Best time and place to buy train tickets

Fiver29

We're going to London in August, and I just wondered if anyone had any tips for buying train tickets.

The Trainline have the prices up already and the tickets can be booked, but National Rail Enquires don't have anything past June available.

Am I best waiting, or is it best to book the tickets ASAP? Do these companies do special offers on occasion?

Also which company normally works out cheaper for tickets (inc using a family railcard).

geminibabe

Would like to know this too!!! I have my hen weekend in July in London and 8 girlies will be travelling by train! I have been keeping my eye on this little beauty too http://www.raileasy.co.uk/

The_One_Who

Advance tickets (the cheap ones) can be bought twelve weeks in advance, at the earliest. The tickets currently available will be standards, and so much more expensive. So best to book twelve weeks in advance to get the best savings.

I believe the Trainline charge a booking fee (or they used to at least), whereas buying direct from a rail company will not incur this. There is no 'cheapest' really. Tickets are a set price and will be available to buy through all train companies.

Fiver29

Thanks One I'll mark 12 weeks before in my diary then.

The_One_Who

You can usually sign up to receive an e-mail when the tickets for that day/week are released.

Fiver29

I looked at that, but the station I'm leaving from isn't listed

The_One_Who

Yes, it's usually only the main stations. You'll probably find that you'll need to change at a station, or the train will at least pass through a main, listed station. I would just look for those.

KeithP

When the time comes, its probably best to avoid buying tickets from thetrainline and raileasy.

Both these companies charge fees over and above the ticket prices... e.g. credit card fee, postage fee, collect from machine fee, etc.

Best to book from a train operating company, e.g. East Coast Trains.
All train operating companies sell each other's tickets, but some have discounts on their own tickets from time to time.

To find out when the cheaper Advance tickets become available, look at this National Rail webpage.