train tickets - best time to book

greenface
greenface Posts: 4,871 Forumite
Mortgage-free Glee!
in Public transport & cycling
thanks for reading . 2 adults heading from Liverpool lime street to London Euston . Our dates are January 31st 2020 Friday . returning 2nd feb -sunday . prices on virgin have not yet appeared yet . What is the best priced option to travel on train direct . best boarding times around 10 am out and 2 pm back but flexible . do not fancy a coach .Thanks
:cool: hard as nails on the internet . wimp in the real world :cool:

Comments

  • Cisco001
    Cisco001 Posts: 4,018 Forumite
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    check when 11 - 12 weeks before start date.
    Put a reminder in your calendar
  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 12,785 Forumite
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    Cisco001 wrote: »
    check when 11 - 12 weeks before start date.
    Put a reminder in your calendar

    Virgin advance tickets are apparently now available up to 24 weeks prior to the departure date.

    There's a calendar at the bottom of this page here showing dates for which advance tickets are available (click on the cross at the bottom of the left had side of the page to show it), although it currently only goes up to the end of October.
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=6033607

    From personal experience (although not done it for a while) I don't think there are that many advance tickets issued on Friday trains into London as they're usually pretty full anyhow
  • Cisco001
    Cisco001 Posts: 4,018 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    p00hsticks wrote: »
    Virgin advance tickets are apparently now available up to 24 weeks prior to the departure date.

    There's a calendar at the bottom of this page here showing dates for which advance tickets are available (click on the cross at the bottom of the left had side of the page to show it), although it currently only goes up to the end of October.
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=6033607

    From personal experience (although not done it for a while) I don't think there are that many advance tickets issued on Friday trains into London as they're usually pretty full anyhow

    When did they change it? I didn't notice...

    If it is up to 24 weeks, there should be cheap advanced ticket for Dec, but they are still expensive...

    BTY, I booked my train ticket from ebooker last time through cashback site.
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,609 Forumite
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    On Gwr it’s up to 24 weeks on weekdays (but has stopped on 13th December so presumably due to Xmas) and sats/suns are 11 - 12 weeks, seems to be 11 recently.
    I find the system is updated around 14:30 on a Friday.

    That’s gwr buts sounds similar.
  • annabanana82
    annabanana82 Posts: 3,019 Forumite
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    Would the two together rail card help reduce the costs? We have a friends and family one and it save loads of money with it
    Make £2023 in 2023 (#36) £3479.30/£2023

    Make £2024 in 2024...
  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 12,785 Forumite
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    annabanana82 wrote: »
    Would the two together rail card help reduce the costs? We have a friends and family one and it save loads of money with it


    Good suggestion - and if you have a Tesco Clubcard you can get one for £10 worth of vouchers
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