LNER making Championship Playoff extra services bookable only via Telesales?

[ainsworth74]

Something odd going on here:

An additional train will operate between York and London King’s Cross in both directions, alongside the previously advertised timetable, to help fans travel to and from the match and support demand.

Standard tickets are priced at £50 per person, one way, and are only valid on these additional services.

The southbound service will depart York at 09:18 and arrive at London King’s Cross at 11:08.

The northbound service will depart London King’s Cross at 20:27 and arrive at York at 22:16.

Given the extremely short turnaround required to make these additional services available, tickets cannot be sold through the usual LNER booking channels. Customers can reserve and pay for tickets by contacting 03457 225 333 and selecting option 3 for telesales.

These services are advance booking only, and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets cannot be purchased at the station or onboard the train. Customers must have a ticket purchased for the service before travelling on the train.

Additional LNER Services for Play-Off Final Now On Sale | LNER

www.lner.co.uk

So presumably anyone with a York to London Anytime Single is out of luck and cannot travel on these trains! All very odd. Are LNER basically operating this as a charter service?

Obviously kudos to LNER (and York City Council who are keeping a park and ride open until midnight) for arranging anything at all to be clear but seems strange that they cannot sell it through the usual channels even at short notice!

 

[matt]

Its not showing as an unadvertised express in the real time data https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:76758/2026-05-23/detailed which is what a charter would normally show.

 

[Tom]

That train is also planned as a VSTP so the likelihood of input error is high. It's probably running more under charter arrangements than anything else.

 

[Watershed]

So presumably anyone with a York to London Anytime Single is out of luck and cannot travel on these trains! All very odd. Are LNER basically operating this as a charter service?

I agree that it's highly questionable. The NRCoT don't make provision for TOCs to exclude some of their services from the usual rule in condition 13, which allows an interavailable ticket holder to board any service operated by the Train Companies listed in Appendix A, along any permitted route.

LNER haven't even marked the train as "reservations compulsory" so they can't even try to wriggle out of it by claiming that you can't travel because you won't have a reservation. It's also advertised so they can't claim it's an unadvertised service which they might try to claim takes it outside the scope of a "train service".

Before everyone starts piling on, it's great that they are adding this service, and personally speaking I'd hardly be rushing to take this service if I had a flexible ticket given it will likely be full of 'lively' football fans. But the made-up ticketing 'rules' show the contempt LNER have for the concept of a walk-up railway. They feel like they run an airline on rails and anything impediment to that is an inconvenience.

 

[mmh]

A tad harsh I think. All they're trying to do is run a 'FootEx', hardly a new idea and not the only TOC to do so - Southern run Norwood Junction to Brighton non-stop for Crystal Palace v Brighton games.

It's a great idea, especially when the service is already disrupted due to works. "Contempt" would be to take the attitude that it's nothing to do with them, if 'ordinary' passengers are inconvenienced by liveliness or rowdiness that's just tough.

A case of not being able to do right from wrong I feel.

 

[Stephen42]

Obviously kudos to LNER (and York City Council who are keeping a park and ride open until midnight) for arranging anything at all to be clear but seems strange that they cannot sell it through the usual channels even at short notice!

The trains don't appear in regular journey planners yet. That would make selling an advance via usual channels very difficult. VSTPs don't automatically reach the public facing timetable and the ones that ends up in Darwin could have very different metadata.

 

[mmh]

The trains don't appear in regular journey planners yet. That would make selling an advance via usual channels very difficult. VSTPs don't automatically reach the public facing timetable and the ones that ends up in Darwin could have very different metadata.

The reason this has been done at such short notice is that it was only announced on Tuesday that Middlesbrough would be playing at Wembley today. Southampton were originally to have been playing (known on the previous Tuesday) but have been expelled due to the "spying" on opposition teams saga.

That may account for how the timetabling and ticketing technicalities might be different from how they'd usually do this. I think it's excellent that they've arranged it.

 

[Tom]

The York-London service has only appeared in Darwin a little while ago, and journey planners are happily selling walk ups for it - so I think it’s a little harsh to be criticising LNER for it. When it was in RTT only, I think it is a little strong to be criticising the operator (or NR data entry) for something that isn’t official yet - noting that VSTP has issues as to what you can and can’t enter.

It’s not that unusual for TOCs to operate an unadvertised charter service themselves or on behalf of railtour promoters. Most operators have the capability of doing so (or something akin to it) in their track access contracts.

