Yorkshire rail users benefiting by the double from new initiatives

The weekend saw biggest boost to Saturday services in more than 25 years on regional routes.

Key benefits for York include new 4.40am weekdays service, calling at Doncaster, to give customers chance to arrive in the capital for 7am - over an hour earlier than before.

And passengers could save £11 million a year on East Coast route, serving our area, following moves to reduce fares by a third on the day of travel.

The intercity operator began offering in May cheaper advance fares on day of travel, less than half the cost of a walk-up fare, but usually only available until 11.59pm day before travel.

The popularity of these cheaper fares has led Virgin Trains to dramatically expand their availability and the number of destinations on the east coast route where they are sold, making it easier to bag savings when going for a last-minute business meeting or impulsive day trip.

A new analysis of ticket purchases has shown that customers buying tickets on the day of travel will typically save 35% by choosing an advance fare rather than an Anytime or Off-Peak single fare, subject to availability*.

Cost of buying ticket on day of travel drops by third on East Coast route

Savings to customers worth up to £11m compared to usual walk-up fares

Lower prices are helping tempt customers from air and road to rail travel

York £36 to/from London and Leeds or Wakefield £29 to/from London deals

More than 40,000 advance fares have already been bought on the day of travel since they were launched by the operator in May of this year, generating savings of £1.8 million for customers**.

Based on the number of walk-up fares currently bought by customers, Virgin Trains has calculated that the changes could save customers up to £11 million a year. Customers can not only take advantage of a cheaper ticket price through these fares, but also reserve a seat for their journey.

Suzanne Donnelly, Virgin Trains’ Commercial Director on East Coast route, said the availability of cheaper fares on the day of travel had driven more people to consider train over plane or car.

“Customers who are not able to plan their journeys days or weeks in advance have told us that having these cheaper fares in place is a huge benefit and is making rail travel cheaper than travelling by road or air. We’re delighted to be able to expand the number of these fares available on the day and offer even more savings to our customers,” she said.

As a result of their popularity, new advance fares will be introduced on all journeys south of Edinburgh subject to availability* including York to/from London (£36 one way), Edinburgh to/from York (£31.70), Leeds or Wakefield to/from London (£29), Doncaster to/from London (£25).

As well as these new fares, Virgin Trains has made even cheaper fares available between Edinburgh and London (£55 one way), and increased the number of these tickets available on journeys between Leeds and London, Grantham and London and Peterborough and London.

Examples of savings include: An advance fare bought on the day for travel between York and London could cost £36, saving customers 65% on the price of a super off-peak single (£105.20);

Fares from £12 are available for customers travelling between York and Newcastle, more than half the price of an off-peak day single priced at £36.40.

Nearly 80 per cent of Standard Advance fares, which are the most flexible fare available, will be cheaper from January 2018 than when Virgin Trains took over the east coast route in March 2015.

Fares available on the day from:

Edinburgh <> London

£55.00

Dunbar <> London

£47.50

Berwick <> London

£47.00

Newcastle <> London

£44.00

Durham <> London

£44.00

Darlington <> London

£41.00

York <> London

£36.00

Leeds <> London

£29.00

Wakefield <> London

£29.00

Doncaster <> London

£25.00

Retford <> London

£21.50

Newark <> London

£23.00

Grantham <> London

£17.00

Peterborough <> London

£14.00

York <> Newcastle

£12.00

York <> Edinburgh

£31.70

Newcastle <> Edinburgh

£15.60