Train help - booking period?

redmel1621

Hi.

I am trying to price up a train journey from Chester to London, or Liverpool to London if it works out cheaper that way.

We are a family of 6 and when we go it looks like I will need to book 3 adult tickets as eldest son will be 16, is this right?

I am rather confused by the trainline website as I have read and been told numerous times that you can only book 12wks ahead, which is fine, but when I look on the trainline website it shows me prices and time up until Jan 4th... however it won't let me add Jauary to a booking... It will however, let me add the beginning of December, which again s further away than 12wks!?

Can any shed any light on this please... and also tell me when I will be able to book tickets for a journey outward 2nd Jan morning/return 6th Jan evening.

Another thing I am confused about it my friend booked direct with virgin trains for the same journey and paid £160 return yet I am getting prices of over £300 return??

Oh and one last question.. does anyone know I I am better (cheaper) getting a famiy and friends card, or using the virgin group booking system.

Sorry for the multitude of questions

pompeyrich

The 12 weeks refers to the release of "Advance tickets" these are cheaper but less flexible tickets, you have to, as the name suggests, book them in advance and also commit to a specific time and date. This is all well and good if you are sure that is when you definitely want to travel.

Fares are not always released 12 weeks in advance, usually if engineering works are planned for the chosen route, they could be released later or not at all.

Try a dummy booking for a date less than 12 weeks away and you should see the cheaper prices and this may be an indication of what you might find for your dates. You can see if the lack of flexibility is worth the savings to you.

wealdroam

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi.

I am trying to price up a train journey from Chester to London, or Liverpool to London if it works out cheaper that way.

We are a family of 6 and when we go it looks like I will need to book 3 adult tickets as eldest son will be 16, is this right?

I am rather confused by the trainline website as I have read and been told numerous times that you can only book 12wks ahead, which is fine, but when I look on the trainline website it shows me prices and time up until Jan 4th... however it won't let me add Jauary to a booking... It will however, let me add the beginning of December, which again s further away than 12wks!?

Can any shed any light on this please... and also tell me when I will be able to book tickets for a journey outward 2nd Jan morning/return 6th Jan evening.

Another thing I am confused about it my friend booked direct with virgin trains for the same journey and paid £160 return yet I am getting prices of over £300 return??

Oh and one last question.. does anyone know I I am better (cheaper) getting a famiy and friends card, or using the virgin group booking system.

Sorry for the multitude of questions

From the questions you are asking, I can only assume that you haven't yet read MSE's Cheap Train Tickets article.

I'll just answer those points not covered in that article.

Travellers over 16 need an adult ticket.

You need to do the sums to determine whether that railcard will make you a saving.

dggar

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi.

I am trying to price up a train journey from Chester to London, or Liverpool to London if it works out cheaper that way.

We are a family of 6 and when we go it looks like I will need to book 3 adult tickets as eldest son will be 16, is this right?

I am rather confused by the trainline website as I have read and been told numerous times that you can only book 12wks ahead, which is fine, but when I look on the trainline website it shows me prices and time up until Jan 4th... however it won't let me add Jauary to a booking... It will however, let me add the beginning of December, which again s further away than 12wks!?

Can any shed any light on this please... and also tell me when I will be able to book tickets for a journey outward 2nd Jan morning/return 6th Jan evening.

Another thing I am confused about it my friend booked direct with virgin trains for the same journey and paid £160 return yet I am getting prices of over £300 return??

Oh and one last question.. does anyone know I I am better (cheaper) getting a famiy and friends card, or using the virgin group booking system.

Sorry for the multitude of questions

TrainLine charge a booking fee.
Best bet it to plan the journey and find out the fares using National Rail journey planner.
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search


and buy the tickets from the Train Operating Company of your choice

Shelldean

Is your son under sixteen now????

If yes it may be worth getting a friends and family rail card. As this allows the child to travel as child with the adult on the card after they turn sixteen. Providing it was brought before their sixteenth birthday. So although sixteen will travel as child fare!!!!

You may find that a family for six, using a rail card will save more than the card cost, even if the sixteen yr goes as an.adult.
See note regarding child fares towards the bottom of this page....http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/help/railcard-terms-conditions/




Plus other people can travel with you and get discount too. (Must travel together)

dzug1

What thetrainline are selling are full price tickets without reservations that you could buy for the same price on the day of travel

As already said you need to wait for the cheaper advance tickets to come on sale at roughly the 12 week or less mark

Liverpool also has cheaper slow trains run by London Midland