 

[Snow1964]

A true footex charter would have gone down the spur near Finsbury Park through Willesden to Wembley. But the days when 10+ footex charters went to Wembley for big team matches ended about 30 years ago.

This is better classed as an extra or relief train, but kudos to LNER for adding something.

 

[TUC]

Saying 'Standard tickets are priced at £50 per person, one way, and are only valid on these additional services' is not the same thing as saying other flexible tickets are not valid, rather that these £50 tickets can only be used on this service.

 

[Haywain]

A true footex charter would have gone down the spur near Finsbury Park through Willesden to Wembley. But the days when 10+ footex charters went to Wembley for big team matches ended about 30 years ago.

This is better classed as an extra or relief train, but kudos to LNER for adding something.

True footex trains go wherever there's capacity for them. It's the people it's carrying that determine whether it is a footex, not the station it goes to.

 

[Kite159]

And who will want to risk buying a £50 ticket for that charter with the risk of the match going into extra time & penalties and wanting to hang around to soak up the atmosphere of a famous victory.

At least York still has the super off-peak tickets available to act as a price cap, if it was Newcastle then LNER would be wanting the anytime single price if anybody wanted flexibility

 

[mmh]

And who will want to risk buying a £50 ticket for that charter with the risk of the match going into extra time & penalties and wanting to hang around to soak up the atmosphere of a famous victory.

Eh? It leaves King's Cross at half eight. The game starts at half three. It's timed to accommodate all that.

 

[Kite159]

Eh? It leaves King's Cross at half eight. The game starts at half three. It's timed to accommodate all that.

So hanging around potentially for 2+ hours in the event the game ends within 90 minutes with a Hull victory?

 

[1D54]

The reason this has been done at such short notice is that it was only announced on Tuesday that Middlesbrough would be playing at Wembley today. Southampton were originally to have been playing (known on the previous Tuesday) but have been expelled due to the "spying" on opposition teams saga.

Only announced on Tuesday but that could have changed as late as Thursday if the appeal had gone in Saints favour.

Off topic i know but does anyone have any idea if SWR did anything to help Southampton fans who had purchased tickets that are now obviously not needed?

 

[redreni]

Saying 'Standard tickets are priced at £50 per person, one way, and are only valid on these additional services' is not the same thing as saying other flexible tickets are not valid, rather that these £50 tickets can only be used on this service.

No, but saying:

These services are advance booking only, and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets cannot be purchased at the station or onboard the train. Customers must have a ticket purchased for the service before travelling on the train.

does mean that.

I share the sentiment that LNER are to be congratulated for putting something on, but they didn't have to advertise it as being totally outside the framework of the NRCoT and outside of all flexible and through ticketing arrangements, which does seem to be what they're saying. Maybe they're only saying it and don't intend to enforce it. I am keen that no precedent is set that TOCs can do this sort of thing, though.

If they want to run an advertised (as distinct from unadvertised) charter service outside the terms of their existing operation, they should apply for a license and for track access like anybody else would have to.

 

[MikeWh]

Some of the comments on this thread!

Given the extremely unusual circumstances around this fixture, LNER 100% deserve congratulations for reacting to the situation in a positive way. Whilst the timing of the return could look awkward if Hull have won in 90 minutes, there are plenty of things to do in London in the early evening which should fill the time, and may even lessen the disappointment.

 

[mmh]

Thank you @MikeWh and @Haywain , I was typing a reply to this thread when yours came through. No need for mine now, as I completely agree and you've worded it better. The only thing I will say is I was going to include the phrase "we might have reached peak forum."

 

[redreni]

Thank you @MikeWh and @Haywain , I was typing a reply to this thread when yours came through. No need for mine now, as I completely agree and you've worded it better. The only thing I will say is I was going to include the phrase "we might have reached peak forum."

If I've missed something and there's a reason why LNER couldn't have just omitted the words "Tickets cannot be purchased at the station or onboard the train." and "Customers must have a ticket purchased for the service before travelling on the train." from the announcement, I'm all ears. I don't want to be unfair to them.

Given people can pay a walk-up fare of £75 (or £70.70 if using Grand Central) to use any other train between London and York, protecting just this one train from overcrowding by reinventing all the rules of railway ticketing (or, more likely, purporting to without actually enforcing it) seems to me unnecessary.

