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No LNER Advances north of Edinburgh

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47271

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I'm just trying to book an Advance on the southbound Chieftain between Perth and King's Cross on 19 December, a couple of weeks after the Azumas start.

There appears to be nothing other than flexible tickets available and the prices are eye watering. It isn't a problem with LNER Advances generally, because you can get an Advance on the services starting out from Edinburgh that day, it's just the Inverness and Aberdeen trains that are restricted.

Does anyone know what's going on?
 
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30907

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Looks as though they are barred for Advances right over the Christmas/New Year period, resuming 7 Jan.
The LNER website will sell you a Super Offpeak Single at £81, which for pushing 500 miles I think isn't bad.
 

maxbarnish

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Maybe you could consider getting a single Perth to Edinburgh - check it's valid for LNER or any operator - and then an advance from Edinburgh - you could stay on the same train.
 

alistairlees

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You could get an Off-Peak Single from Perth to Edinburgh for £17.60, then wait there for 30 minutes for the 12.00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross on which there is an Advance fare of £34.00 on 19th December. £51.60 in total seems very good value. But it may be too late for you to arrive in Kings Cross (it gets in 49 minutes later than the 11.30 from Edinburgh, which is the 07.55 from Inverness "Highland Chieftain").
 

47271

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Maybe you could consider getting a single Perth to Edinburgh - check it's valid for LNER or any operator - and then an advance from Edinburgh - you could stay on the same train.
I thought of that too, but the services originating from Aberdeen and Inverness appear to be restricted throughout their journeys.

The background is that I buy these for elderly neighbours each year. They have mobility issues so prefer to go First Class and like to go straight through from Perth. For the last few years I've managed to get both of them to London and back for Christmas for £200 or so with railcards. To date this year we're clocking £350 ONE WAY.

My suspicion was that LNER may be lacking confidence in delivering a full length Azuma so early in their operations. But maybe they're just trying it on.

The passengers might have to review their options...

Thank you everyone for your responses so far.
 

alistairlees

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I thought of that too, but the services originating from Aberdeen and Inverness appear to be restricted throughout their journeys.

The background is that I buy these for elderly neighbours each year. They have mobility issues so prefer to go First Class and like to go straight through from Perth. For the last few years I've managed to get both of them to London and back for Christmas for £200 or so with railcards. To date this year we're clocking £350 ONE WAY.

My suspicion was that LNER may be lacking confidence in delivering a full length Azuma so early in their operations. But maybe they're just trying it on.

The passengers might have to review their options...

Thank you everyone for your responses so far.
Have you considered the Caledonian Sleeper for them? You can get £195.00 for two people in a Club twin room on Wednesday 18th December (I appreciate this might not suit them given that one would need to go in the top bunk!). But it is a first class experience, they are probably not too time-sensitive, breakfast is included and they might like the experience. The Double is a somewhat more expensive £470.00 unfortunately. If either of them has or is entitled to a Disabled Railcard then it gets a lot cheaper - £128.70 in this case (there are no Disabled Railcard holder discounts on Double rooms though).
 

A Challenge

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If they aren't, are the discounts available on Two Tegether Railcards or Senior Railcards (as you say they are elderly)
 

alistairlees

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If they aren't, are the discounts available on Two Tegether Railcards or Senior Railcards (as you say they are elderly)
Only in the seats (re SRN or 2TR availability - which is why I did not mention these); the Twin room product (whether in Classic or Club) is already discounted (it's only a bit more than Solo), which is why only Disabled Railcard gives discounts to this. But they should be able to use that railcard to be put in the PRM room (if available; will need to call the Guest Service Centre).
 

30907

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I thought of that too, but the services originating from Aberdeen and Inverness appear to be restricted throughout their journeys.

The background is that I buy these for elderly neighbours each year. They have mobility issues so prefer to go First Class and like to go straight through from Perth. For the last few years I've managed to get both of them to London and back for Christmas for £200 or so with railcards. To date this year we're clocking £350 ONE WAY.

My suspicion was that LNER may be lacking confidence in delivering a full length Azuma so early in their operations. But maybe they're just trying it on.

The passengers might have to review their options...

Thank you everyone for your responses so far.
You didn't mention First Class originally.
Split tickets and book assistance for the change at Waverley.
 

47271

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You didn't mention First Class originally.
Split tickets and book assistance for the change at Waverley.
Sorry, no I didn't say that, but even the Standard prices looked a bit heavy going at first glance.

LNER had better be confident in demand in these north of Edinburgh Azumas over Christmas or else a lot of people will be put to inconvenience and First Class on them will be running half empty.
 

Wallsendmag

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I know there are an awful lot of stock changes/re timings over the Christmas period so quite a few trains are still suspended on days that are otherwise open. If anyones waiting to book tickets you really need to create an alert on the LNER site and keep an eye on your email this week.
 

47271

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I know there are an awful lot of stock changes/re timings over the Christmas period so quite a few trains are still suspended on days that are otherwise open. If anyones waiting to book tickets you really need to create an alert on the LNER site and keep an eye on your email this week.
Thanks, that's very helpful, I get it...
 

47271

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Is their destination in Central London?
Sorry to go quiet on this for a week. We've got it all sorted one way or another, one way being using Scotrail and a change at Waverley, and there are advances available now between King's Cross and Perth on 27 December, their selected return date.

They're getting picked up at King's Cross.

Now I see this:
https://www.lner.co.uk/customer-service/christmas-ticket-refunds/

Eh? Would it not have been better to get on top of these prices in the first place?

I'd love to see how busy those Azumas will be north of Edinburgh pre Christmas.
 

GrimShady

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I wonder how long it will be before the Chieftain and Northern Lights will be two 5 cars splitting at Edinburgh?
 

47271

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They will be if they carry on pricing them like this.
 

David M

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Looks as though they are barred for Advances right over the Christmas/New Year period, resuming 7 Jan.
The LNER website will sell you a Super Offpeak Single at £81, which for pushing 500 miles I think isn't bad.

Just bought return tickets from Aberdeen to Edinburgh for my son. He's travelling down on 16 Dec (so a day earlier than this thread) but back on Jan 6. Managed advance tickets on both days.
 

Haywain

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Last Sunday I managed to buy Advance tickets for journeys north of Edinburgh on the Highland Chieftain for 23rd and 27th December. There was availability in both standard and first class.
 
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