Complaints

Please give us the opportunity to try to resolve your complaint.  If you’re unhappy with the response you receive, you have the right to appeal to the Rail Ombudsman.  The Rail Ombudsman is there to help resolve [on going complaints/disputes] between us and our [customers/passengers].  It’s free to use their services and they are independent of the rail industry.  They don’t take sides, but just look at the evidence available.  They will help us both to try to reach an agreement, but if this doesn’t happen, they will make a decision based on the evidence they’ve received.  If you agree with their decision, then we have to act on what they say.

You can appeal to the Rail Ombudsman if:

• you’re unhappy with our final response to your complaint which will be contained in a letter or email (sometimes called a ‘deadlock letter’); or
• we haven’t resolved your complaint within 40 working days of receiving it; and
• no more than 12 months have passed since we sent you our final response.

There are some complaints that the Rail Ombudsman won’t be able to look into, for example if it’s about the way one of our services has been designed or industry policy.  If that’s the case, then they’ll contact you to let you know.  If possible, they will transfer your complaint to another organisation that may be able to help you further, such as Transport Focus [or London TravelWatch] – the independent consumer watchdog[s] for the rail industry.  They will independently review your complaint and where appropriate, follow things up on your behalf.

To contact the Rail Ombudsman:

By Post: FREEPOST – RAIL OMBUDSMAN

Telephone: 0330 094 0362 (Monday to Friday 08:00 - 20:00, Saturday and Bank Holidays 08:00 - 13:00 excluding Christmas Day)

Website: (including online chat): www.railombudsman.org

Textphone: 0330 094 0363

Email:[email protected]

Twitter: @RailOmbudsman

View Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page and privacy policy online www.railombudsman.org

If you would like to request a refund or compensation please click here for more information and submit a claim via our website or visit any staffed Merseyrail station. 

We will endeavor to respond to your request as soon as possible. If you contact us we will:

• reply or acknowledge your communication within 5 working days of receipt (in the case of completing this form, you should receive an email within a few moments of pressing the submit button). If you don’t please contact us.
• send you a full response within 20 working days.

Some queries may need to passed to Merseytravel. In these cases Merseytravel will:

• acknowledge your communication within 2 working days of receipt.
• send you a full response within 30 working days.

Merseyrail is committed to working to the standards established by the Equality Act 2010 and will ensure that the special needs of all individuals are taken into account when dealing with comments and enquiries.

We provide a variety of information and assistance for people with sensory impairments. If customers need information in audio, large print or braille formats we will produce these on demand. We also have an assistance line for Textphone and Minicom users.

We also operate a dedicated assisted travel service, to support those customers who need assistance when travelling. Please click here for further information.

With your permission we are happy to liaise with carers, guardians and support workers on your behalf. Please contact us with details if required. 

Telephone: 0800 0227 347 (Free of Charge) or 0151 555 1111
Textphone and Minicom users please prefix 18001 prior to dialling