Off Peak Ticket Information

What do we mean by peak hours?

Generally, all off-peak fares come with a morning peak time restriction, which means you must wait until a certain time of morning to travel to be able to make use of this fare.

If travelling from or via London, there is typically also an evening peak time restriction for off-peak fares when departing from the London station.

Other journeys may also have an evening peak time restriction for off-peak fares.

Remember, Peak hours are defined for each journey by the operator who manages the fares.

Flexible travel on Fridays

We've relaxed the usual travel restrictions for Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Off-Peak Day tickets on Fridays for journeys that include travel with LNER where departing from or arriving at London King's Cross or Stevenage. That means if you have a flexible ticket, you can travel at any time of day on a Friday (as long as your ticket is valid for that day).

Please note that the usual travel restrictions still apply where travelling with LNER between London and Stevenage or for any other journey.

For a comfortable ride, make sure to reserve a seat. This is especially important if choosing to travel on a different train.

Seat Reservation

What are the advantages?

At quieter times of the day, Off-Peak fares offer the best value for money for flexibility in travel time
You can buy them any time before you travel with no need to book in advance

Off-Peak FAQs

What times are Off-Peak tickets valid?

Trains travelling north
Off-Peak tickets are not valid for travel on north bound trains departing London between 06.45 and 07.58 (Monday to Thursday*) or between 15.58 and 17.45 (Monday to Thursday* inclusive).

Trains travelling south
Off-Peak tickets are not valid for travel on southbound trains that arrive into London before 10.08 (Monday to Thursday*)

Weekend Travel
You can travel anytime at the weekend

Please note that not all off-peak time restrictions are set by LNER. Train companies have their own Off-Peak tickets to give you flexibility to travel on any of their trains. Check your ticket to see the restrictions for your journey.

*Except between Stevenage and London King's Cross which also has restrictions on a Friday

What is Super Off-Peak?

If there is more than one Off-Peak fare for any particular journey, the cheaper fare with more travel restrictions is called a Super Off-Peak ticket. We have Super Off-Peak tickets available for journeys to, from or via London and Stevenage.

Trains travelling north
Super Off-Peak tickets are not valid for travel on northbound trains departing London before 09.06 and between 15.00 and 18.58 (Monday to Thursday*) inclusive.

Trains travelling south
Super Off-Peak tickets are not valid for travel on southbound trains that arrive into London before 11.17 (Monday to Thursday*).

Please note, Super Off-Peak tickets are not usually available in First Class and cannot be purchased to travel with LNER in First Class.

*Except between Stevenage and London King's Cross which also has restrictions on a Friday

When can you use an Off-Peak Day ticket or an Off-Peak Travelcard?

Outward and Return journeys must be made on the date shown on your ticket.

Trains travelling north
Tickets are not valid on any train departing from London King's Cross before 09.53 and between 15.40 and 19.01 (Monday to Thursday*) inclusive.

Trains travelling south
Tickets are not valid on any train arriving into London King's Cross before 10.59 (Monday to Thursday*).

*Please note, Off-Peak Day tickets between Stevenage and London King's Cross are not valid on trains departing before 09.30 (Monday to Friday). Evening time restrictions also apply for return travel using the London travelcard.

Are there any other London off-peak travel restrictions I should know about?

Since January 2019, Thameslink and Great Nothern introduced a Super Off-Peak Day Return/Travelcard to their weekday ticket range between Peterborough and London stations.

Super Off-Peak Day tickets cannot be used on trains that arrive into London stations before 10.56 or on trains that depart from London stations between 16.30 and 19.01 (Monday to Friday) inclusive.

What happens if you board a train that your ticket isn't valid for?

If travelling on LNER trains using Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak tickets, it is essential you read these terms and conditions carefully. If you board a train that your ticket is not valid for, you may be liable to purchase a new ticket or to pay an excess fare. If travelling with other train companies, please check with that train company for the travel restrictions that apply to their trains and for their ticketless travel policy.

Please note, Super Off-Peak tickets for some journeys are sold at a special web-only price that is not available to buy in stations. If you go to the station to change a web-only ticket, you will have to refund your existing ticket and then book a new one. This new ticket may cost more than the original Super Off-Peak ticket. Therefore, it is best to change your ticket online in 'My Account'.