with East Coast and have to be redeemed through your Rewards account on the desktop version of eastcoast.co.uk

  • How do I use my Rewards eVouchers?

    Using eVouchers

    • To use your eVouchers for future ticket purchases on the desktop version of our website, at www.eastcoast.co.uk simply follow our step by step guide by clicking here which takes you to our desktop site.

  • How do I use my Wi-Fi code on an East Coast Train?

    Using Wi-Fi code

    • To use your Wi-Fi code when travelling with East Coast simply follow our step by step guide on the desktop version of our website, by clicking here.

  • The train which I booked my Free ticket on has been cancelled, what do I do?

    What to do if your train is cancelled

    • You can join the next available East Coast train for your intended journey. Please note that seating accommodation is not guaranteed in these circumstances. We do not compensate against delayed or cancelled trains when travelling on a Free ticket. To view the entire terms and conditions which provide full details about our free tickets, please click here when accessing from the desktop version of our website. If you require additional help when at the station, please seek assistance from the station staff.

  • I redeemed against a free ticket but it hasn’t appeared in my account

    Where are redeemed tickets in my account?

    • Simply Sign In to your Rewards account from the desktop version of our website, and on the right hand side of the page you will see a box which confirms how many free tickets you have available to book.

  • Where can I use my Rewards tickets?

    Where can I use my Rewards tickets

    • Your Rewards tickets are subject to availability and are valid for pre-booked journeys on East Coast trains only. Bookings must be made at www.eastcoast.co.uk at least 7 days in advance of your outward journey.