25th Aug Warrington to Glasgow.

[1874]

Hi, just wondering does anyone have info into why advance tickets for this journey are not available yet. I no there is a Euston blockade at souther end, but it is now less than 6 weeks until said date.. prices on railcard for 1 adult and 2 kids is currently £46 each way. It is a day return we’re after. Thanks.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Hi, just wondering does anyone have info into why advance tickets for this journey are not available yet. I no there is a Euston blockade at souther end, but it is now less than 6 weeks until said date.. prices on railcard for 1 adult and 2 kids is currently £46 each way. It is a day return we’re after. Thanks.

The availability of Advance tickets is down to train companies releasing them; since Advance tickets are tied to one or more particular trains, the train companies will not release Advances if they are not sure of the timetable which will run (as otherwise there would be many disgruntled passengers who think their booked train has disappeared, for example).

There are no Day Return through tickets available between Warrington and Glasgow - only Anytime and Off-Peak (Month) Returns, in terms of non-Advance tickets. These tickets will cost the same if you buy them at the station on the day of travel, and are sold in unlimited quantities (though you may be unable to get a seat reservation if you buy on the day at the ticket office). The Off-Peak Return route 'via Carlisle' is the most appropriate through ticket for a return journey - as it has restriction code 2T, meaning that you can take any train after 04:15(am) - i.e. there are effectively no time restrictions whatsoever. Getting these Off-Peak Returns for the three of you would cost £92.25 return, or £46.13 each way - this is probably what you saw when you looked up the through fares.

If you are prepared to change at Preston both ways, then a combination of split walk-up tickets (Warrington to Wigan and Wigan to Preston Off-Peak Day Returns) plus TransPennine Express Advances from Preston to Glasgow and return would cost just £37.45 return for all three of you. It's not much slower than the through train, although you may prefer the Virgin Pendolino over the TransPennine Express Desiro train (but you may be cursed with a Virgin Voyager equally!).

Alternatively, if you wish to remain on the same (Virgin) train then you would be best off buying Off-Peak Day Returns as above, Warrington to Wigan and Wigan to Preston, plus then Preston to Glasgow Off-Peak Return ('via Carlisle'). That would total £55.45 - until Advances are released (if they ever are), that is probably the cheapest combination of tickets for the through train.

You can buy either of the above combination of tickets in conjunction with a through itinerary on an accredited ticket retailer, www.trainsplit.com, by entering the relevant journey details. However, it charges a fee of 10% of the saving it makes through splitting, so it would total £42.93 in this case.