I realise the other trains are protected by fake compulsory reservations flags, making it difficult to buy a ticket with an itinerary for them, but it's just a case of choosing a quieter service and buying a flexible ticket.

 

[Sealink]

Its not showing as an unadvertised express in the real time data https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:76758/2026-05-23/detailed which is what a charter would normally show.

I wonder if First Class is declassified?

 

[Starmill]

I believe the reason for the direction to telephone was so that some money could be brought in prior to the train being visible online, if it ever is.

My guess is that any customer who boarded in error would have their ticket accepted regardless, assuming it's already valid for travel on an LNER train on that route. No need to panic.

Given people can pay a walk-up fare of £75 (or £70.70 if using Grand Central) to use any other train between London and York, protecting just this one train from overcrowding by reinventing all the rules of railway ticketing (or, more likely, purporting to without actually enforcing it) seems to me unnecessary.

I don't think it's at all likely that this will happen.

What will probably happen, unfortunately, is that some intending customers won't be able to board a few of the Edinburgh services. This service will probably be utilised by the station staff to get people on the move again. It could be full.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2026 ==

The trains don't appear in regular journey planners yet. That would make selling an advance via usual channels very difficult. VSTPs don't automatically reach the public facing timetable and the ones that ends up in Darwin could have very different metadata.

Fortunately it appears that at some point they have come through today, as noted above by @Tom. The screenshot shows the 2027 departure.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Whilst the timing of the return could look awkward if Hull have won in 90 minutes, there are plenty of things to do in London in the early evening which should fill the time, and may even lessen the disappointment.

Hull City won 1-0 with their winning goal in the 90+5th minute.

Wonder if anyone (from Hull City or Middlesbrough) left early?

 

[1D54]

Hull City won 1-0 with their winning goal in the 90+5th minute.

Wonder if anyone (from Hull City or Middlesbrough) left early?

Oh, plenty of the plastic types would have left early because people like that always do and a game of such importance would mean little to them.

 

[Watershed]

Thank you @MikeWh and @Haywain , I was typing a reply to this thread when yours came through. No need for mine now, as I completely agree and you've worded it better. The only thing I will say is I was going to include the phrase "we might have reached peak forum."

No-one is criticising LNER for organising extra services. That is great news, though in most sensible countries it would almost go without saying that extra services will run when popular sports matches are on.

LNER are being criticised for pretending that they can rip up well-established ticketing rules at their whim. It's part of a concerning pattern of behaviour from them and so you can think of it as "peak forum" all you like, but I think it's a noteworthy and objectionable development.

If they feel they have got away with this, what's to say they won't try it on in a more general fashion on other popular dates, e.g. during the Edinburgh Fringe festival?

 

[Starmill]

LNER are being criticised for pretending that they can rip up well-established ticketing rules at their whim. It's part of a concerning pattern of behaviour from them and so you can think of it as "peak forum" all you like, but I think it's a noteworthy and objectionable development.

Thankfully it would appear that, on this specific occasion, while the principle you're pointing out may well hold, the practice is not an issue.

 

[D1537]

That train is also planned as a VSTP so the likelihood of input error is high. It's probably running more under charter arrangements than anything else.

Indeed, as the return shows

Pathed as Class 80x on electric
Planned for 56mph max

 

[yorksrob]

Crooked LNER, as with their fares "trial".

"Surprise surprise" as Cilla would have put it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2026 ==

Crooked LNER, as with their fares "trial".

"Surprise surprise" as Cilla would have put it.

I'm probably being harsh here. But the trust is long lost.

We know what they want and its not in passengers interest.

 

[Haywain]

Indeed, as the return shows

Pathed as Class 80x on electric
Planned for 56mph max

It will struggle to keep those timings at 56mph!

 

[redreni]

Thankfully it would appear that, on this specific occasion, while the principle you're pointing out may well hold, the practice is not an issue.

Yeah, this is where I realise I'm in a tiny minority in thinking private businesses shouldn't have the right to mislead people when convenient for them.

And when you start bringing rail operators into public ownership, arguably the scope they have to mislead people should be even less.

It's tricky. I'm a bit torn, because I realise if too much fuss is made about LNER pretending it can do these things, the greater the risk they get DfT and RDG to change the rules so that they really can.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Anyone know how it all went? Were the trains busy? On time?

I wonder how many £50 tickets were needed to be sold to ensure the whole thing at least broke even.