Buying Advance tickets and reserving seats
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
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
Advance ticket & reservation information last updated 17 June 2013:
| Train Company | Monday to Friday services | Saturday services | Sunday services | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriva Trains Wales | 6 September | 31 August | 1 September |
Ferry reservations to Ireland are open up to 31 August |
| Chiltern Railways | 6 September | 7 September | 8 September |
Chiltern Railways do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
| CrossCountry | 6 September | 7 September | 8 September | |
| East Coast |
6 September |
7 September | 8 September | |
|
Liverpool - Norwich route |
6 September |
31 August |
1 September |
|
|
London route |
6 September* | 31 August | 25 August* | *East Midlands Trains are not open on Monday 26 August or Sunday 1 September (London route only) |
| First Great Western | 4 September |
31 August |
1 September |
|
| First Hull Trains | 6 September* |
31 August |
1 September | First Hull Trains reservations are not open on Monday 26 August |
| First TransPennine Express | 6 September | 7 September | 1 September | |
| Grand Central | 6 September* | 7 September* | 8 September* | *Grand Central are not open for reservations on Saturday 24, Sunday 25 or Monday 26 August |
| Greater Anglia | 6 September* | 31 August | 1 September | Some services are not open on Monday 26 August |
| London Midland | 10 September | 7 September | 8 September |
London Midland do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products. |
| ScotRail | 6 September | 31 August | 1 September | Sleeper services are open up to 6 September |
| Southern | 6 September | 7 September | 8 September |
Southern do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.
|
|
Waterloo - Weymouth route |
6 September |
7 September | 1 September |
South West Trains do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.
|
|
West of England route |
6 September | 7 September | 1 September |
South West Trains do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.
|
| Virgin Trains |
5 September * |
31 August |
1 September* | *Virgin Trains reservations are not open on Sunday 25 or Monday 26 August |
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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