Last updated: 15/04/2024
When can I buy tickets?
If you’re travelling on a weekday, tickets usually become available 12 weeks in advance. On weekends and bank holidays, they’re released 8 weeks ahead. This is because most planned engineering work takes place at weekends, so an amended timetable takes a little longer to be finalised.
Planning further ahead than 8-12 weeks? No problem. Sign up for a Ticket Alert and we’ll email you as soon as our great range of fares goes on sale, including our best value Advance tickets.
Even if tickets are released at shorter notice than normal, you’ll still get the best choice of tickets, prices and seats as soon as they’re available to buy. If anything else is affecting the release date for tickets, such as engineering work or industrial action, we’ll let you know on this page.
Does the timetable change?
Planned timetable changes take place across the rail network in May or June and December each year. You’ll find a copy of our scheduled timetable book below and we’ll let you know if there are any major changes coming up. Our online journey planner will always look for the best way to get you from A to B and we won’t release tickets until the timetable is confirmed.
We always recommend you check before you travel, especially around the time of a timetable change, in case your usual train has changed departure time.
The June 2024 timetable starts on Sunday 2 June. The main change to the Avanti West Coast service is the removal of two direct services between Shrewsbury and London. These will start and terminate at Birmingham New Street or Wolverhampton instead, and onward connections are readily available with other operators.
We’ve added some more trains to our West Midlands route Monday to Saturday and made a few alterations to calling patterns on our existing routes, providing more journey opportunities and better connections, but there are no other major changes to our timetable. As above and especially if you’re a regular traveller, please check your journey before you travel.
If any unplanned changes to the timetable happen, such as due to industrial action or short-notice engineering work by Network Rail, we’ll email anyone who booked with us whose prebooked journey is affected – including letting you know about your ticket options and refund rights.
Printed timetables
If you prefer a printed timetable, you can print one at home by selecting, downloading and printing our PDF timetables on this page or at National Rail Enquiries. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can email or phone National Rail Enquiries Customer Relations to arrange for a timetable to be printed and posted direct to your home.
Visit National Rail Enquiries for more information.
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