Off-peak train times: when does off-peak start?
Off-peak train times usually start at 09:30 on weekdays in cities and large towns and at 09:00 elsewhere, and weekends and bank holidays are off-peak all day, according to National Rail. Long-distance trains out of London add an evening peak, from just after 15:00 on Avanti West Coast and LNER and from about 16:30 on GWR, East Midlands Railway and Greater Anglia trains to Ipswich and beyond, ending by 19:00. ScotRail has removed peak fares on almost every route.
Every time on this page was checked against the operator's own website or a National Rail restriction code on 11 October 2026. Sources are linked beside each one.
What does off-peak mean?
Off-Peak tickets are walk-up fares for the less busy times of day. National Rail describes them as valid "at less busy times on weekdays, and all day at the weekend". Super Off-Peak is the cheaper fare with more restrictions.
Each ticket carries a restriction code that sets the exact trains it's valid on. Day tickets are valid on the date shown; Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak Returns are valid for 1 month from that date (National Rail).
Off-peak times on long-distance trains from London
These are weekday times, Monday to Thursday unless the row says otherwise. Restriction codes are set per journey, so where a time comes from a code, the row names the journey it was read from. Each terminal links to its live departure board.
| Operator | Leaving London | Into London | Notes and sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avanti West CoastLondon Euston | 09:26 to 15:00, then from 18:46 | Arriving Euston from 11:30 | Read from: Euston to Manchester, Off-Peak Single.Fridays: Almost all trains off-peak, except between Euston and Milton Keynes Central.Code 9I also accepts the 18:45 departure; Avanti's own page starts at 18:46.Avanti West Coast: Off-Peak tickets · National Rail code 9I · National Rail code 2C |
| LNERLondon King's Cross | Not valid 03:00 to 09:05 or 15:00 to 18:58 | Varies by route: check your code | Read from: Off-Peak code 9I and King's Cross to Leeds Super Off-Peak code 9D, which give the same King's Cross times.Fridays: Restrictions lifted at King's Cross and Stevenage until further notice.LNER has replaced Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak fares with 70min Flex tickets between London and many northern stations, including Newcastle.LNER: Simpler fares · National Rail code 9I · National Rail code 9D |
| GWRLondon Paddington | From 09:12, except about 16:40 to 18:34 | From Bristol: trains leaving from 08:26 | Read from: Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads, Off-Peak Single.GWR doesn't publish general times. Codes YC and LC put the evening block at 16:40 and 16:38.National Rail code YC · National Rail code LC |
| East Midlands RailwayLondon St Pancras | 08:47 to 16:35, then from 18:47 | Arriving St Pancras at or after 10:03 | Fridays: Outward tickets from London valid all day from 08:47.EMR: Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets |
| Greater AngliaLondon Liverpool Street | From 09:30; to Ipswich and beyond, not 16:29 to 18:34 | Arriving Liverpool Street from 10:00 | Read from: Liverpool Street to Norwich, Off-Peak Single.The evening restriction doesn't apply in school holidays.Greater Anglia: Peak and Off-Peak tickets · National Rail code 9A · National Rail code 1A |
Off-peak times on London commuter routes
Commuter operators mostly use a morning cut-off and no evening restriction on paper tickets. Pay as you go in the London zones follows its own peak hours, so check which you're using.
| Operator | Leaving London | Into London | Notes and sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoutheasternLondon Bridge | Departing London after 09:30 | Arriving London after 10:00 | Also Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria. No evening restriction on Off-Peak tickets. Pay as you go in London Zones 1 to 9 is different: peak is 04:30 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00.Southeastern: Off-Peak tickets · Southeastern: pay as you go |
| South Western RailwayLondon Waterloo | Departing Waterloo from 09:00 | Arriving Waterloo from 10:00 | Inside the London contactless area, off-peak starts at 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00 is peak.SWR: Off-Peak tickets |
| c2cLondon Fenchurch Street | From 09:30, not 16:00 to 19:00 | Trains departing from 09:30 | c2c gives its 16:00 to 19:00 evening peak without saying which direction, so check your code for evening trains into London. c2c doesn't sell Super Off-Peak tickets.c2c: when Off-Peak tickets are valid |
| Chiltern RailwaysLondon Marylebone | South of Banbury: not 04:29 to 08:30 | Arriving Marylebone after 10:00 | Pay as you go journeys can't depart 16:00 to 19:00.Chiltern: Off-Peak tickets |
| Greater Anglia (Essex and Hertfordshire)London Liverpool Street | From 09:30 for Witham, Southend Victoria and Stansted Airport | Starts around 08:30 to 09:30 for journeys to London, depending on the station | Greater Anglia: Peak and Off-Peak tickets |
We couldn't find general off-peak times published by Southern or Thameslink. For those, look up the restriction code on your ticket.
Super off-peak times
Super Off-Peak tickets cost less and cover fewer trains. Not every operator sells them: c2c doesn't, ScotRail has withdrawn its Super Off-Peak Day Return (ScotRail), and LNER has replaced them on many routes (LNER).
