Advance (Standard Class)

Any National Rail staffed ticket office, train company telesales office, online at most train company website and selected rail appointed travel agents.

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).

Tickets must be purchased in advance of travel, subject to availability. Generally, the earlier the ticket is booked the better the deal. Tickets are available up to 12 weeks before travel.

Valid only on the date shown on the ticket.

Valid only at the specified time and train printed on the ticket.

Customers may not start, break and resume, or end their journey at any intermediate station except to change to/from connecting trains as shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable. Advance are single tickets only.

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 £5.

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.

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. Customers 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.