Avanti stopping at northampton? (December 2025)

[ThrowAway10101]

Surprised to see some direct services from / to manchester from northampton. Is it because of engineering works?

 

[Watershed]

Yes, the WCML is shut due to renewal works at Hanslope Junction (between Milton Keynes and Northampton/Rugby) so Avanti are starting/terminating some of their services at Northampton as well as at Rugby.

There's not enough platform capacity at Rugby to terminate all of Avanti's services there, whereas Northampton has two north-facing bays that WMT can use for their shorter trains, leaving the through platforms free for Avanti to use to start/terminate some of their services.

It's also a shorter replacement bus journey from Milton Keynes to Northampton than it is from MK to Rugby.

 

[ThrowAway10101]

Interesting thank you. I’d love to see a regular high speed route through northampton one day

 

[Farigiraf]

Post-HS2 I'm sure some of the services using the classic lines will divert via Northampton. Without phase 2 I doubt we'll see things like a semi-fast London-Manchester via the classic lines (for budget travellers - think Ouigo), but there'll certainly be improvements.

 

[CHobbs]

Interesting thank you. I’d love to see a regular high speed route through northampton one day

Considering how large Northampton is, its rail service is very poor. No competition either so turn up and go tickets can be v expensive too.

 

[Haywain]

Considering how large Northampton is, its rail service is very poor. No competition either so turn up and go tickets can be v expensive too.

I'm not convinced that fares from Northampton can be regarded as "v expensive" in comparison to other towns.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm not convinced that fares from Northampton can be regarded as "v expensive" in comparison to other towns.

Inclined to concur. An Anytime Day Return from Northampton to London Terminals is £79.30. For a similar distance "commuter" journey (= ~65 miles) from Eastbourne to London Terminals, an Anytime Day Return is £82.10. That's ballpark very similar, IMHO.

 

[CHobbs]

I'm not convinced that fares from Northampton can be regarded as "v expensive" in comparison

Can’t you? There isn’t any rail competition from Northampton as there is only one operator. For example, a ticket from MK to Bham offers two operator fares , one significantly cheaper than the other. Same with fares to Euston. Northampton only has the substandard services (LNR) and only one set fare.
Also the off peak fare to MK is £12.60 single…. It’s 16 minutes.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2026 ==

Inclined to concur. An Anytime Day Return from Northampton to London Terminals is £79.30. For a similar distance "commuter" journey (= ~65 miles) from Eastbourne to London Terminals, an Anytime Day Return is £82.10. That's ballpark very similar, IMHO.

Is it? I’d imagine more commute from Northampton than Eastbourne?

 

[AlterEgo]

Can’t you? There isn’t any rail competition from Northampton as there is only one operator.

It’ll all be one operator in less than a year anyway. The problem isn’t competition but that Northampton is on a slow secondary loop due to historical reasons.

Is it? I’d imagine more commute from Northampton than Eastbourne?

Check out fares from Wellingborough for a real shock then.

 

[Haywain]

Can’t you? There isn’t any rail competition from Northampton as there is only one operator. For example, a ticket from MK to Bham offers two operator fares , one significantly cheaper than the other. Same with fares to Euston. Northampton only has the substandard services (LNR) and only one set fare.

Pop over to Wellingborough and tell people how hard done by you are.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2026 ==

Check out fares from Wellingborough for a real shock then.

Snap!

 

[CHobbs]

Pop over to Wellingborough and tell people how hard done by you are.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2026 ==


Snap!

Yeah, that’s ridiculously dear, especially for travel to Luton Airport. Wellingborough always used to boast of ‘intercity trains’ back in the day. Can’t be said these days.

I don’t live in Northampton- or anywhere near, I was just commenting as I used to travel there regularly

 

[Haywain]

Yeah, that’s ridiculously dear, especially for travel to Luton Airport. Wellingborough always used to boast of ‘intercity trains’ back in the day. Can’t be said these days.

I don’t live in Northampton- or anywhere near, I was just commenting as I used to travel there regularly

And on top of that, you can use a Network Railcard or Annual Gold Card at Northampton. The reality is that the town was long protected from higher fares by having been part of Network South East prior to privatisation.

 

[CHobbs]

And on top of that, you can use a Network Railcard or Annual Gold Card at Northampton. The reality is that the town was long protected from higher fares by having been part of Network South East prior to privatisation.

Yes, it was always the most north of NSE back in the day on the WCML

 

[flitwickbeds]

There isn’t any rail competition from Northampton as there is only one operator.

Same as probably ~95% of all stations in the UK then?

(Edit - as someone else said above, soon to be 100%)

 

[CHobbs]

Same as probably ~95% of all stations in the UK then?

(Edit - as someone else said above, soon to be 100%)

I meant, in comparison to Rugby and MK, local stations that have cheaper fares to London and Birmingham available due to having a choice of operator.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

Same as probably ~95% of all stations in the UK then?

(Edit - as someone else said above, soon to be 100%)

Do you honestly think that fares will reduce once there is only one operator? Nothing will change.

 

[ThrowAway10101]

Personally, i'm quite satisfied with the fares from Northampton (with a 16-25 railcard).

£10 day return to Coventry.
£28 open return to Euston (not the best but for journeys to central london i prefer this).
I also noticed they do £4.30 advance (with railcard) to / from birmingham during off peak times (midday or close to midnight).

Thankfully i don't have need to travel beyond the WCML, because travelling beyond that seems to come with a jump. That being said, i used to go to Manchester 2 years ago for £39, it's £54 now?!