Advance Tickets
We believe these tickets offer excellent value for money. In order to provide attractively priced fares, we have to attach a small number of conditions in addition to those in the National Rail Conditions of Carriage booklet (available at stations and rail-appointed Travel Agents).
It is essential that you read these terms and conditions carefully, as you may be charged the full open fare if you haven’t purchased the correct ticket for your journey.
- Your ticket(s) are only valid for the date, East Coast train(s) and reserved seat(s) shown on your ticket(s), plus those of appropriate connecting Train Companies. If your ticket shows a route "EC and Connections", you will be reserved on to all necessary East Coast trains and connecting trains of other companies at the time of booking. Please note that if you take connecting trains other than those shown on your ticket, you will need a seat reservation to travel by any connecting train shown in the timetable as reserveable.
- Changes to travel plans:
a. These are permitted up until the time of departure of the first reserved train shown on your ticket(s). After this time, your ticket has no value and a new ticket must be purchased. If you have chosen Print@ Home as your delivery method, tickets cannot be changed after 18:00 the day before the date of departure of the first reserved train shown on yout ticket(s).
b. Changes to tickets cannot be made on-train. A new ticket must be purchased if you board an East Coast train without a ticket and reservation for that service.
c. Changes to tickets can be made by logging in to "Your Account", or at most staffed stations. A change is allowed provided the origin and destination are the same and travel is still by East Coast for all or part of the journey. Changes can be brought forward by any number of weeks, or put back as far ahead as the reservation system is open (normally around 10 weeks).
d. For each change that you make, you will have to pay an additional charge, up to the appropriate fare for your new journey, plus a change fee of £10 per single ticket. If you change onto a train where a cheaper fare is available, the difference will not be refunded and you will still have to pay the £10 fee. Please remember that you will need to present your original ticket(s) and reservation(s) as well as the new ones when you travel.
e. You must travel with East Coast for the main part of your journey. Your ticket cannot be changed to travel on any other Train Company’s services for this part of the journey.
- You may not start, break and resume, or end your journey at an intermediate station except to change to/from appropriate connecting trains where these are shown on your ticket(s) or other official itinerary.
- Your ticket is non-refundable, should you decide not to use it. If the East Coast train on which you are reserved is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed), or to refund your ticket provided your journey has not yet commenced.
- East Coast First Advance tickets do not entitle access to East Coast First Class Lounges at stations, unless in possession of First Class Lounge supplement. These are available for purchase with a East Coast First Advance ticket or First Class reader offer.
- Railcard discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers unless specifically stated.
- There may be rare occasions where the cost of a journey may go down after reservations have opened. We regret that Advance tickets that have already been bought will not be refunded in part or in whole in such circumstances.
Off Peak Tickets
If travelling on East Coast services using a Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak or Weekender ticket, it is essential that you read these terms and conditions carefully. If you board a train on which your ticket is not valid, you may be liable to purchase a new ticket or pay an excess fare. Please check with the train operator for restrictions that apply to their services.
When there is more than one Off-Peak fare for a journey, the cheaper fare with more restrictions will be called Super off-Peak. Most East Coast Super off-Peak tickets do not allow travel before 09.30 Monday-Friday. (See different conditions below for journeys to/from/via Stevenage and London). Time restrictions do not apply on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays. Please check before travelling, exact times to/from Stevenage.
General Conditions and Validity to/from/via London
1. Off-Peak and First Off-Peak
Outward journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket, and return journeys within one calendar month. Only available on selected journeys.
Times you can travel:
OUTWARD NORTHBOUND (code 1T or 1V): On any train from London King's Cross except those timed to depart 06.45-07.59 and 15.59-17.45 inclusive, Monday-Friday.
RETURN SOUTHBOUND (code 1T or 1V): On any train timed to arrive in London King's Cross at 10.08 or later, Monday-Friday.
OUTWARD SOUTHBOUND (codes 1D or 1E): On any train timed to arrive in London King's Cross at 10.08 or later, Monday-Friday.
RETURN NORTHBOUND (codes 1D or 1E): On any train.
2. Anglo-Scot Off-Peak
Principal conditions are the same as Standard Off-Peak as stated above. Please note this fare is only available on selected journeys between Scotland and London/South East England. No break of journey is permitted in either direction.
Times you can travel:
NORTHTHBOUND (codes 1W or 1X): On any train.
SOUTHBOUND (codes 1W or 1X): On any train.
3. Super Off-Peak Outward journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket and return journeys within one calendar month. Break of Journey restrictions apply for some journeys between England and Scotland. Please check with National Rail Enquiries before booking, if you intend to do this.
Times you can travel:
NORTHBOUND (codes 9D, 9F, 1K or 1L): On any train from London King's Cross except those timed to depart before 09.06 Monday-Friday and from 14.57-18.59 inclusive, Monday-Thursday and from 14.57-18.15 on Fridays.
SOUTHBOUND (codes 9D, 9F, 1K or 1L: On any train timed to arrive in London King's Cross at 11.17 or later, Monday-Friday.
Note: Some Super off-Peak tickets are available for journeys entirely within Scotland. Where they are available, they cannot be used on any Friday, or Saturday in July and August, nor before Bank Holidays, as detailed locally.
4. Off-Peak Day Return and Off-Peak Travelcards
Outward and Return journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket. Break of journey is allowed.
Times you can travel:
NORTHBOUND (code E9): On any train from London King's Cross timed to depart at 09.53 or later, except 15.55-19.01 inclusive, Monday-Friday.
SOUTHBOUND (code E9): On any train to London King's Cross timed to depart at 0.953 or later, Monday-Friday.
5. Weekender Tickets Outward journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket (Friday or Saturday only) and return journeys within four days (excluding Friday). Break of journey restrictions apply to outward journeys. Time restrictions do not apply (code 1S).
Over the next few months, the restriction code that applies to some ticket types will start to be printed on tickets, to aid recognition, and these codes are shown above. Even where the code is not yet printed on the ticket, the advertised restriction as shown above will apply, as previously.
