Can’t buy tickets more than about two weeks ahead

[jthjth]

I’m trying to buy Chesterfield to Berwick upon Tweed tickets for 2 to 9th Jan. All booking engines state no tickets available. Experimentation shows that tickets are only available if the return is before 8th November. Can anyone explain what is going on? I presume this is somehow covid related.

Thanks

 

[Eloise]

COVID related. The normal twelve week booking horizon is not that at the moment. It is something like two to four weeks out but will get closer and closer to twelve weeks over the next few months.

 

[Cletus]

I'd be glad to see the 12 week ticket bookings re-appear.

Didn't they stop during one of the timetable "fiascos"? Was it 2018?

 

[robbeech]

I'd be glad to see the 12 week ticket bookings re-appear.

Didn't they stop during one of the timetable "fiascos"? Was it 2018?

It varies per area, given 2nd and 9th Jan are Weekend (Saturdays in this case) we haven't had 12 week booking times consistently for quite some time.

So sadly, it is a waiting game and there is pretty much zero chance of even getting a reliable date for buying them at the moment. You can certainly try and sign up for "alerts" from the operators when they release tickets although they have been known to fail so always worth a regular manual check.

One thing that IS pretty important, if you manage to buy a flexible ticket (Off peak return for example) ahead of time from a retailer then be advised that the chances are the itinerary you get given will be a load of rubbish on the day and all the times will be different which could completely spoil your plans. Depending on operator you'd then have to faff around getting a separate seat reservation when the tickets are released so there's little incentive to buy in advance for this sort of situation at the moment.

 

[Eloise]

Yes around May 18 the 12 week horizon went and took a long time to recover under an industry plan. Managed to get back and then COVID...

 

[Wallsendmag]

Also a lot of work at Kings Cross affecting the release of timetables for next year so don’t bank on anything soon. May affect XC on the ECML

 

[tarq]

I’m trying to buy Chesterfield to Berwick upon Tweed tickets for 2 to 9th Jan. All booking engines state no tickets available. Experimentation shows that tickets are only available if the return is before 8th November. Can anyone explain what is going on? I presume this is somehow covid related.

Thanks

First British carriers now live on S3 Passenger

www.sqills.com

- Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online - redspottedhanky.com

Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online

www.redspottedhanky.com

The National Reservation System is due to be replaced by S3 Passenger in November this year.

NRS is due to be offline from 2300 on 7th Nov - 0500 the next day.

I suspect this is the date NRS will be retired and the S3 will go live.

I don’t think it’s Covid related as they were doing this anyway. Covid has just meant that nobody, present company excluded, seems to have noticed.

 

[Wallsendmag]

LNER are already using the replacement system, RARS2, for services from 23rd Novemeber onwards this isn't a factor here.

 

[alistairlees]

First British carriers now live on S3 Passenger

www.sqills.com

- Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online - redspottedhanky.com

Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online

www.redspottedhanky.com

The National Reservation System is due to be replaced by S3 Passenger in November this year.

NRS is due to be offline from 2300 on 7th Nov - 0500 the next day.

I suspect this is the date NRS will be retired and the S3 will go live.

I don’t think it’s Covid related as they were doing this anyway. Covid has just meant that nobody, present company excluded, seems to have noticed.

There’s a gradual cutover of TOCs from NRS to RARS2 (the sqills based replacement that you refer to). The first TOCs went over earlier this month for bookings after certain dates (the cutover date varies by TOC). About 10 TOCs have cutover so far. The last use of an NRS booking will be on Saturday 27th March, to the best of my knowledge.

 

[The Planner]

COVID related. The normal twelve week booking horizon is not that at the moment. It is something like two to four weeks out but will get closer and closer to twelve weeks over the next few months.

"few"?

 

[Eloise]

"few"?

Only as I can't remember the exact plan off the top!

 

[alistairlees]

Only as I can't remember the exact plan off the top!

end of 2021 is the plan

 

[infobleep]

So if it wasn't for covid-19, would there be an outrage in national newspapers that pasemgers can't book tickets weeks in advance?

 

[Wallsendmag]

So if it wasn't for covid-19, would there be an outrage in national newspapers that pasemgers can't book tickets weeks in advance?

Hasn't this been the case for the last couple of years?

 

[theblackwatch]

I'd be glad to see the 12 week ticket bookings re-appear.

Didn't they stop during one of the timetable "fiascos"? Was it 2018?

Is there some reason why so many people want to shell out/commit to a journey so far in advance, rather than just wait till a couple of weeks beforehand? I found it much better at the beginning of this month, when tickets went on sale 2 weeks before the date of travel, and I was able to pick up a cheap ticket to London at the lowest tier without having had to decide to do the trip months earlier.

 

[Cletus]

I like the peace of mind of having a confirmed booking. Not knowing what date (or if) advance tickets will come on sale a few weeks or even days before travel isn't helpful.

It wasn't that many years ago I could get an advance 12 weeks before travel from Dover Priory to Manchester Piccadilly for £18.00 (Obviously I don't expect it to be that low now). Now I think the lowest is £42.00.

I get the impression that since Southeastern began offering their own advance tickets, then the cost of long distance travel from this area has increased a lot (ie it seems to me that the £42.00 above is the equivalent of two advances Dover-London & London-Manchester).

 

[plugwash]

Hasn't this been the case for the last couple of years?

Afaict what has changed as a result of covid is that a number of operators have started marking their trains as reservation only. Pre-covid virtually no trains were marked as reservation only, so you could still buy a ticket even if no reservations had been released.

