Manchester to Leicester for 7.50 advance single

[boyaloud]

Brfares claims this is the cheapest advance single between these stations. However I have tried many times to find it on east coast planner to no avail even booking ~12 weeks in advance. Any ideas?

 

[yorkie]

The cheapest tier might never be available. XC don't have to offer any availability at all.

 

[eastwestdivide]

I can see some £12.40 advances via Birmingham. Worth trying some different "via" routes to find alternatives to the Sheffield route (for which the best I can find is £19)?

 

[boyaloud]

Yes I saw the via brum one too+they're the only2 routes I'm sure?

 

[bb21]

The cheapest tier of any XC ONLY fare is very very rarely sold. The MCS fare is usually the best you will get.

 

[boyaloud]

What's mcs?

 

[bb21]

It's the fare type. brfares has full details if you put the journey details in.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Yes I saw the via brum one too+they're the only2 routes I'm sure?

Tamworth-Nuneaton or Crewe-Derby? Not tried them for fares and they make take all day, but possibles.

 

[Qwerty133]

Tamworth-Nuneaton or Crewe-Derby? Not tried them for fares and they make take all day, but possibles.

and Manchester-Nottingham-Leicester

 

[bb21]

Manchester - Nottingham can actually have good value Advances, so worth checking it out.

Manchester - Sheffield, Sheffield - Nottingham could also both have very cheap Advances if you are lucky.

 

[boyaloud]

Tried all those and still no joy! Booo! Odd how a fare can be listed but not exist!

 

[yorkie]

Tried all those and still no joy! Booo! Odd how a fare can be listed but not exist!

It's routed XC Only, so you'd have to go via Birmingham on that particular routeing. XC have probably decided not to use it any more. It will probably be deleted.

EC did a similar thing with the lowest tier York-London Advances; they became incredibly rare, then never used at all, and after a few months the fare was deleted from the database.

 

[bb21]

They are still used, but very rarely.

I have only ever managed to get one MES fare (lowest tier of XC ONLY flows) this year.

Previously there were a few flows which regularly had MES fares available, but these all seem to offer MCS as the normal tier now.

 

[Starmill]

Of the two journeys I most regularly buy Advances for:

I have never ever secured one of these MES fares.

BUT I regularly purchase these VDS fares from Virgin Trains.

It all depends on route and operator and how they think they can make the most money...

EDIT: Perhaps some TOCs just release those tiers when they have a "sale" ?