Advance tickets
Advance - buy in advance, travel at selected times
Planning a longer journey? An Advance purchase ticket gives you greater choice and flexibility on a selection of train services around the country.
- Sold as one-way (single) tickets, so you can choose the lowest available price for each leg of your journey.
- Buy in advance to travel at a specified time.
- First Class Advance is often cheaper than you might expect, so why not opt to 'mix and match' by travelling First Class in one direction and Standard Class in the other?
- To get the best deal, book well in advance and travel at off-peak times.
- Advance tickets are subject to limited availability, and not all levels of Advance fare will be available on every train.
Please note Advance purchase tickets are not retailed for the c2c route but you can use our online booking system to purchase this ticket type for journeys with other rail operators.
Children's train fares
Child discounts apply on all Advance fares. The child fare will be 50% of the adult Advance fare on that journey.
Railcard discounts
16-25 (Young Persons), Family & Friends (Family), Senior, HM Forces and Disabled Persons Railcard holders save 1/3 on all Standard Class 'Advance' tickets. In addition to that 16-25, Senior, HM Forces and Disabled Persons Railcard holders also save 1/3 on all First Class 'Advance' fares. Find our how to apply for a Railcard here.
Buying your Advance ticket online?
Please enter your journey details in our new booking panel to the left to find the cheapest Advance fares available.
See our tips for getting the best deals on Advance tickets.
Buy train tickets over the telephone
To book tickets over the phone, call the Customer Services Centre between 08.00 to 22.00 weekdays (09.00 to 18.00 at weekends and Bank Holidays).
Click Contact Us for details of how to get in touch - our trained staff will always offer you the best priced ticket.
Please view Advance purchase terms and conditions.