Lockdown is easing – does this mean I can travel on Greater Anglia trains?

Yes, you can use our trains to get out and about as shops, pubs/restaurants with outdoor seating, zoos and other outdoor venues are starting to re-open. However, Government advice is still to minimise your journeys, work from home if possible and continue to follow all the rules about hands, face and space. We’re looking forward to welcoming you back.

Does this mean that you’re going to put on more trains?

There are still fewer passengers than pre-Covid levels and, as we just said, the Government is still asking people to minimise their journeys. We’re running a reduced timetable, but over the last couple of weeks we have increased our services – putting back many off-peak services so it’s back to at least an hourly service on all routes except Ipswich-Peterborough which remains two-hourly as usual. We’re currently running about 82 per cent of our normal timetable.

Which services have you reinstated?

We resumed an hourly off-peak service on the following routes from Friday 2 April:

• Norwich to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Sheringham and Cambridge
• Ipswich to Felixstowe, Lowestoft and Cambridge
• Marks Tey to Sudbury
• Wickford – Southminster
• Colchester – Walton-on-the-Naze
• Manningtree – Harwich

From Monday 12 April, we’re also reinstating the following intercity services between Norwich and London Liverpool Street on Mondays to Fridays only:

• 05.30/06.48 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
• 07.55/09.00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich

We’ll continue to monitor passenger numbers and if we make any changes to the timetable, we’ll let you know.

Is it safe to use your trains?

We’re doing everything we can so that you can travel with confidence with us.

• We’re cleaning and sanitising our trains and stations using powerful equipment and virucides, with particular attention to high touch areas such as door handles, push buttons and grab rails. Did you know that in the last year we’ve used 26.5k litres of virucide to sanitise our trains? Find out more facts and figures about our cleaning
• We’ve made it easier for you to socially distance, with clear signs, floor markings, one-way systems and clear plastic screens between ticket machines.
• We’re running new longer trains on many of our routes – and continuing to introduce more into passenger service – so there’s more space for you to spread out while on the train, especially as our passenger numbers are still much lower than pre-Covid levels.

Check out our Safer Travel Pledge for more information.

Please help us to help you keep safe.

We can all protect each other from the virus by taking a few simple actions.

• Do not travel if you have any symptoms of coronavirus such as a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a change or loss to your sense of smell or taste.
• Wear a face covering while on our stations and trains – and make sure it covers your nose and mouth. It’s compulsory to wear a face covering unless you’re exempt.
• Wash or sanitise your hands regularly. We’re keeping soap and water topped up in toilets and there’s hand sanitiser available at all our staffed stations. It’s a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser with you.
• Use the full length of the platform and train. Stand back to let other passengers off before you board. Please don’t congregate near the doors. Consider sitting in a window seat so there’s more distance between you and the aisle.

Plan ahead

Spend less time at the station by planning your journey and buying your ticket before you set off. Since we’re not running our normal timetable it’s best to check before you set off that your train is in service. There’s a lot of information on our website to help you plan your journey – including our less busy train tool which shows which are the quietest trains on routes into Liverpool Street.

You can easily buy tickets online using our website or app – we’ve written a blog to help you find a cheap ticket online .

I use a wheelchair – will someone still be able to help me, if I need it?

Yes, of course, we’ll be happy to help you. If you need assistance, we will still help you, although it’s a little bit different since pre-Covid as we must make sure we keep you and our staff safe. Our staff will discuss with you what assistance you require and how they’ll do it maintaining social distance until the assistance is required. Our staff will wear a face covering while they assist you, but if you’re having difficulty hearing them or you need to lip read, they’ll remove it. If you need staff to push your wheelchair or handle your luggage, they’ll sanitise the handles first.

If you need sighted guiding, please sanitise your hands before making physical contact. We don’t expect you to wear gloves. Please wear a face covering, unless you’re exempt, and maintain a safe social distance until the member of staff is ready to help.

If possible, please pre-book your assistance to give us time to prepare.