Advance Booking Dates

Booking Horizons

Below is a summary of the farthest travel dates in the future where it is possible to reserve seats today for those Train Companies offering seat reservations and Advance tickets.

Normally, the timetable for any particular day is confirmed 12 weeks in advance. For a temporary period Network Rail isn’t able to do this, instead confirming timetables up to 8 weeks in advance. Please check the Temporary Timetable Changes page for further information.

Not all train companies offer Advance tickets or seat reservations. But for those that do, you can find details below.

Advance ticket and reservation information last updated Friday 19 January 2024

Avanti West Coast

• Saturday service: 9 March

• Sunday service: 10 March

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Customers can make a seat reservation up to 10 minutes before departure from a station on all services (subject to availability).

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Caledonian Sleeper

These can be booked 12 months in advance.

Chiltern Railways: between Birmingham and London Marylebone

• Saturday service: 16 March

• Sunday service: 24 March

• Monday to Friday service: 5 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 18:00 the day before travel.

Notes

Currently closed on 25 February, 26 / 29 March and 1 April.

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Chiltern Railways: between Oxford and London Marylebone

• Saturday service: 16 March

• Sunday service: 24 March

• Monday to Friday service: 5 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 18:00 the day before travel.

Notes

Currently closed on 25 February, 26 / 29 March and 1 April.

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

CrossCountry: East to West routes

Between Nottingham and Cardiff via Birmingham, Stansted Airport and Birmingham New Street via Leicester.

• Saturday service: 30 March

• Sunday service: 31 March

• Monday to Friday service: 5 April

Latest time of reservation

Up to 21:00 the day before travel but some routes may close earlier.

Notes

None.

CrossCountry: North to South routes

Between Scotland and South West, Newcastle and Southampton, Manchester and Bournemouth / Bristol.

• Saturday service: 30 March

• Sunday service: 31 March

• Monday to Friday service: 5 April

Latest time of reservation

Up to 15 minutes before customers board the train when booked through CrossCountry's website or app, and at a select number of online retailers / travel agents.

Notes

None.

East Midlands Railway: between Liverpool and Norwich plus to / from Skegness

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 the day before travel.

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

East Midlands Railway: London route

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 the day before travel.

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Grand Central

• Saturday service: 1 June

• Sunday service: 26 May

• Monday to Friday service: 31 May

Latest time of reservation

Not available.

Notes

None.

Great Western Railway (GWR)

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 3 May

Latest time of reservation

Up to 2 minutes before travel at any station on Great Western Railway routes.

Notes

Services between London and Worcester / Great Malvern / Hereford (North Cotswold route) via Oxford are closed for reservations from Monday 22 to Friday 26 April.

Greater Anglia / Stansted Express

• Saturday service: 16 March

• Sunday service: 17 March

• Monday to Friday service: 22 March

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Currently closed 24 - 25 February between London Liverpool Street and Norwich / Clacton-on-Sea.

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Hull Trains

• Saturday service: 25 May

• Sunday: 26 May

• Monday to Friday service: 31 May

Latest time of reservation

Up to 15:00 day before travel for early morning services. Other services up to 4 hours before departing point of origin.

Notes

Reservations are currently closed on 20 / 21 April and 11 / 12 May.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER)

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 31 May

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 day before travel for some early morning trains. Up to 40 minutes before departing point of origin.

Tickets are available further in advance for most weekday journeys between London and the stations north of York, including Newcastle and Edinburgh. Subject to exceptions, such as Bank Holiday periods.

Notes

Reservations are currently closed on 30 / 31 March.

Lumo

• Saturday service: 1 June

• Sunday service: 26 May

• Monday to Friday service: 31 May

Latest time of reservation

Not available.

Notes

Currently closed:

18 / 19 / 20 February.

3 / 10 March.

21 April.

Northern

• Saturday service: 9 March

• Sunday service: 3 March

• Monday to Friday service: 8 March

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Northern do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.

ScotRail

• Saturday service: 2 March

• Sunday service: 3 March

• Monday to Friday service: 8 March

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 day before travel for some early morning trains. Up to 2 hours before departing point of origin.

Notes

Closed on the following routes:

10 / 11 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 25 / 26 / 27 February:

• Glasgow – Aberdeen.

• Glasgow – Inverness.

• Glasgow – Dundee.

• Edinburgh – Aberdeen.

• Edinburgh – Inverness.

• Edinburgh – Perth / Dundee.

• Aberdeen – Inverness.

South Western Railway: between London Waterloo and Weymouth

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

South Western Railway: West of England

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

South Western Railway: Portsmouth route, Isle of Wight

• Saturday service: 6 April

• Sunday service: 7 April

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Southeastern

• Saturday service: 2 March

• Sunday service: 3 March

• Monday to Friday service: 6 March

Latest time of reservation

Up to 18:00 the day before.

Notes

Southeastern do not offer a specific seat allocation but use quota controls for controlling Advance tickets.

Weekday tickets are only bookable maximum 84 days ahead of travel.

Reservations are currently closed after 19 January on services running after 23:00 each evening.

Weekend services will only be opened once train times have been confirmed.

Southern

• Saturday service: 9 March

• Sunday service: 10 March

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 18:00 the day before travel. 

Notes

Southern do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.

For Saturdays and Sundays, advance fares for Southern services will be released approximately seven days after the amended timetable has been uploaded to journey planners. Check here for when the amended timetables will be uploaded.

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Thameslink

• Saturday service: 2 March

• Sunday service: 10 March

• Monday to Friday service: 12 April.

Latest time of reservation

Advance tickets are available up to 18:00 the day before travel. 

Notes

Thameslink do not offer seat reservations but have quota controlled advance purchase products.

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

TransPennine Express

• Saturday service: 1 June

• Sunday service: 26 May

• Monday to Friday service: 31 May

Latest time of reservation

Up to 23:59 the day before travel. 

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales advance tickets are available 6 weeks in advance of travel.

Latest time of reservation

Up to 19:00 day before travel for some early morning trains. Other services up to 4 hours before departure point of origin.

Notes

Ferries to / from Ireland - A limited number of sailings are available up to 6 weeks in advance of travel.

West Midlands Trains

• Saturday service: 23 March

• Sunday service: 24 March

• Monday to Friday service: 29 March

Latest time of reservation

Not available.

Notes

Closed on all dates affected by industrial action.

Special Events

Please note: NO trains will operate on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day some train companies will run a very limited service, but most routes are closed.

The availability of Advance tickets could be affected by special events taking place along the route of the journey. Please check before travelling.