Ticket Alert
What is Ticket Alert?
In the UK, Advance tickets are usually released around 12 weeks before the departure date. If you know when you want to travel but tickets aren't on sale yet, Ticket Alert will email you to let you know when they are, usually at a cheaper price than booking closer to the date of travel.
Currently, Ticket Alerts can only be set up for single journeys.
* Average savings on all fares booked at least one week before day of travel vs Anytime fares purchased on day of travel. Subject to availability. Excludes coach.
What's in this guide?
How to set up a Ticket Alert with us
1
Search for your desired travel dates in our Journey Planner or our app.
2
If tickets are already available, great! If not, you'll be able to set up a Ticket Alert.
3
If you already have a Trainline account, just hit Set Ticket Alert. If not, just pop your email in first.
4
Now sit back and relax. As soon as Advance Tickets are on sale for your chosen date, we'll email you to let you know.
Advance ticket booking window
Advance train tickets tend to become available in the UK 12 weeks before the departure date. These are the latest dates that we've found tickets available for**.
Last updated Thursday 18th July 2024.
| Train operator | Latest ticket availability |
| Avanti West Coast | 3rd October 2024 |
| Chiltern Railways | 27th September 2024 |
| CrossCountry | 4th October 2024 |
| East Midlands Railway | 4th October 2024 |
| Grand Central | 13th December 2024 |
| Great Western Railway | 25th October 2024 |
| Greater Anglia | 23rd August 2024 |
| Hull Trains | 13th December 2024 |
| London North Eastern Railway (LNER) | 13th December 2024 |
| London Northwestern Railway | 13th September 2024 |
| Lumo | 13th December 2024 |
| Northern | 20th September 2024 |
| ScotRail | 4th October 2024 |
| South Western Railway | 4th October 2024 |
| Southeastern | 2nd October 2024 |
| Southern | 4th October 2024 |
| Thameslink | 4th October 2024 |
| TransPennine Express | 18th October 2024 |
| Transport for Wales | 8th September 2024 |
| West Midlands Railway | 13th September 2024 |
** We attempt to detect when Advance tickets have been released each day by analysing the results of millions of users’ journey searches. There may be interim dates when timetables and Advance tickets are yet to be confirmed by train operators. We’ll do our very best to alert you as soon as our systems detect availability. If you do not receive an alert, check back in before you travel to book a ticket and reserve a seat.
Frequently asked questions
When are cheap train tickets released?
Advance train tickets – usually the cheapest type of train ticket – are usually released up to 12 weeks before the departure date. To get the cheapest available ticket, travelling during Off-Peak times or booking a SplitSave ticket via the app are both ways to save money.
When do Advance train tickets become available?
Train companies in the UK can release their Advance tickets up to 12 weeks before the departure date. Only a limited number of Advance tickets will be available, so be quick to book as the fare can rise as the cheapest tickets start to sell out.
How far in advance can you book train tickets?
You can usually book train tickets in the UK up to 12 weeks in advance, these are called Advance train tickets and are generally cheaper than booking nearer to the departure date.