Buying Advance tickets and reserving seats
Changes to train times
Sometimes, there can be changes to train times at weekends and bank holidays to allow essential engineering work to be carried out. Trains may be retimed or re-routed. Occasionally the journey may involve travelling on a bus service. We have a dedicated area of our website which gives details about future engineering work.
Train Companies aim to provide information about changes to train times twelve weeks in advance.
Until the changes to the timetable are confirmed it is not always possible to buy Advance tickets or to make seat reservations on train services that may be affected by engineering work.
When can I buy Advance Tickets and make seat reservations?
Below is a summary of the farthest travel dates in the future where it is possible to reserve seats today for those Train Companies offering seat reservations and Advance tickets .
Advance tickets are generally not available earlier than 12 weeks before the date of travel.
Once train times are confirmed, Advance tickets will begin to appear in our Journey Planner. You will be able to find full details of availability and choose to buy them from your preferred retailer.
Advance tickets are sold in limited numbers, and so subject to availability.
Information about buying tickets
Advance ticket & reservation information last updated 2 February 2012:
| Train Company | Monday to Friday services | Saturday services | Sunday services | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriva Trains Wales | 27 April | 21 April | 22 April |
Most Ferry reservations to Ireland are open until 31 March. Some services are closed for reservations on Sunday 12 February and Saturdays 10, 17 March due to rugby at Cardiff. |
| Chiltern Railways | 20 April (Reservations are not open on Friday 6 or Monday 9 April) |
14 April |
15 April |
Chiltern Railways do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
| CrossCountry | 27 April | 28 April | 29 April | |
| East Coast | 27 April | 21 April | 22 April | |
|
Liverpool - Norwich route |
27 April | 21 April | 22 April | |
|
London route |
27 April | 21 April | 22 April | |
| First Great Western | 25 April | 21 April | 15 April | Reservations are not open on Saturday 24 March |
| First Hull Trains | 27 April |
21 April |
15 April |
|
| First TransPennine Express | 27 April | 28 April | 29 April | |
| Greater Anglia | 20 April | 14 April |
8 April | Reservations are not open on Saturdays 24 March or Sunday 22 April. |
| London Midland | 03 May | 28 April | 29 April |
London Midland do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
| ScotRail Sleeper services | 27 April | 21 April | 22 April | |
| Southern | 1 May |
28 April | 29 April |
Southern do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
|
Waterloo - Weymouth route |
27 April |
28 April |
29 April |
South West Trains do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
|
West of England route |
27 April | 28 April | 29 April | South West Trains do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
| Virgin Trains | 26 April | 21 April | 22 April | Not open on Monday 23 and Friday 27 April 2012 |
Special Events
The availability of Advance tickets could be affected by special events taking place along the route of the journey. Please check before travelling.
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