National Rail Site Troubles

Unfortunately I don't have answers for you, just chiming in that I too noticed the date issue earlier today when looking at train schedules for an upcoming trip this fall. I've also never had this issue with the National Rail site and I've visited it frequently in the past few months as I looked at various options for my trip.

If folks in the UK aren't seeing the same date issue at might be because we are searching from North America (similar to the Premier Inn date issues mentioned periodically on this site).

I had the date problem when I was booking trains for our April trip. I just advanced to the following day to get the date I actually wanted. The tickets came out dated correctly.

It is rather unclear what is happening. The Engineering work notices are still in place (and there are 2 different work sites that day). Cross Country north of Oxford (who pass through the same worksites) are still showing bus replacements.

Looking at the Working Train timetable (not the public one)- what I think is happening is-
Train Marylebone to Bicester VILLAGE (on the Oxford Line) at about 48 minutes past each hour, journey time 66 minutes- change into a fast bus from Bicester Village to Leamington Spa 1 hr 20 minutes, then train forward. So my gut reaction is that a circa 3 hour journey each way is still correct

It appears that the timetable is still being worked on/input. It's too complicated and nerdy to explain how I come to that conclusion but the way it is entered looks just very funny to me. It's taken me a good 30 minutes and more to work this out.

Hence I think the booking engine is not currently correct.

As for the National Rail Site issue this is probably the date matter- but in a way it does not matter as the National Rail Site only directs you to a train operator to book.

The best rail operator to book with from North America is LNER. Chiltern themselves apparently have the same date issue.

The other thing is that cheap Advance fares will not be issued on the Sunday, due to the bus replacements. Having said that, for a day out I believe that the Super Off Peak Day Return of £38.20 for outward trains after 0902 is the best price, as it is fully flexible. Advance Fares only offer a small saving, and tie you to specific trains.

I think Angella hit on the answer regarding your date problem. Try setting your device's time to GMT when negotiating your UK websites. Then reset to your local time once you have your bookings.

Thank you everyone for such fast responses. So, isn31c, I also saw some mention of the rail service going on still on Sunday 14 July, just not as thorough as when I searched a few days ago and it specifically mentioned the Warwick service. I really want to avoid that at all costs. Would you recommend just assuming the Marylebone-Warwick service will be effected on Sunday, 14 July? We have complete flexibility to change our plans from the 14th to Monday the 15th. I’m thinking this might just be safer?

Yes to me, as of tonight, I would assume the Sunday has engineering work. I would hope the fog would lift, so to speak, on the service plans by this time next week. But with a bridge to be replaced and work to do in a tunnel I would be very, very surprised if trains can run or if both worksites were cancelled. Buses are also now chartered. You never know, but that is my reading of the situation.

So currently plan to move Warwick to the Monday.

I'd agree that you may be happier on the Monday.

I would confirm that the booking engines have now been reverted to the 3 hour train-bus-train timetable for the Sunday train journey, each way. So as thought it was just a work in progress scenario issue on the published timetables/booking engines.

It is interesting that now the correct times are in for anyone making the journey the all train route that day- 3 trains via Coventry and Leamington Spa- is 5 minutes faster and cheaper than the Chiltern route if done on split ticketing- London to Coventry advance fare, and Coventry to Warwick Anytime Day Single. That would be a good route to choose for anyone making the afternoon return, but not the morning out journey.

So that settles that- Monday it is for Warwick.

Thanks everyone! I flipped our Sunday/Monday plans so now we can avoid all the rail nastiness. Thanks for your research and suggestions!!