Two of us plan on traveling by train to Chester in August. How and when do I purchase tickets in the US? What about picking seats? What train station would i be leaving from? Do I have to have a paper ticket? I'm not always confident about using my phone for these things. We are in our early 70's (ouch that hurt!). thanks!
Posted by
Preston UK
1424 posts
Avanti West Coast run direct trains from Euston station. You can book here -https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk. But not yet - tickets are on sale yup to early July at the moment so August will be available in a few weeks. Booking online ahead of time you will be allocated seats, which you can also change on the website.
The cheapest tickets are called Advance - for these tickets you choose a train time and you have to take that train - miss it and you will need to buy new tickets at the walk up price. Off peak tickets are available for departures from 9.30am.
Is this a one way ticket or are you coming back? Or taking a train elsewhere? You can buy a TwoTogether railcard for £35 which will give you 30% off ticket prices. Probably worth it for a return to Chester and back or if you have other travels.
You can book online and have your tickets on your phone but you can also opt to collect your tickets from a machine at Euston when you arrive - you just u=inoput a code you will get when you book.
Posted by
Lake District, England
9259 posts
Tickets can be purchased from 12 weeks before travel. If you use the Avanti West Coast website, and choose a through train (as opposed to one with a change at Crewe) you can choose your seat from a seating plan.
If you want a paper ticket you will be e-mailed a collection code, and can collect from the machine at any station from straight after purchase until immediately before travel.
You leave from London Euston
Posted by
Virginia, USA
6017 posts
For the future, if you don’t know what train company operates the route or where to buy tickets for trains in the UK, you can start with https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/. You can also buy tickets through this site (it will redirect you to one of the rail companies).
Enjoy Chester!
Posted by
OP
Connecticut
2 posts
Thanks everyone for your help. We will be traveling to Chester as there are no direct trains, as of yet, to Wrexham, where my cousin lives. She will be picking us up in Chester. We are then staying with her for a few days before we travel around Scotland. My parents emigrated to the US by way of Canada after WWII, where my father was in the Royal Engineers and was at Dunkirk during the 5 years he was in service.
Posted by
Lake District, England
9259 posts
There is one through train at 1804 from Euston, arrive Wrexham General at 2034, depart daily at 0703.
It is a portion of a train that divides at Chester.
St Albans Abbey depart 1651, Watford Junction arrive 1708, depart 1735, Milton Keynes arrive 1756, depart 1815 direct to Wrexham. As a peak hour train it is expensive at £80 each Off Peak single.
The cheap train is the 11.08 at £25.10 each (bought as Advance Single St Albans to Ruabon, and Advance Single Ruabon to Wrexham.
St Albans depart 1108 WJ 1125/1131, Birmingham New street 1254/1323, Wrexham General arrive 1501