When are bookings open for 18 May

Good morning, all being well I shall be travelling from London to the North East in May. I have made northbound bookings OK for 13 & 15 May, I did those a couple of weeks ago, but the return on 18 May is still not open for bookings. I suspect because it is when the new timetables start. Does anyone have any knowledge when bookings for that time will become available? Many thanks.

Does the operator not do email alerts?

30907 said:

Does the operator not do email alerts?

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If they don't, Rail Europe do.

Ok, thanks, I shall re check.

Since you mention 'the North East', I'm going to assume you will be travelling with LNER. They currently sell tickets up to and including 15 May 2020.

You can create a ticket alert here: https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-later/early-bird-ticket-alerts/.

That's why you can't get the tickets yet - there's a timetable change then and so the tickets won't be available until closer to the date.

I believed (!) that T-12 was when the new Timetable should be published- it's already T-10, i.e TWO WEEKS Late- unless I am missing it somewhere.
I want to plan trips from May 16th using Ranger and Rover and good price tickets!!
I'm sensing a fiasco coming- we should be told.

The National Rail page about when Advance tickers are released states the following:

Advance tickets are generally not available earlier than 12 weeks before the date of travel.

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So yes, 12 weeks in advance is what they aim for but this goal isn't always met. It looks like the operators which primarily run on Network Rail's LNE route are the ones who haven't released their tickets yet. Perhaps Network Rail LNE are still finalising their engineering work plans for 16 May onwards.

I think it's a bit too early to talk about 'a fiasco coming' - we're still more than 2 months away from mid May. Create a ticket alert with the operator of your choosing and you'll be among the first to buy tickets when they get released.

Ok Alex, I understand about advance tickets; however ...

I need timetables to be able to PLAN ahead even without ticket price and availability information.

I understood the publication of the timetable at T-12 was an obligation to the government and thereby to us.

Would you agree that the introduction of the new timetable in May 2018 was widely recognised as a 'fiasco', and it was known at T-12 that it was not going to work (due, if I recall correctly, at least in part to lack of route-trained train staff for the ambitious Thameslink changes, and the scale of change needing a lot more trained timetablers than were available).

Why is it not possible for 'someone' in the dis-integrated 'system' to tell us what is going on. It is generally recognised that the 'not knowing' (eg about late-running or cancelled train) is destructive.

I had a very anodyne response from National Rail Customer Relations saying in essence 'keep looking''.

I would much rather not be whingeing ...

BrianW said:

Ok Alex, I understand about advance tickets; however ...

I need timetables to be able to PLAN ahead even without ticket price and availability information.

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Hi and welcome aboard.

I'm not quite sure what journeys you are planning involving Rangers and Rovers that require the information this far ahead (Advance fares are another matter, though by definition nobody can book the cheapest fares before you can).

National Rail Enquiries and RealTimeTrains seem to be showing data to the end of May, so past the timetable change and at T-12, though sometimes with warnings about potential engineering work.

There's an extensive thread about major (and minor) timetable changes here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/may-2020-timetable-changes.197667/

Thank you 30907, and I appreciate the help folk are trying to give and have seen the thread re putative changes.
However it's the published timetable that will give confidence about what has been finally agreed (at least I hope so!).
I am 'ambitious' regarding where I would like to travel. However I moved last year from Oxford to Plymouth so am on the whole further away.
In 2017 I managed a 'day trip' from Milton Keynes to Wemyss Bay and Largs and back; and a 4 days in 8 Spirit of Scotland 'tour' including Wick, Kyle and Oban 'based' at a good-priced Perth Travelodge.
In 2018 I lost faith in the timetable so did nothing.
Last year was 'consumed' by moving!
Trips like these take an amount of planning and organisation, which I enjoy too, though not quite as much as the journey!
I am hoping this year to 'do' a circular North/Central Wales trip including the Conwy line and Ffestiniog railway; and another around Lincoln and/or Norwich.

ps I am still 'in the dark' about WHY the timetable which should have been agreed and published by now and hasn't been, hasn't been. It doesn't help build (or rebuild) confidence in 'the railway'.

The silence is deafening.
Though I did see the good news stories (hopes) regarding LondonKX- Bradford and Huddersfield services ...

Thanks, I have now been able to book 18 May, although the wayy things are at the moment, not sure if that trip will be happening. Stay safe and well everyone.