Why does East Coast show fares that you can't buy?

Lifeforms

When I go search train journeys it often comes up with prices that you simply cannot buy. None of them show up as available for journeys. Is this actually allowed? Is there a reason as to why its done?

In the example below under single journeys you can see a fare from £10.85 to £133.75. Yet there is no fare at either £10.85, or the full price of £133.75. The services available are listed (albeit i scrolled down journey, but can assure you that the top journey not shown is £18.45

wealdroam

Simply because the fares in that box are Advance Singles which are quota controlled.

Advance Singles are made available as required by the train operator.

In you example, there are no fares available less than £18.45 because the cheaper tickets have already sold out or the operator decided he didn't need to offer those cheaper fares to drum up custom.
Bit like airlines really.

As time passes, it is possible that those £18.50 tickets will vanish too.

Oh... and it's not just East Coast Trains, it is all train operators.

geordie_taxi

but it sounds so much better on east coasts adverts or on their publicity emails when they state 'from A to B for only £10.85'

at least east coast dont rip u off too much ie 8 quid. if u searched a crosscountry advanced fare u wud c a major difference in price between their lowest advertised fare and the fare that is released 8 to 10 weeks before travel