MORE and more people are planning ahead to get the best value train tickets.

Northern, the train operator, has reported an almost 10 per cent increase in the sale of Advance Purchase tickets over the past year for its routes across Cheshire.

This indicates that an increasing number of customers are preferring to plan their journeys in advance rather than opt for the more expensive ‘turn up and go’ option.

Advance Purchase tickets offer up to 65 per cent off the standard ticket price and can be bought from 12 weeks in advance of travel to just 15 minutes before departure.

From Monday, November 4, the booking window will apply to both online and over-the-counter sales as part of Northern's move to standardise sales across its retail channels.

Mr Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: "Our customers know the best way to bag a bargain is to book in advance – and the almost 10 per cent rise in the number of Advance Purchase tickets sold is something we welcome.

"We have a long-running campaign to encourage people to switch their journeys from road to rail – and if we can help get people to where they want to be for better value, that helps our cause."

Northern, the second-largest train operator in the UK, runs nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

There are 10 million Advance Purchase tickets available on Northern services across the North of England every week.