Are anytime single fares cheaper if bought in advance?

[milzee]

I'm trying to book Luton Airport to London and London to Stanstead Airport in advance. I'm being quoted for two anytime single fares of £16.50 each way. Am I right in thinking this is the standard fare that you pay when you walk into the station? If so I assume there's no benefit to booking online (other than maybe saving queue time - which is not much since I still have to collect tickets on arrival)? Or are anytime fares bought online discounted compared to the on the day at the station price?

 

[Merseysider]

No discount for Anytime fares bought in advance. Same price whenever it's bought.

Are you sure you can't use Off Peak or Super Off Peak tickets? Depending on the time you're travelling there may be a cheaper option.

 

[milzee]

Thanks, thought so. Nationalrail.co.uk is not offering any other fares so I assume that's all that's available. I land 14:15 and depart 16:50 so travel times are off peak. This is for 11th and 14th Dec so I guess it's too short notice to get any discounts.

 

[Romilly]

You are correct that there's generally no benefit to booking tickets of this kind online if you will have to collect your ticket from a machine on arrival, save that it is probably quicker to collect a pre-booked ticket than to choose and pay for a ticket at the machine. Waiting until arrival also means that if your inbound flight is cancelled, or delayed so that it arrives after 4.29am the following day, you haven't wasted money on the wrong train ticket. (The Luton Airport-London ticket is an anytime day single, and is valid only for the chosen date and until 0429 the next day, whereas the London-Stansted Airport ticket is an anytime single, and is valid for the chosen date, and the next day, and until 0429 on the third day.)

Edit: and you are correct that there are no offpeak, or super offpeak, single tickets for weekday travel on those routes.

 

[milzee]

Thanks for the info. I thought so. Will buy at the station on arrival. Like you say. No point in locking myself into dates in advance if there is no cost benefit.