Cheap advance tickets on Cross Country

[sharpley]

A question. Over the last few weeks I've suddenly been able to book really cheap tickets on my regular route. The route is Melton Mowbray to Nuneaton with CrossCountry. Up to a few weeks ago I wouldn't get anything under £11 for the journey, now I regularly see tickets for £4.60... this includes peak time and weekend journeys sometimes booked only a few hours before departure. I normally book the day before though. . What has changed? I'm not complaining, far from it. This is brilliant value for a 40 minute train journey (by bus it's 2 journeys taking the best part of 3 hours for £6).

I book via CrossCountry (app or website). Just intrigued as to why I'm suddenly getting cheap tickets available.

EDIT. just to add, tickets are adult, no Railcard

 

[Mcr Warrior]

£4.60 seems to be the very lowest tier of Advance Single fares, route XC only, for a journey from Melton Mowbray to Nuneaton. Can only think that quota at this level has recently been made available. Fill your boots! The walk-up single fare is set at £26.40.

 

[Watershed]

I've noticed that a lot of XC journeys seem to have really cheap Advances available as of the last year or two. There really seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which journeys have them.

Don't get too used to it; they could change their policy/practice at any time.

 

[sharpley]

The 7.32 Monday morning train from Melton to Nuneaton is £4.60, the same train but Melton to Leicester is £8.20. Limited tickets admittedly but I'll fill me boots whilst it lasts

 

[Kite159]

I've noticed that a lot of XC journeys seem to have really cheap Advances available as of the last year or two. There really seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which journeys have them.

Don't get too used to it; they could change their policy/practice at any time.

Especially on those flows where the XC within DfT would get 100% of the revenue on flexible tickets.

Especially as those XC 170s are not known to be carrying fresh air, especially when they send out a 2 coach special on a Stansted - Birmingham service.

 

[1D54]

Currently no Advances available from Leicester to Nuneaton but they are from Leicester to New St so I've just saved myself the princely sum of £4 by purchasing a ticket to a destination i have no intention of going to.. XC really are a law unto themselves at times.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Currently no Advances available from Leicester to Nuneaton but they are from Leicester to New St so I've just saved myself the princely sum of £4 by purchasing a ticket to a destination i have no intention of going to.. XC really are a law unto themselves at times.

You are not allowed to do that, for an Advance you must either make the complete journey or none of it. There is a risk that this will result in being charged a new Anytime fare or prosecution.

Edit: As @AlterEgo notes the penalty for this is an excess to the walk up fare, not prosecution - but I wouldn't put it past them to try!

 

[Watershed]

You are not allowed to do that, for an Advance you must either make the complete journey or none of it. There is a risk that this will result in being charged a new Anytime fare or prosecution.

In reality Nuneaton doesn't have barriers, so...

 

[1D54]

You are not allowed to do that, for an Advance you must either make the complete journey or none of it. There is a risk that this will result in being charged a new Anytime fare or prosecution.

Barrier free travel that is not needed anyway as onward travel will be done.. I'll risk it.

 

[JonathanH]

Barrier free travel that is not needed anyway as onward travel will be done.. I'll risk it.

There is nothing to stop a revenue block being set up between the platforms at Nuneaton if there is suspicion of passengers breaking journeys short at Nuneaton, for example if there are occurences of advance fares to Birmingham not being scanned at that destination.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is nothing to stop a revenue block being set up between the platforms at Nuneaton if there is suspicion of passengers breaking journeys short at Nuneaton, for example if there are occurences of advance fares to Birmingham not being scanned at that destination.

And in the other direction (unless the ticket is booked with a change at Nuneaton) the guard might notice.

 

[AlterEgo]

There is nothing to stop a revenue block being set up between the platforms at Nuneaton if there is suspicion of passengers breaking journeys short at Nuneaton, for example if there are occurences of advance fares to Birmingham not being scanned at that destination.

Given they can't do anything other than sell excess fares for which they will be publicly pilloried it just will not happen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Given they can't do anything other than sell excess fares for which they will be publicly pilloried it just will not happen.

Northern absolutely do enforce this, it's most often reported around the Leeds area (typically people boarding at places like Headingley with Leeds-York/York-Leeds Advances). You're correct that the "penalty" for this is nominally an excess, however I'm fairly sure I've read of Northern sending hefty settlement offers for it instead...

 

[1D54]

There is nothing to stop a revenue block being set up between the platforms at Nuneaton if there is suspicion of passengers breaking journeys short at Nuneaton, for example if there are occurences of advance fares to Birmingham not being scanned at that destination.

Absolutely and I'm certainly not advocating people should be using these 'loopholes' to save money but i doubt most people know they are doing anything wrong. Very much doubt scanning at destination would play a part as many people would have onward tickets so have no need to use barriers.

 

[tomoufc]

Is the rule that an excess should be issued written down somewhere publicly visible? And how would the excess be calculated? Cheers

 

[yorkie]

Is the rule that an excess should be issued written down somewhere publicly visible? And how would the excess be calculated? Cheers

National Rail Conditions of Travel | National Rail

The gateway to Britain's National Rail network. A portal into UK rail travel including train company information and promotions; train times; fares enquiries; ticket purchase and train running information

www.nationalrail.co.uk

16.4 If you start, break or resume your journey at an intermediate station where you are not entitled to do so, you will be liable to pay an excess fare. The price for this will be the difference between the amount paid for the Ticket you hold and the lowest price Ticket available for immediate travel that would have entitled you to start, break or resume your journey at the station concerned.

 

[1D54]

I honestly had no idea that such a rule existed or I'd certainly not have started this with post #6. I've spent the last 45+ years travelling the network on a regular basis trying to get tickets as cheaply as possible and as a regular reader of the relevant sections on this site should really have known about it. The ironical thing is that when LNR release the timetable for this weekend my tickets may well become useless anyway so I'll end up going to STP simply so my travel card and return tickets are not wasted.

 

[tomoufc]

National Rail Conditions of Travel | National Rail

The gateway to Britain's National Rail network. A portal into UK rail travel including train company information and promotions; train times; fares enquiries; ticket purchase and train running information

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Thank you. But according to the new conditions of carriage, would the excess not need to be purchased prior to boarding?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jul 2026 ==

I honestly had no idea that such a rule existed or I'd certainly not have started this with post #6. I've spent the last 45+ years travelling the network on a regular basis trying to get tickets as cheaply as possible and as a regular reader of the relevant sections on this site should really have known about it. The ironical thing is that when LNR release the timetable for this weekend my tickets may well become useless anyway so I'll end up going to STP simply so my travel card and return tickets are not wasted.

It’s very useful to know, I think, because it potentially gives a little more flexibility to advances.

 

[Watershed]

Thank you. But according to the new conditions of carriage, would the excess not need to be purchased prior to boarding?

That only applies to change of route excesses. Time and break of journey excesses can still be obtained after boarding without penalty.

 

[tomoufc]

That only applies to change of route excesses. Time and break of journey excesses can still be obtained after boarding without penalty.

Cheers