How far in advance do they release cheap train tickets

tubechallenger

The reason why going through any ticketing site for NR will be showing the same allocations will be purely because they are all based on the same system that works with NRES (which holds all allocations). However, if someone went to a station ticket office the system may appear differently as it takes a lot longer to update on a station than online.... something to remember perhaps.

RedBern

thanks for the responses ... anewman - I've checked out prices from Newport - Bristol - Bristol - London and there's still nothing as yet ... just have to remember to keep checking. There was also an offer on where - if four people travelled together you got a reduction (I think it was 4 for the price of 2) but that's not available either.... going to be an expensive weekend after all if I'm not careful!

tubechallenger

That's GroupSave. It's only available normally if you purchase from a ticket office and it isn't valid with advance purchase tickets.

dzug

The odd thing is going direct through GNER for example also shows the same gaps in tickets - which suggests they may be using the same database and this may be an across the board scheme for maximizing profits.The odd thing is going direct through GNER for example also shows the same gaps in tickets - which suggests they may be using the same database and this may be an across the board scheme for maximizing profits.

It IS the same database - all the online TOCs use it, some more transparently than others. It is (or was - I think they've sold it) run by Virgin and all the tickets are sent out from the same office in Edinburgh.

Lukas

dzug wrote: »

It IS the same database

The fact they all use the same database would tend to suggest that they control release of these tickets to maximize profit then. Annoying for the customer who doesn't know when to buy in order to get the best value - but then again if they couldn't do this likely £11 tickets wouldn't exist at all.

Someone probably needs to set up an automated service that keeps checking their site for the cheaper tickets and either buys by proxy when available or alerts anyone interested. Hmm, idea for yet another Internet business there if the rail companies didn't force whoever did it to shut down.

tubechallenger

Virgin sold it off to a PFI business a few years back - but Virgin still play a key role in the business with the Print@Home trials and whatnot.