Advance purchase terms and conditions
Description
Advance tickets are single (one-way) tickets for selected journeys available in First Class and Standard Class, offering the best available price for each journey.
Your Advance ticket offers great value - but there are important rules you should follow so you don’t incur extra cost on your journey. The one really important thing is that, when you bought your Advance ticket, you nominated a train and were given a reserved seat on that train.
Availability
Tickets must be purchased in advance of travel, subject to availability. Book as far in advance as possible to get the cheapest fares.
Discounts
Standard Class: Child discounts, 16-25, Family & Friends, Senior, HM Forces and Disabled Persons Railcards discounts apply.
First Class: Child discounts, 16-25, Senior, HM Forces and Disabled Persons Railcards discounts apply.
Please note that these discounts do not usually apply to any special offers on Advance tickets unless otherwise stated.
When and where the ticket can be used
Tickets are valid ONLY on the date and train service(s) shown on the ticket(s). *
Where applicable, you must travel in the Class and reserved seat(s) shown on the ticket(s).
Tickets may only be used on the services of the Train Company (or geographic route where applicable) shown next to ‘Route’ on the ticket.
If the ‘Route’ also states ‘and Connections’, travel is allowed on appropriate connecting trains where shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary.
If the route is prefixed with a +, the ticket includes the cost of travelling across London on London Underground, Docklands Light Railway or First Capital Connect (Thameslink Route) services as appropriate to the journey.
* Your ticket is only valid for travel on that nominated service and cannot be used on any other train. If you travel on any other train then you will be treated as if you have no ticket and will be required to buy a full price ticket for your journey (this will be the full single fare and not the difference between this and your advance ticket), or be penalty fared - check our Penalty Fares section for details.
Conditions of use
You must be at the departure station shown on your ticket in good time to catch the train. If you miss the first train on which you are booked for any reason, a new ticket must be purchased.
If delays occur while travelling, you will be allowed to take the next available train(s) to complete your journey.
Railcard holders travelling on a discounted ticket must carry their Railcard when they travel. If a Railcard holder fails to produce a valid Railcard with their ticket, a new ticket must be purchased as if no Railcard and/or no ticket were held.
First Class Advance tickets do not always grant access to First Class Lounges at stations. Please check with the train company you are travelling with to confirm policy at specific stations.
Break of journey
You may not start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station except to change to/from connecting trains as shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary.
Changing the time or date of travel
Changes to time or date of travel must be arranged before departure of the first reserved train printed on the ticket, after which the ticket has no value and a new one must be purchased. You will need to present the ticket(s) and reservation(s) when you request a change. Changes to tickets cannot be made on-board the train. If you board a train without a ticket and reservation for that service, a new ticket must be purchased.
The origin, destination and Train Company or route shown on the ticket(s) must remain the same.
The difference between the price paid and cost of the next suitable fare for your journey is payable, plus a £10 administration fee per person, per single ticket for each change to a journey. If you change to a train on which a cheaper fare is available, the difference will not be refunded.
Refunds
Your Advance ticket is non-refundable.
There is no refund value on any Advance ticket but, if the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If, as a result, you decide not to travel, a refund will be offered on completely unused tickets and you will not be charged an administration fee.