 

[Hadders]

Is there some reason why so many people want to shell out/commit to a journey so far in advance, rather than just wait till a couple of weeks beforehand? I found it much better at the beginning of this month, when tickets went on sale 2 weeks before the date of travel, and I was able to pick up a cheap ticket to London at the lowest tier without having had to decide to do the trip months earlier.

In my experience the lowest tier of Advance tickets tend not be be offered for sale when tickets are released close to the date of travel.

 

[Ianno87]

Is there some reason why so many people want to shell out/commit to a journey so far in advance, rather than just wait till a couple of weeks beforehand? I found it much better at the beginning of this month, when tickets went on sale 2 weeks before the date of travel, and I was able to pick up a cheap ticket to London at the lowest tier without having had to decide to do the trip months earlier.

Yes, people like having "secured" a good price well before travel, not taking a gamble on if/when cheap fares appear. Especially when there is a flight going for an attractive price (for a longer journey).

But yes, the current situation is ironically very good for gettong cheap deals very close to the day of the race - much, much closer than usual.

I like the peace of mind of having a confirmed booking. Not knowing what date (or if) advance tickets will come on sale a few weeks or even days before travel isn't helpful.

It wasn't that many years ago I could get an advance 12 weeks before travel from Dover Priory to Manchester Piccadilly for £18.00 (Obviously I don't expect it to be that low now). Now I think the lowest is £42.00.

I get the impression that since Southeastern began offering their own advance tickets, then the cost of long distance travel from this area has increased a lot (ie it seems to me that the £42.00 above is the equivalent of two advances Dover-London & London-Manchester).

Virgin West Coast noticably jacked up their cheapest Advance tier for journeys to/via London in 2019.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Afaict what has changed as a result of covid is that a number of operators have started marking their trains as reservation only. Pre-covid virtually no trains were marked as reservation only, so you could still buy a ticket even if no reservations had been released.

I can never see the advantage of paying the same price as it is on the day to book without a reservation on a service that isn’t confirmed.

 

[Haywain]

But we - the industry - constantly tell people that booking early will get them a cheaper fare.

 

[infobleep]

Hasn't this been the case for the last couple of years?

I wasn't aware that tickets could only be booked 2 weeks in advance a couple of years ago or even a year ago. That was what I meant, rather than just the general reduced booking horizon.

Is there some reason why so many people want to shell out/commit to a journey so far in advance, rather than just wait till a couple of weeks beforehand? I found it much better at the beginning of this month, when tickets went on sale 2 weeks before the date of travel, and I was able to pick up a cheap ticket to London at the lowest tier without having had to decide to do the trip months earlier.

I'm happy to wait until a couple of weeks before hand but if some companies are selling advanced purchase tickets earlier but I can't get a price, due to part of the journey being with a company who isn't offering reservations yet then I might miss out on cheaper fares.

Are train operating companies, who relaase their tickets 2 weeks in advance, selling their cheapest advanced tier tickets or are they starting at a higher tier, given it is closer to the date of travel?

I am also interested in why this is the case, so that plays a part in my posts too.

 

[theblackwatch]

Are train operating companies, who relaase their tickets 2 weeks in advance, selling their cheapest advanced tier tickets or are they starting at a higher tier, given it is closer to the date of travel?

LNER certainly were when I bought mine last month for travel at the beginning of this month. Mind - I didn't wait for the e-mail to come out advising tickets had been released for sale, as that often doesn't seem to come until 30 mins-1 hour after they've gone sale, by which time the cheapest tickets can have already gone!

 

[Wallsendmag]

I try to open them at a consistent time, sorry if I'm late sometimes.

 

[crablab]

As stated elsewhere, my primary objection to this is that at the moment on LNER you are required to have a reservation.

This means more planning on the travellers part to make sure they can get the right ticket at the right time etc. and essentially no walk up fares (as no reservations), which requires more time, and is therefore more difficult when you can't book tickets far enough out as the timetable hasn't been finalised.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Yup, your contract is with the retailer. I had success with TrainPal citing frustration of contract and it worked. If they deny, you might try the same with your CC, presuming you paid by Credit Card.

As stated elsewhere, my primary objection to this is that at the moment on LNER you are required to have a reservation.

This means more planning on the travellers part to make sure they can get the right ticket at the right time etc. and essentially no walk up fares (as no reservations), which requires more time, and is therefore more difficult when you can't book tickets far enough out as the timetable hasn't been finalised.

You can reserve on LNER services up until departue via the web, shiny new updated app or even a Travel Centre whats hard about that?

 

[crablab]

You can reserve on LNER services up until departue via the web, shiny new updated app or even a Travel Centre whats hard about that?

When reservations aren't available. You cannot now guarantee that you *will* be able to get from A to B, even with a valid ticket, even if you can't get a reservation and have to stand.

 

[Wallsendmag]

When reservations aren't available. You cannot now guarantee that you *will* be able to get from A to B, even with a valid ticket, even if you can't get a reservation and have to stand.

Have you been on one of our services lately?

 

[Haywain]

When reservations aren't available. You cannot now guarantee that you *will* be able to get from A to B, even with a valid ticket, even if you can't get a reservation and have to stand.

That's not really a problem of not being able to plan ahead though, is it? If anything it's the complete opposite.

 

[Ianno87]

That's not really a problem of not being able to plan ahead though, is it? If anything it's the complete opposite.

Unfortunately, such is life at the moment that lots of things will require planning and boking ahead for the time being, trains being no exception. At least we can go on them for leisure again (in non-Tier 3 areas)