Booking train tickets in advance or at the station.

2.1K Posts


What's the consensus here on whether it's better to book train tickets online in advance or just get them at the station? I bought a ticket from Chelmsford to London a few years back and found that the price was just the same, and I hadn't had to worry about getting to the station in time for a particular departure. Just wondering what people think here.
0
Latest MSE News and Guides
Replies
Downsides are - no cancellation, amendment fee, no flexibility so need to allow contingency and wait around.
It's a trade off.
We used to book in advance for commuting to London, but price was a big difference and we could amend i.e. were going again.
Over a period this was a lot cheaper even with a few amendment charges, but that's not always the case.
So next time I'll look about two weeks in advance and decide if it's better to buy Advance tickets or just get a Super Off-peak closer to the time.
Yes, the same price at the station or online. It's a good strategy to compare prices ahead of time but only if you are certain you will be travelling on that date.