We are planning to travel from Liverpool to London on Sunday, June 12th. I did not anticipate that train tickets would be a problem, but Avanti's website has all Saturdays and Sundays in June grayed out. Apparently there will be engineering work on the weekends. I have set up an alert, but just in case, I'm exploring alternatives. I've been looking at taking a coach from Liverpool to either Oxford or Birmingham and taking a train from there into London. Am I worrying needlessly, and it's just too early to book train travel from Liverpool, or do I need to have a plan B? If I do need another plan, are there better routes than either Oxford or Birmingham? Traveling on Monday, the 13th would eliminate this problem, but we only have 5 full days in London, and I don't want to give one up.
Posted by
Stratford upon Avon
470 posts
I have checked on the National Rail website and can see no engineering works programmed on this route on 12 June
Suggest you keep checking until you can see an Advance Single ticket.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Avanti’s website notes engineering works between London Euston and Wembley that weekend, but says it’s not yet known how this will impact on the West Coast Mainline service (the service you will be taking). Check nearer the time for details. They will provide a bus replacement service for this part of the journey or you will be able to use your ticket on the underground if necessary. You aren’t going to be abandoned miles from your destination.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2506 posts
This is the info you need https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/planned-engineering-works/engineering-works-detail?incidentref=83210afe173742c4921f6adac5757226
As of now, no one can say for certain how travel might be affected. It might be that trains travel more slowly through the area where work is taking place and arrive a few minutes later into Euston or there may be fewer trains, which is why Advance tickets are not on sale yet.
I would wait another four weeks to see if there’s more info.
Posted by
Freedonia
14992 posts
Manchester is a short train ride from Liverpool. It would be an easier connection than a bus to Oxford or Birmingham.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32745 posts
if worst comes to worst and Euston is closed again like this weekend, although despite Wembley this weekend they said they hoped to be finished before the Platinum Jubilee which is the weekend before your Liverpool Lime Street to Euston trip, if they are running trains south as far as Birmingham New Street (you would need to change to the London Northwestern service to Birmingham New Street at Crewe or Stafford, or take the LNW service from Liverpool Lime Street all the way to New Street) just walk the short distance from Birmingham New Street to Birmingham Moor Street and board the Chiltern service into London Marylebone station.
Slower than a direct train but so much less angst and hassle than a Coach Replacement Service from Milton Keynes Central to Bedford for the Thameslink/EMR service into London St Pancras International, or Coach Replacement Service all the way to London.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32745 posts
going to Manchester probably wouldn't solve the problem... trains from Manchester go via the West Coast MainLine into Euston - the same problem would be found on the approach to London.
Unless the issue is at the Liverpool end - I don't know of a problem at that end...
Posted by
OP
Amarillo, Texas
47 posts
Thank you for the very specific information! I'll continue waiting for an alert for Liverpool to London, but have a Plan B in place.
Posted by
OP
Amarillo, Texas
47 posts
My tickets are on sale now! I'm glad I kept checking the website because I didn't receive the alert I signed up for!