Advance tickets are single (one-way) tickets for many longer and some shorter distance journeys, are available in First Class and Standard Class and offer the best available price for each journey.
Tickets must be booked in advance of travel and are subject to availability.
Advance tickets are valid only on the specific booked train but can be changed before departure of the first reserved service.
Availability
Selected National Rail staffed ticket offices, and online at most train company and independent retailer websites
Some Advance fares (particularly the very cheapest) or additional availability on low quota fares are only available to purchase direct from the train company that the ticket is valid to travel with - usually only via their own website.
Tickets are valid only on the date and train service(s) shown on the ticket(s). Where applicable, valid only for travel in the class and reserved seat(s) shown on the ticket(s).
Discounts
Break of Journey
Change of Journey
Changes to time or date of travel must be arranged before departure of the first reserved train printed on the ticket, after which the ticket has no value and a new one must be purchased. You will need to present the ticket(s) and reservation(s) when they request a change.
Changes to tickets cannot be made on-board the train. If customers board a train without a ticket and reservation for that service, a new ticket must be purchased.
The origin, destination and Train Company or route shown on the ticket(s) must remain the same.
The difference between the price paid and cost of the next suitable fare for the journey is payable. An administration fee of no more than £10 may be charged per ticket for each change to a journey. If customers change to a train on which a cheaper fare is available, the difference will not be refunded.
Please note: Where an Advance ticket has been purchased online and the ticket has either been self-printed at home or downloaded to a mobile device this may alter the rules for changing the ticket. The relevant conditions will be made clear when the ticket is bought.
Book with Confidence
In addition to the Change of Journey rules set out above, until 30 September 2022 Advance ticket bookings can be exchanged to travel at a different time or date fee-free, if requested by 18:00 (6pm) the day before travel.
This easement to Advance (Standard Class) Terms & Conditions enable Advance tickets to be changed to travel on a different service (paying any excess fare), or for the Advance ticket to be surrendered back to the retailer in exchange for a digital Rail Travel Voucher (eRTV), or paper Rail Travel Voucher (RTV) and used on any future journey or purchase.
- Fee-free change of journey - Customers will still be required to pay any fare difference, original origin and destination must remain the same, but the customer is permitted to change the date and time to travel on another service or day. Request must be made by 18:00 the day before booked travel, or
- Ticket value credit - Advance tickets can be surrendered back to original retailer for an eRTV or RTV, for use purchasing a future ticket. Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Request must be made by 18:00 the day before booked travel.
Some Third Party Retailers may not be participating in the Book with Confidence scheme, and customers with tickets purchased from them will only be able to change Advance tickets at station ticket offices. Check with original retailer for exclusions.
Refunds
Advance tickets are non-refundable.
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Change of Journey/Excess Fare paid
Where an excess fare has been paid up to the price of a walk-up ticket, the excess fare paid varies the terms under which the passenger can travel, but it does not alter the refund terms of the original Advance ticket. If the passenger subsequently asks for a refund on the combination of Advance ticket, Excess Fare paid and any administration fees paid, the Advance ticket and change of journey fee remain non-refundable and a refund is only payable on the difference in fare paid. This may be subject to a refund fee of no more than £10.
If your journey is cancelled or disrupted
If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes, special arrangements will be made to accommodate them on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed, and as a result you decide not to travel, a refund will be offered on completely unused tickets and you will not be charged an administration fee.
There may be rare occasions where a cheaper Advance fare becomes available closer to the time of travel, for example if a group booking is cancelled and extra seats become available. Please note that in these circumstances Advance tickets that have already been bought cannot be refunded in part or in full.
Validity and reservation requirements
Reservations are required by this ticket type on both the outward and (where applicable) return journeys.
- Outward validity summary
- BOOKDTRAINONLY
- Return validity summary
- INVALID