York-London May 22, 2026

Not really a concern. It's the start of the bank holiday weekend, when engineering work may be planned. That could affect late night services but not likely to affect daytime services. But LNER can't release until Network Rail have confirmed plans.Even if there is day time work alternatives will be put in place.
Should be released at the 12 week point or soon after.

What is probably happening is work at Leeds affecting Leeds to London services as the Transpennine services via Leeds are on modified timetables.

Trains are confirmed on 22 May, on a very slightly modified timetable. On 23 to 25 May there is bus replacement between Darlington/Northallerton and York.

The modified timetable is all week, from 18 to 22 May.

So tickets should open up soon.

Thank you Stuart. Still a bit confused. I have been checking LNER app every day for tickets to open on 22 from York to London. You’re saying that you expect they will open soon?

Personally I'm surprised bookings aren't open now. I was reminded of this by another query about that Sunday. In verifying that one I looked at the working timetable and saw that all or most trains were on VAR schedules for the Friday. VAR is varied. On looking deeper it is VAR all week. So why Friday alone is being held off sale is a bit of a mystery.
It's a case of spot the difference, the timing changes are so minor.

Avanti are open down the West Coast for 22 May and Lumo, Grand Central and Cross Country are open down the East Coast, so LNER shouldn't be far away.

Knowing the trains as you do, should I consider one of the other Train operators that you mentioned (Lumo, Grand Central or Cross Country)? I think I recall having read a poor review on TripAdvisor when comparing LNER service to that on Cross Country - but maybe it was just one bad experience.
Thank you Stuart!

For you just wait for LNER, no one else can get at the tickets yet, so whenever they release the Advance Fares will be there.

If it was me doing the journey (and it really isn't) my first choice would be Avanti West Coast to Euston (by a country mile), even though it's an hour longer.

Last choice would be Lumo- due to their business model being all of their short trains should run full, also their restrictive baggage policy, and an overspeed incident due to poor driver training at Peterborough. On the plus side everyone says the staff are super friendly, the food (which has to be pre-ordered like on a flight) is good, and the seats are said by most to be better than on LNER.

LNER- Very personally for a 4 hour journey, I will only do 1st class, for the seats - but that is extremely subjective. More significantly my electronics don't like the overhead electric wiring on the east coast. That applies to all operators, but especially on the LNER Azumas, and it's worse in standard than first. A first world problem I know.

My first preference (unless in LNER 1st class) would actually be TPE Edinburgh to York, changing to either Grand Central or an older LNER IC225 set at York. A slower journey granted, but for my liking the best quality, if I have to do the East Coast.

Not sure the exact date they opened but I was able to book our seats from York - London (22May), on LNER, on Saturday (7March). 100GBP total for (4) advance tickets.
Thanks again for all of the help/advice. 😊
Now on to trying to decide if a London Pass is worth the cost. Haha!

Spoiler alert - the London Pass is probably not worth it. Bear in mind that many London attractions are free to enter. The HoHo buses which are on the London Pass are also not worth it as the London traffic makes them very slow and unreliable.