- East Midlands Railway: Leaving St Pancras 10:05 to 15:35 and from 18:47; arriving London at or after 11:36. EMR: Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets
- GWR (Bristol to Paddington): Trains from Bristol Temple Meads from 09:58; return from Paddington not before 10:10 or 15:05 to 19:00. National Rail code XC
- LNER (King's Cross to Leeds): Not leaving King's Cross 03:00 to 09:05 or 15:00 to 18:58; lifted on Fridays. National Rail code 9D
- Greater Anglia: Starts at or shortly before 12:00, where sold. Greater Anglia: Peak and Off-Peak tickets
- Southeastern: After 10:00, Monday to Friday. Southeastern: Off-Peak tickets
- Chiltern Railways: Not on trains arriving Marylebone before 11:30. Chiltern: Super Off-Peak
Weekends, bank holidays and Fridays
Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays are off-peak all day (National Rail). Fridays are a weekday, but several operators relax them: Avanti West Coast treats almost all Friday trains as off-peak except between Euston and Milton Keynes Central, LNER has lifted restrictions at King's Cross and Stevenage on Fridays until further notice, and East Midlands Railway's outward tickets from London are valid all day from 08:47.
Off-peak away from London
Outside London, National Rail's general rule applies: 09:30 in cities and large towns, 09:00 elsewhere. CrossCountry says its busiest times are before 09:30 and between 15:30 and 18:30. The same page also gives 18:15, so treat its times as a guide (CrossCountry).
Scotland and Wales
ScotRail removed all peak fares on 1 September 2025, so most journeys cost the same at any time (Scottish Government, ScotRail). Journeys between Dunbar and Edinburgh and journeys crossing the border keep their restrictions. ScotRail fares are frozen until March 2027 (ScotRail).
Transport for Wales follows the general pattern: off-peak "generally begin[s] at 09:30" in cities and large towns and 09:00 elsewhere (TfW). Its fares were frozen for a year from 1 March 2026 (Welsh Government).
Railcards and the 10am rule
- 16-25 Railcard: £12 minimum fare between 04:30 and 10:00 on weekdays, Advance fares excluded; no minimum at weekends, on public holidays, or in July and August (terms).
- 26-30 Railcard: £12 minimum fare for journeys between 04:30 and 09:59; its terms don't mention a July and August exemption (terms).
- Network Railcard: valid after 10:00 on weekdays, with a £13 minimum fare on weekdays (terms).
In Scotland the 16-25, 26-30 and Veterans Railcard minimum fares still apply, even with peak fares gone (ScotRail).
What changed in 2026
- Regulated fares in England were frozen from 2 March 2026, including "off-peak returns between major cities" (GOV.UK).
- From 1 April 2026, Off-Peak tickets can only be refunded up to 23:59 on the day before they become valid (Rail Delivery Group).
- LNER's 70min Flex tickets, which replace Off-Peak fares on its simpler-fares routes, reach the Northumberland Line from summer 2026 (LNER).
How to check the exact times on your ticket
Find the restriction code on your ticket or booking, then enter it in National Rail's Ticket and Restriction Code Finder. You can also go straight to a code's page: for Avanti's code 9I it's nationalrail.co.uk/ticket-types/validity/9i. Outward and return legs can carry different codes.
Operator pages and codes sometimes differ by a minute or two (we note it where they do). If your train sits right on the boundary, catch the next one or ask staff before you board.
FAQs
What time does off-peak start?
On weekdays, off-peak usually starts at 09:30 in cities and large towns and at 09:00 elsewhere, according to National Rail. Some operators set later times for trains into London: Avanti West Coast's off-peak trains into Euston arrive from 11:30. Weekends and bank holidays are off-peak all day.
Is it off-peak after 7pm?
On every London operator in our tables, yes. The evening peak out of London ends between 18:35 and 19:00: from 18:35 on GWR and on Greater Anglia to Ipswich and beyond, 18:46 on Avanti West Coast, 18:47 on East Midlands Railway, 18:59 on LNER and 19:00 on c2c.
Are weekends off-peak?
Yes. National Rail says weekends and bank holidays are off-peak all day, so an Off-Peak ticket is valid at any time of day then, on the routes and operators shown on the ticket. Fridays are often relaxed too: Avanti West Coast treats almost all Friday trains as off-peak, and LNER has lifted Friday restrictions at King's Cross.
What time does super off-peak start?
It depends on the operator, and not all of them sell it. On East Midlands Railway, Super Off-Peak trains leave St Pancras from 10:05. On GWR, trains from Bristol Temple Meads qualify from 09:58. Greater Anglia's start at or shortly before midday. The restriction code on your ticket gives the exact times.
What does off-peak day return mean?
An Off-Peak Day Return lets you travel out and back on off-peak trains on the date shown on the ticket. An Off-Peak Return works the same way, but the return half stays valid for 1 month from the date shown. Both follow the restriction code printed on the ticket.
Are there peak fares in Scotland?
Not on most ScotRail journeys. The Scottish Government removed all peak fares from ScotRail services on 1 September 2025, so the same fare applies at any time of day. The exceptions are journeys between Dunbar and Edinburgh, and journeys that cross the Scottish border.
Can I use an off-peak ticket on a peak train?
No. An Off-Peak ticket is only valid on the trains its restriction code allows, so check the code before you travel. If you have to travel at a peak time, speak to staff at the station before you get on, rather than boarding with a ticket that isn't valid for that train.
Does the 16-25 Railcard work before 10am?
Yes, with a £12 minimum fare between 04:30 and 10:00 on weekdays. There's no minimum fare at weekends, on public holidays, or in July and August. The 26-30 Railcard has the same £12 minimum fare before 10:00, but its terms don't mention a July and August exemption.
Times checked against operator websites and National Rail restriction codes on 11 October 2026. Codes change, most often at the May and December timetable changes. Spotted an out-of-date time? Email hello@livetraindepartures.co.uk.