NEWS | Veterans and serving military personnel attending this year’s Remembrance Sunday services can travel by rail for free thanks to West Midlands Railway

Veterans and serving military personnel attending this year’s Remembrance Sunday services can travel by rail for free, thanks to West Midlands Railway (WMR).

The offer applies to those attending the Submariners’ Remembrance Service in London on Sunday 3 November and all services of Remembrance on Sunday 10 November, including the national service at the Cenotaph in London.

The rail operator, in partnership with sister company London Northwestern Railway, is also providing free travel to Royal British Legion fundraisers travelling to the capital for the London Poppy Appeal on Wednesday 31 October.

In addition to the free travel offer, WMR will be marking Remembrance by adding poppies to the side of its new Class 730 electric trains on the Cross City Line through Birmingham. 

Employees at WMR have also raised more than £3,000 for the Royal British Legion by ordering specially-made metallic pin badges to proudly display on their uniforms. 

Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said:

“It is so important to pay tribute to those who protected our country, as well as those who continue to do so. We are proud to play our part in ensuring serving personnel and veterans can attend commemorative events without worrying about travel costs, whether they are visiting national events in London or local events in the West Midlands.”

The free travel offer is open to serving military personnel in uniform or in possession of a current MOD90 Ministry of Defence-issued identity card. Veterans will need to show a Veterans Railcard, Veterans Oyster card, MOD-issued Veterans ID or other appropriate proof of service. 

For those attending events in London, travel is permitted to any London terminal station either on the day before or the day of each service and returning on the day of the service. For those attending events elsewhere, return travel is permitted on the day of the service.

For the London Poppy Day collection, anyone with a Royal British Legion collector’s ID can travel to London on 30 or 31 October, returning on 31 October or 1 November.

For more information visit the Royal British Legion website.