I bought some advance tickets last month for use next week, but I no longer need to use them and have rebooked for when I will no need to travel. They can’t be refunded, but it appears I can adjust the date for no charge on the GWR app. I likely will travel again in two months time, but I won’t know exactly when for a while. Is there any limit to how many times I can change the date on these tickets?
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How many times can you change an advance?
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No, you can change as many times as you want, subject to any admin fee (which is zero with GWR as you note).
It is important to note that the change must be done prior to departure.
If it's zero cost with GWR and you don't think you'll know when you need to travel prior to the date/time of the original tickets, I'd recommend moving them to a date near where you think you'll travel (preferably to a service which costs as close to the original value of the tickets as possible) and then change them again when you're sure of your travel times.
If you move a £60 Advance ticket to a service that costs only £30 and then try to change the ticket again, you'll only get (or should only get!) £30 towards the second round of new tickets.
If it's zero cost with GWR and you don't think you'll know when you need to travel prior to the date/time of the original tickets, I'd recommend moving them to a date near where you think you'll travel (preferably to a service which costs as close to the original value of the tickets as possible) and then change them again when you're sure of your travel times.
If you move a £60 Advance ticket to a service that costs only £30 and then try to change the ticket again, you'll only get (or should only get!) £30 towards the second round of new tickets.
Joe Paxton
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I'm just going by my recollection here, but with the Trainline's implementation of changing Advance tickets (which also applies to 'white label' TOC sites such as Crosscountry), if the replacement Advance ticket would otherwise cost less than the original then actually in the 'change ticket' interface it just shows up as the same price as the original ticket - you can see this when you compare (a) being logged in and searching to change a ticket and (b) just doing a normal search for tickets (using say a private browser window if needed, though I don't think this is actually necessary).
I don't know whether the Trainline actually fulfils the new ticket by reserving one from a more expensive (presumably equivalent if available) quota allocation - though I suspect it does that - or if it (or the industry at large) just pockets the difference.
Apologies if my description of the above is confusing - the correct (or at least more accurate / clearer) terminology currently evades me!
Crosscountry's 'no admin fee' for changes to Advance tickets can be quite a useful facility.
It should be noted that XC does state that...
However in practice I've found it's possible right up to just before the scheduled departure time of the booked train... and I'm not sure about the 2 hour after initial purchase thing either. But it's worth mentioning just in case their implementation of this has changed recently!
That’s also worth knowing. I’ve adjusted both in the app, I’m moving from advances on quite peak train to afternoon travel, so I’ve changed them (paying a total of £2.50) for off peak singles, which gives me a bit of flexibility as I’ll be travelling with family when I now use them.
Another one is that currently (although they keep threatening it's going) is on Southern there is no charge to Amend Advance tickets online.......which for me has been lucky as I was signed off Sick for a number of weeks and had to move tickets....
However I've just moved some from this week to mid November time - looks like someone else is booking the £7 ticket......
I am sure there is only 1 x £7 / 1 x £10 / 2 x £14 tickets for my Station to my destination - but looking at doing it from the next station (5 min walk) the numbers are the same on availability so I guess they group stations together?
However I've just moved some from this week to mid November time - looks like someone else is booking the £7 ticket......
I am sure there is only 1 x £7 / 1 x £10 / 2 x £14 tickets for my Station to my destination - but looking at doing it from the next station (5 min walk) the numbers are the same on availability so I guess they group stations together?
For commuter TOCs like Southern, the Advance availability at each given price point will likely be capped based on the train taken. So it doesn't matter which station you board at, only a set number of cheap tickets will be released.
For intercity TOCs they have much more sophisticated revenue management systems which vary the price based on the journey being made, so sometimes a longer journey can be cheaper than a shorter one - e.g. Newcastle to London on LNER is often cheaper than Durham to London, because there's competition from Lumo (and, sort of, BA) from Newcastle but not from Durham. Durham possibly also has more demand from wealthy foreign tourists.
I wonder if Southern have "reduced" the number of tickets......or is it just more people are now going into the office.....
Up until August time I was always able to get £7 tickets from Havant to ECR on either the 0746 or 0818 (or equivalents before the new timetable) with about 5-6 weeks notice......
The same is on 1623 / 1953 ones coming back.....(and earlier this year Southern removed the Advance on the 1923 out of ECR).
I have looked now and even in December I am being offered £10 / £14 tickets......
Up until August time I was always able to get £7 tickets from Havant to ECR on either the 0746 or 0818 (or equivalents before the new timetable) with about 5-6 weeks notice......
The same is on 1623 / 1953 ones coming back.....(and earlier this year Southern removed the Advance on the 1923 out of ECR).
I have looked now and even in December I am being offered £10 / £14 tickets......
Most of the commuter TOCs have taken action to reduce quotas on advance tickets available during peak time, to varying degrees, over the past 6 months.
Coincidentally, on the 07:46 I've noticed that 1st class advances have suddenly appeared available widely on peak services and are the cheapest option (with standard being almost double) so I did wonder if they'd cut the standard quotas.
Thanks for the observation - certainly seems to be true.....
With respect to the 1st class advance I looked at a few random dates for the 0746 and couldn't see an Advance 1st class....did I misunderstand?
May just be coincidence with the dates I looked at - e.g the 10th October is £19.90 for first class advance vs no availability in standard
Just had a play
13th December - on the 0746 from Havant to ECR - this is currently the last day to buy an Advance (checked for Monday 16th and it's only offering Anytime Day Singles)
1 person travelling: £10
2 people travelling: £28 (so 2 x £14 seats)
3 people travelling: £48 (so 3 x £16 seats)
4 people travelling: £148.80 (Anytime Day Singles @ 37.20)
I'm not going to purchase 4 tickets to see if 1 person can still get the £10 ticket but the ticket engine seems to uplift all tickets to highest price......does that make sense?
It also seems to indicate now there is 1 or 2 seats at each price point
13th December - on the 0746 from Havant to ECR - this is currently the last day to buy an Advance (checked for Monday 16th and it's only offering Anytime Day Singles)
1 person travelling: £10
2 people travelling: £28 (so 2 x £14 seats)
3 people travelling: £48 (so 3 x £16 seats)
4 people travelling: £148.80 (Anytime Day Singles @ 37.20)
I'm not going to purchase 4 tickets to see if 1 person can still get the £10 ticket but the ticket engine seems to uplift all tickets to highest price......does that make sense?
It also seems to indicate now there is 1 or 2 seats at each price point
Haywain
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That does make sense, as it is how booking engines work in my experience.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Probably does make sense where ticket T&Cs differ, as selling 3 Advances and one Anytime in the same transaction is likely to confuse the life out of people.
miklcct
On Moderation
It's the same as booking air travel as well. If there are multiple people in the same booking, everyone must be on the same fare, although the discount entitlement can be different.
I can’t seem to change some (lower value) tickets a second time, and GWR website says refund them, take the admin fee hit (in this case more than the value of the tickets) and rebook. Any thoughts?
Well the amended tickets were for this weekend, and after a phone conversation with GWR staff, they’ve explained that the policy is to allow a single amendment to your tickets, though they admitted that that is not clear on the T&Cs. I’ve put in a complaint but was warned not to be optimistic.
alistairlees
Established Member
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- 29 Dec 2016
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- 4,040
That's poor! And unnecessary. As this was not made clear, you should be refunded.
And over a month later, GWR have said that, while no exchange or refund is possible, as a good will gesture they'll give me a voucher to the value of the original tickets. A reasonably happy outcome, but a bit of a slog to get here, and one that doesn't seem necessary.