Buy Advance, in advance, and save £££s
Advance Tickets
Advance fares are single (one-way) tickets offering great value for money on many longer distance journeys.
You must book in advance* and fares are sold in limited numbers and so subject to availability. In general, the further ahead you book, the cheaper the Advance fare will be. You can mix and match Advance fares for a return journey. For more information see our Buying advance tickets and Reserving seats page.
*details on Advance booking thresholds can be found on our Latest purchase time page
Advance ticket validity
Advance fares are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket and seat reservation and are non-refundable.
You can however change the time or date of travel before departure of the first reserved train.
Any difference in fare and an administration fee will be payable prior to travel.
Discount with Advance tickets
- Child discounts apply for all Advance fares (50% of Adult fare)
- National Railcard holders get 34% off all Standard Class Advance fares.
- 16-25, 26-30, Senior, Two Together, HM Forces and Disabled Persons Railcard holders also get 34% off all First Class Advance fares
- 16-17 Saver holders also get 50% off Adult Advance fares
Advance Ticket Terms & Conditions
Advance tickets are a great way to save money, if you know when you are travelling, but there are a few conditions that go with their use. View full Terms & Conditions of Advance fares.
Other National Rail tickets
Find out about:
- Anytime tickets - buy anytime, travel anytime
- Off-Peak tickets - buy in anytime, travel off-peak
More information
- For more information on tickets and fares visit our Ticket Types page
- Plan your journey with our Journey Planner
- More information on buying rail tickets can be found on our Buying Tickets page
- Avanti West Coast,
- c2c,
- Chiltern Railways,
- CrossCountry,
- East Midlands Railway,
- Eurostar,
- Gatwick Express,
- Grand Central,
- Great Western Railway,
- Greater Anglia,
- Heathrow Connect,
- Heathrow Express,
- Hull Trains,
- Island Line,
- London North Eastern Railway,
- London Overground,
- Merseyrail,
- National Rail,
- Northern,
- Rail Delivery Group,
- ScotRail,
- South Western Railway,
- Southeastern,
- Southern,
- Stansted Express,
- TfL Rail,
- TransPennine Express,
- Transport for Wales,
- West Midlands Trains
Last updated: 02 December 2020