Need Advice on When to Buy train Tickets from London to Edinburgh

edinburgh_bound

Dear Brits:

Our family of Yanks (6) are looking forward to a trip in the UK in two weeks!

In booking a train from (any station ) London to Edinburgh, we have seen wild price fluctuations in train prices over the last month....with a sudden price increase (from 121 to 193 pounds total) about two weeks ago. Our travel day is Tuesday April 6...any time (off peak or other) is fine.

Question: at this point, shall we wait until the night before departure to buy tickets in London, or bite the bullet" and pay more now? Several people have told me to wait until the night before to buy tix, but I don't know much about the train system in general (looks complicated), about availability, or about what might be even higher prices then! Any advice from locals would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Simon11

I work for a train company in the department that deals with setting price Ticket.

Advance Tickets never get cheaper.

For example a train has 100 seats.

When 5 seats are sold on the train, the ticket prices go up to the next band.

when 10 seats are sold on the train, the ticket prices up go to next band and so on.

Best advice is to buy the tickets now! Try being flexiable, as midday or late evenings will result in cheaper advance Tickets.

For purchasing Tickets, go East Coast website and you'll more like to get cheaper tickets there than trainline. Eastcoast run direct trains from London to Edinburgh

Cheapest Ticket for an Adult leaving at 1.30pm is £47.50

In the future, why not look at getting a railcard such as Friends and Family railcard for cheaper train travel!

Simon11

Looking at Eastcoast, you can see how tickets don't get cheaper.

For travelling on 24th March at 1.30pm an Adult ticket is nearly £100

For travelling on 25th May at 1.30pm an adult ticket is £16.50

Edinburghlass_2

Welcome to MSE. You'll get the train from King's Cross station to Edinburgh Waverley.

Have a read of Martin's article here..

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-train-tickets

More likely to get a discounted price the earlier you book and I certainly wouldn't wait until the night before to buy tickets. Apart from anything if you book your tickets you are also booking a seat and its a long way to stand from London to Edinburgh.

Check out doing your journey as two single journeys rather than a return.

McKneff

Also, have a look at East Coast Trains, I'm seeing York/Leeds to London at the
moment plastered all over billboards for a tenner.

Play around with the site.

Look at single tickets and then look at return prices.

There is ofter a vast difference, single tickets being lots and lots cheaper than a return. Be patient, It can be very confusing. Have a pen and paper with you.

Simon11

With buying Tickets with less than 2 weeks to go, you'll not going to get the advertised £10 ticket to York. They be only on for sale around 10-12 weeks before departure.

I'm failing to get any cheaper deals than at £47.50 an adult

Edinburghlass_2

Have a read of the Scotland Board on what to do in Edinburgh when you arrive and any help or recommendations you require just ask.

Rolandtheroadie

Cheap flights to Edinburgh from the airport your arriving at MAY be a better option.
Although not certain, there may be a lot of industrial action taking part on the railways by the 6th of April.

Snippa

Buy ASAP. Definitaly don't wait until the night before, as prices right before travel can be totally horrendous in the UK - you could end up paying hundreds.

www.thetrainline.com is good for seeing the range of prices and what tickets are available at any particular point.

Sometimes flights can be cheaper, and Edinburgh airport is pretty easy to get into town from - plenty taxis and a good airport bus service.

Edinburgh's lovely - it'll be worth it

Rolandtheroadie

http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/

Just a random flight search site. Looks to be about £80 return.