TimS

The key to getting a £14 fare on the NXEC site is to book as soon as the "window" opens. That is about 60 days in advance. As of today, booking is accepted up to and including 10 October. Check the site once a week so you'll see when a new date is posted. Look on the right-hand side of the home page.

alanRow

<<< so i do wonder how available these tickets are? From 14 pounds sounds great >>>

Friday 9th October, London to Edinburgh, you can get the £14 fare on the 06:15, 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:30, 14:00, 15:00 & 15:30 trains

caroline_edinburgh

OTOH (and you may have been thinking of me, PalQ) I can *never* get cheap rail fares any time DH or I want to travel. I don't normally know I want to go, at the second that tickets go on sale. As it happens I just checked this morning for possibilities for 25-27 Sept (cheapest convenient times £87) & 3-5 Oct (£112.40). Why is one of the two reasons I have always flown the last few years - it's no more expensive and frequently cheaper. (The second reason is that the trains are more unreliable and often hellishly crowded).

PalenQ

Yes Caroline i thought it were you but did not want to say for 100% sure - and it's telling that if you do not hop on the lowest fares as soon as they come on you may pay much more. The recent simplifying of fares into three groups i believe was meant to level out somewhat the fare discrepancy because higher fares for those without weeks to plan deters train travel. Again it's also one reason a railpass can be such great in Britain - with those often sky-high walk up flexible fares a pass can pay off in just a few trips at times.