Travel from London on Bank Holiday 25th May

Gleeful

Hi all

We're going to London for a wedding in May and need to travel home to the North West on Monday 25th May

We signed up for alerts and have booked our train travel down there on Thursday 21st for just £15 each and were hoping to do the same for the return.

HOWEVER, we didn't realise that it was half term that week and it appears to be a complete blackout for cheap train fares. We are looking at £85.90 each.

Is this our lot? Or is there any possibility that cheaper fares will be released nearer the time?

Have looked at National Express which is £26 each so that is something we may need to look at.

Thanks guys

Gleeful

I sorted this. We've got it down from £85.90 each to £52 each by booking the London Midland train to Crewe for £29pp and then from Crewe to Preston on the day will cost us £23 each.

Hubby refused to look at the National Express. I agree it isn't the most comfortable or enjoyable option but I'd have been willing.

wealdroam

The cheap Advance Singles have not yet been released for your route.

See this National Rail Enquiries webpage for details of release dates.

It shows that Virgin Trains have not yet released weekday Advance Single tickets beyond 21 May.
Neither have London Midland.

Wait patiently. Those tickets should be available later this week or early next.

Gleeful

wealdroam wrote: »

The cheap Advance Singles have not yet been released for your route.

See this National Rail Enquiries webpage for details of release dates.

It shows that Virgin Trains have not yet released weekday Advance Single tickets beyond 21 May.
Neither have London Midland.

Wait patiently. Those tickets should be available later this week or early next.

Ah! But there were advance single tickets for £15 available on Friday 29th May, and thetrainline.com says that tickets for Virgin were available up until 01 June. Otherwise I'd have waited.

We've already paid for the London - Crewe leg now

This is the site we used, which has conflicting info to the link you posted. http://www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert/

Says Virgin trains are released up until 1st June

wealdroam

Gleeful wrote: »

Ah! But there were advance single tickets for £15 available on Friday 29th May, and thetrainline.com says that tickets for Virgin were available up until 01 June. Otherwise I'd have waited.

We've already paid for the London - Crewe leg now

This is the site we used, which has conflicting info to the link you posted. http://www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert/

Says Virgin trains are released up until 1st June

The train line are wrong.
The train line are showing no Advance Single tickets from London to Preston on 25 May yet.

Whatever tickets you have bought could've been bought at the same price on the day of travel.

Oh... and if you bought your tickets from a train operating company, you could've avoided the trainline's fees.

Gleeful

But there are advanced singles available on 29th May....so saying that these dates haven't yet been released is porkies.

We can only go on the information we are given and that's what the website said with regards to release dates. No point in crying over spilled milk I guess. I'll bear in mind your advice regarding TOCs in the future.

alanrowell

Gleeful wrote: »

But there are advanced singles available on 29th May....so saying that these dates haven't yet been released is porkies.

May 25 is a public holiday so the timetables won't have been settled yet as that long weekend is the sort of weekend when the tracks are dug up for maintenance

So it isn't porkies, just ignorance

yorkie2

Gleeful wrote: »

But there are advanced singles available on 29th May....so saying that these dates haven't yet been released is porkies.

Nope. See http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/44703.aspx

katejo

Am I imagining this? I know that cheap advance tickets are only available approx 8 weeks in advance but i am sure that I have been able to check non "cheap advance"/open ones further ahead. Now it seems that I can't see ANY advance tickets more than 3 months ahead.

i was trying to book a UK walking holiday. The holiday firm was offering its cheapest prices about 6 months in advance but I couldn't risk choosing one because I couldn't see ticket prices/any notice of major engineering works which would make it difficult to get to my destination

yorkie2

katejo wrote: »

Am I imagining this? I know that cheap advance tickets are only available approx 8 weeks in advance

Is this meant to be a new thread?

Typically 12 weeks for weekday services on most routes which have Advance fares.

katejo wrote: »

but i am sure that I have been able to check non "cheap advance"/open ones further ahead. Now it seems that I can't see ANY advance tickets more than 3 months ahead.

Advance tickets are quota controlled and cannot be sold without a reservation from the available quota. The quotas typically open approx 12 weeks in advance for weekday routes (Edinburgh/Newcastle to London is 24 weeks). They will not be shown until they are released.

Nevertheless, you can find out what the price tiers of Advance tickets for any given flow are by using the website https://www.brfares.com, but note that this site will show fares that may not be released for your chosen date, and promotional fares that may not be available.

katejo wrote: »

i was trying to book a UK walking holiday. The holiday firm was offering its cheapest prices about 6 months in advance but I couldn't risk choosing one because I couldn't see ticket prices/any notice of major engineering works which would make it difficult to get to my destination

As we do not know your origin, destination, and travel time requirements, it's not possible to advise.

If you can post your requirements, we can give an idea of the likely cost. Or you can take a look yourself for a 'dummy' journey in, say, 10 weeks time, as that should give you a rough idea of the likely costs.

For the best advice you could try posting in the Fares Advice & Policy forum dedicated to rail fare advice.

katejo

yorkie2 wrote: »

Is this meant to be a new thread?

Typically 12 weeks for weekday services on most routes which have Advance fares.

Advance tickets are quota controlled and cannot be sold without a reservation from the available quota. The quotas typically open approx 12 weeks in advance for weekday routes (Edinburgh/Newcastle to London is 24 weeks). They will not be shown until they are released.

Nevertheless, you can find out what the price tiers of Advance tickets for any given flow are by using the website www.brfares.com, but note that this site will show fares that may not be released for your chosen date, and promotional fares that may not be available.

As we do not know your origin, destination, and travel time requirements, it's not possible to advise.

If you can post your requirements, we can give an idea of the likely cost. Or you can take a look yourself for a 'dummy' journey in, say, 10 weeks time, as that should give you a rough idea of the likely costs.

For the best advice you could try posting in the Fares Advice & Policy forum dedicated to rail fare advice.

Think that you have misunderstood me slightly. I wasn't referring to "Advance saver fares" which require seat reservation and are restricted to a specific train. I just meant the more flexible open ones. I was sure that you could buy these more than 8-12 weeks ahead because you are not tied to 1 time. I haven't got a specific route in mind as I was considering several different options. One which I did look at was Paddington to St Ives but it offered no tickets at all beyond early June.

I will have a look at the forum which you give.