Last updated: 15/07/2024
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 around 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. We'll release tickets earlier if engineering plans are able to be confirmed further in advance.
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.
August tickets and timetables
This August bank holiday weekend (Saturday 24 August to Monday 26 August), Network Rail will be carrying out planned engineering work at London Euston and between Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield.
Due to the engineering work at London Euston, there will be a reduced timetable on some of our routes throughout the whole bank holiday weekend. This, combined with the many great events happening across the network, may mean that our trains are busier than usual this bank holiday weekend.
Upgrade work is also taking place in the Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield areas, where replacement buses will be running between these stations.
Whether you’re travelling for Creamfields, Manchester Pride, Notting Hill Carnival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, or for another summer adventure this bank holiday weekend, make sure you check before you travel as some journeys may take longer.
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.
