Help with train from manchester-london

[hellamoto]

im looking to travel to london euston from manchester on 21st of december, returning on the 24th, yes i know, christmas eve. However all the tickets appear to be around 100 return for me and a friend. Is there any way to get them cheaper?

Also will advanced tickets be released in the future or have i missed them
I just dont want to leave it to late and be stuck for transports

many thanks

[dzug]

A saver return which you can buy on the day is £59.50. There is no fare of the amount you have quoted.

Advance tickets have either not been released (probably) or have all sold out (unlikely - there would be something still left at this stage)

Either way you will do no harm in waiting - you will NOT be stuck for transport as you can buy the walk on saver ticket just before you travel.

If you are prepared to travel via Sheffield then cheaper tickets on MML may be available - I've spotted a £7 one outward - return again look not released

[mcallister1]

Its so annoying that Virgin don't show if they have released those advance fares when gner are so much more transparent about them.

[hellamoto]

thanks for the help. looks like ive got to hope advance tickets r release soon.

[emay]

just benn having a play on the trainline site and they're quoting the advance tix upto 30 nov (but none when i check any dates in dec/jan), so they may only show x amount of weeks in advance.

btw...is there a way of changing dates/stations without going all the way back to the start?

[TheImportanceOfBeingIdle]

The majority of franchises are changing. Advance tickets haven't been released by the new franchises yet and probably won't be released until the middle of November.

[nash0819]

The majority of franchises are changing. Advance tickets haven't been released by the new franchises yet and probably won't be released until the middle of November.

Thanks for this useful info. For London to Manchester, I presume Virgin have kept the contract?

This link (http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/ams/highlights/) says that Cross Country - who are taking over some of the Virgin routes that do not terminate at London - will be releasing advance fares beyond 9 December sometime "in the coming weeks".

Virgin are not so forthcoming. Nothing in their pressroom (http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=984) either.

[coral]

I tend to find that Christmas Eve is actually a fairly quiet travel day, particulaly as it is a Monday this year so people will travel over the weekend. However Friday will be very busy.

Doesn't look like Virgin have released the Advanced tickets yet, but I would expect them to any day as weekdays go on sale 12 weeks before usually. Even if you don't get an advance fare for one half of the journey, they will sell you a "half saver" for the other bit (£29.75) which isn't bad.

[isasmurf]

Advance tickets are required to be released at least 9 weeks in advance of travel under the "Informed Traveller Requirement". So for travel on Christmas Eve tickets should be available by 22 October.

[TheImportanceOfBeingIdle]

Thanks for this useful info. For London to Manchester, I presume Virgin have kept the contract?

This link (http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/ams/highlights/) says that Cross Country - who are taking over some of the Virgin routes that do not terminate at London - will be releasing advance fares beyond 9 December sometime "in the coming weeks".

Virgin are not so forthcoming. Nothing in their pressroom (http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=984) either.

Virgin had 2 routes. The west coast and the cross country. They still have the west coast but lost the other to Arriva who will now operate it under the name Cross Country.