Experienced train travellers please help

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Do tickets for faster trains between cities cost more than the trains that stop everywhere?

We live abroad and I'm booking tickets for a UK trip. We have to travel from London to Birmingham by train.
Currently on the trainline site, only the slow trains are showing. The prices are very reasonable.
There are other trains which take under half the time because fewer stops but the tickets aren't available yet.
I've signed up for alerts but when they become available, are they likely to cost a lot more?
Thanks in advance

Look at the first date available to compare.

But generally, they will have tickets available at various prices depending on how soon you book, how busy the train is and how inflexible you are.

Also look at railcards, you sometimes save more on trip than it costs to get the railcard...

IME those trains on "High Speed" lines from London to Kent (for example) cost more. If you're looking at express services versus slower services, it depends. I find Train Companies may offer prices at unpopular times or on unpopular trains much cheaper than at popular ones. For example, I'm travelling next month to Banbury. I've opted for a train at lunchtime from London to Banbury, because it's dirt cheap. With my railcard discount I've managed to get it down to £4.70 each way.

So if you're super flexible on times and can book in advance it might be to your advantage. And yes! Get a railcard, especially if taking a big long journey, because sometimes you get it's whole value back in one transaction. Then every journey after that you can feel smug about the savings.

Thanks, especially for the railcard tip. I will investigate.

You say from London to Birmingham but have you specified stations?
I ask as if (for instance) you have specified Marylebone then you will get Chiltern which is a stopper. If you go Paddington then you will get X-Country which is quicker.

HS2 will solve this. 😁

London to Birmingham, you can either go Chiltern from Marylebone, or London North West or Avanti from Euston. I don't recommend LNW to go the whole way to Birmingham - their trains are old, knackered, uncomfortable and designed for commuters so no luggage space.
Depending on the day/ time you want to travel, you should get a reasonably priced advance ticket with Avanti.

From London there are 2 routes and 3 train companies.
1 :Chiltern trains from Marylebone which takes you to Birmingham Moor St or Snow Hill
2: Avanti From Euston to B'ham New Street or London Northwestern (sometimes called Midland Mainline) from Euston to New Street.
From experience Avanti is more expensive although probably quicker.
I use the Chiltern trains all the time. They are perfectly comfortable and modern.
The last few times I used LNW the trains were decent and modern.
Basically Avanti is an InterCity train the other two 'commuter' style trains. I personally find commuter style more comfortable. The only issue I have had with LNW is they don't seem to have plug charging points. I haven't been on an Avanti so can't comment (It was Virgin last time I used that route) but I use InterCity trains on a different route and they always feel cramped.
I would rather have slightly longer journey for more comfort.

@Dougieowner you don't go to B'ham from Paddington ! You'd have to change at Reading or somewhere. Would take forever (especially as Great Western isn't the most reliable train company) !

When are you travelling?

We had very cheap tickets for that journey (£28 return - 2.5 hours) and the fast trains weren't showing.

Then all cancelled due to strikes.

Ah, my mistake.
I have in the (dim & distant) past travelled Paddington-Oxford and Oxford-Birmingham, assumed it was a single journey.

Use Chiltern daily now.

Just checked and yes, you change at Oxford.

Never use trainline, they’re a third party agent. Use national rail website to get times and prices and book direct with the operator as they’re usually easier to deal with if anything goes wrong.

Also, be aware that "split ticketing" can be cheaper - buying start station -> intermediate station and intermediate station -> end station tickets, that can work out less than the price asked for a start station -> end station ticket.

The different operators for the London to Birmingham will have different fare structures. Certain fare types are only released a specific number of months in advance and sell out quickly so there are quite a lot of variables involved. Also, if you go for an advance fare they are generally only useable on the specific booked train which is fine if you are 100% sure of travel plans with no need for flexibility but can mean buying a whole new ticket at the usually extortionate on the day price if things go wrong with travel plans.

Perhaps it would be easier to say when it is you want to go and to return?

I wouldn't recommend booking via The Trainline. They add a booking fee, and you don't have the "Delay Repay" protection.

Use the National Rail site to scope out your route, and take a note of which train operating companies cover your route, then go straight to the website of whichever train operating companies. Book directly with the train operating company which covers your route.

National Rail

Main long distance train operating companies (not a comprehensive list)
LNER: London & North Eastern Rail (reasonably reliable)
Avanti West Coast (AVOID as far as possible)
GWR - Great Western Rail (pretty reliable)
SWR - SouthWestRail (patchy reliability)
CrossCountry Trains - reasonably reliable, but oh gosh the trains (& some passengers on them) are just awful - noisy, messy, crowded.
Chiltern lines (a lovely alternative to Avanti for the London-Birmingham route)
TransPennine Express (very dodgy reliability)
Northern Trains (ditto)

But, for example, Chiltern train from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street will take longer than an Avanti train from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. It will be cheaper however, and at the moment, probably more reliable.

Yes as a rule the slow trains are cheaper. I've been doing that journey for many years. That's not to say you can't get cheap tickets on the fast train though

London Birmingham will only be showing the slow tix because there are 2 train operators on that route and one of them, Avanti, probably haven't released their tickets yet. When is the date of travel? This has been an ongoing issue on the west coast line for a while.

Also Avanti is more expensive, yes.

Thank you for all of this advice. It's so complex! I'm glad I asked your advice.

A relative told me to look at the train line because everything is in one place. (But they don't often travel by train.)

The journey is from Euston to Birmingham International in December.

And returning?

December the whatth?

Returning January the whenth?

Avanti are having trouble with not enough staff at the moment so not releasing times much in advance as they have to keep cancelling things, which is why you’re not seeing all their tickets in advance.

You may have to wait into a few days before but if you can be flexible and not travelling pre 9am you should be able to get a ticket for around £30 - £40 single, £60ish return. Journey is about 1hr 30 no changes.

Hi. I'm hoping you can help again. Travelling Euston to Birmingham International today after 2pm and booked an off peak ticket which states it is valid for any off peak train LNW/WMR trains only.

But when I check the trains running today on the LNW / WMR websites they are only proposing trains operated by Avanti, even when I change the search from 'any train' to 'our trains' which is really confusing.

Is it possible that there are no LNW/WMR trains running that route today?
Or if the train is proposed on the LNW website can I still use my ticket?

So honestly I would just ring national rail enquiries for stuff like that. They should have a definitive answer.

www.nationalrail.co.uk/Contact-Us.aspx

Fingers crossed someone here knows without you ringing though :)

Thanks.
Good to have that number. (The helpline for rail operator isn't open yet.)

Sadly all the lines are busy, can't even hold :( but will keep trying.

If you type in via Northampton on the journey planner this seems to work. I think it’s a special timetable today which looks like you might have to change at Northampton, or you don’t actually have to change, the train just becomes the new one.