Free rail travel for Armed Forces personnel and veterans

South Western Railway is offering free travel to Armed Forces personnel and veterans for London Poppy Day and Remembrance Sunday.

This includes travel from Salisbury to London Waterloo for the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on either Saturday 8 or Sunday 9 November, returning on Sunday 9th November.

The Submariners’ Remembrance Service on Saturday 1 November is also included in the offer, with travel to London Waterloo allowed on either Saturday 1 or Sunday 2 November, returning on Sunday 2 November.

The offer of free travel, which is funded by the Department for Transport, is available to anyone who is travelling in uniform or able to show an appropriate form of identification and is applicable throughout Great Britain.

SWR is also happy to support volunteers collecting for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, with free travel to and from the capital to attend London Poppy Day events on Thursday 30 October.

Anyone with a Royal British Legion collector’s ID can travel for free on SWR services to London Waterloo on Wednesday 29 or Thursday 30 October, returning on Friday 31 October.

Customers planning to travel on these days should check their journey before they travel on the SWR website here.
Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway, said, “Remembrance Day carries special significance at SWR as many of our colleagues have a background with the Armed Forces, and as this year’s Railway 200 celebrations have shown, the railway played a significant part in both world wars.

“That’s why we are proud to continue our offer of free travel, to both active personnel and Armed Forces veterans, who are attending Remembrance Day and London Poppy Day events.”

SWR has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, holds the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, and has an active Armed Forces Network of colleagues who have served.

•    Service personnel and veterans will be eligible for free travel on South Western Railway services to attend Remembrance Sunday events.

•    The offer is available to anyone travelling in uniform or able to show an appropriate form of identification.

•    Free travel will also be available for volunteers attending London Poppy Day events on Thursday 30 October, plus one day either side of the London Poppy Day event including one day before or after 30 October (29 and 31 October 2025).

•    Free travel will also be offered on services into London for serving military personnel and veterans attending the Submariners’ Remembrance Service on Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025.