Updated 15 September 2026
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Avanti Superfare Explained: Is It Worth It and How Much Can You Save?
If you planning travelling with Avanti to/from London Euston, you might consider taking a look at SuperFares. These are extremely attractively priced tickets for those travellers who have some flexibility with their departure time.
We analysed eight popular routes and found that Avanti SuperFare tickets were, on average, 30% cheaper than the cheapest equivalent Advance fares available on the same day, with savings of up to 49%.
What is Avanti SuperFare?
Like all other train operating companies, various standard and advance tickets are available but Avanti also has a very interesting product called SuperFare. This allows travellers to book advance tickets for a fraction of the usual price, although anyone booking a ticket will need some flexibility.
What Routes Are Included and What is the Price?
One way fares are between the following cities, based on a fixed price per passenger and are the same in each direction. No further discounts for railcards or children are available.
To/From | From/To | Price |
| Birmingham New Street | London Euston | £9 |
| Carlisle | London Euston | £29 |
| Chester | London Euston | £19 |
| Coventry | London Euston | £9 |
| Crewe | London Euston | £19 |
| Glasgow Central | London Euston | £35 |
| Lancaster | London Euston | £27 |
| Liverpool Lime Street | London Euston | £19 |
| Macclesfield | London Euston | £21 |
| Manchester Piccadilly | London Euston | £25 |
| Milton Keynes Central | Manchester Piccadilly | £19 |
| Nuneaton | London Euston | £9 |
| Oxenholme Lake District | London Euston | £28 |
| Penrith (North Lakes) | London Euston | £26 |
| Preston | London Euston | £26 |
| Preston | Glasgow Central | £12 |
| Rugby | London Euston | £9 |
| Runcorn | London Euston | £17 |
| Stafford | London Euston | £15 |
| Stockport | London Euston | £25 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | London Euston | £19 |
| Warrington Bank Quay | London Euston | £20 |
| Wigan North Western | London Euston | £25 |
| Wilmslow | London Euston | £23 |
| Wolverhampton | London Euston | £9 |
How much will I save with SuperFare?
We found a Saturday (5 weeks in advance from writing this article) with morning availability both ways between London and the cities of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. We then searched for the cheapest available direct train service on that date and compared the cost with the SuperFare price. We excluded the stopping services between London and Birmingham as they can take double the time of the Avanti service.
On this sample of 8 routes, we found that the average saving was 30%. The highest % saving was 49% on Liverpool to London and the lowest was 17% on Glasgow to London.
In £ value, the highest saving per ticket was again Liverpool to London at £18.50 (£19 SuperFare v £37.50 cheapest ticket). The lowest saving was London to Birmingham at £5.50 (£9 SuperFare v £14.50 cheapest ticket).
How does Avanti Superfare work?
SuperFares are only available directly at avantisuperfare.co.uk
You choose your departure date and then, subject to availability, are offered a choice of Morning (07:00-11:59), Afternoon (12:00-16:59) or Evening (17:00-21:00) departures.
You pick the slot you want, pay for your ticket and then at least 24 hours before leaving, you will be told your exact departure time.
Other important points
- SuperFares need to be booked at least 7 days in advance, and are available up to 56 days in the future.
- They are one-way only, so you will need to book a separate return ticket
- No discounts for railcards or children are available
- Maximum of 9 tickets per booking
- SuperFares can be upgraded via the Seatfrog app
What Routes Do Avanti Operate?
Avanti is the operator of the West Coast Main Line, broadly running the length of the country, with services to London Euston from major stations such as Glasgow Central, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street.
Who is Avanti SuperFare Best For?
Perfect for:
Students
Retired travellers
Leisure travellers
Families
Weekend breaks
Flexible workers
Less suitable for:
Business travellers
People with onward connections
Fixed appointments
How Easy Is It to Find SuperFare Tickets?
We checked the next possible Saturday to book for all 26 routes, and checked trains in both directions to assess what booking slots were available.
72% availability
Out of a possible 156 combinations (26 routes x 2 ways x 3 departure slots), there was availability to book SuperFare tickets on 112 occasions, so 72% of the time.
The only routes without any availability on the date we used for our research were the Liverpool, Runcorn and Chester services to/from London (which all use the same train). There did not appear to be any planned maintenance or replacement bus services on taht route so I can only assume that tickets are selling well on that date and this is the reason why SuperFares are not on sale. Liverpool, Runcorn and Chester trains to/from London did all have availability on the following two Saturdays.
Is Avanti SuperFare Worth It?
Avanti SuperFare is one of the UK’s most interesting rail ticket products. If you’re prepared to give up the certainty of choosing your exact departure time, the savings can be substantial.
Our research found average savings of around 30%, with discounts of up to 49% compared with the cheapest equivalent Advance fares available on the same day. Availability was also better than we expected, with SuperFare tickets available on almost three-quarters of the routes and time slots we checked.
The scheme won’t suit everyone. Business travellers or those with fixed appointments may prefer to pay a little more for the certainty of selecting a specific train. However, for students, retirees, families and anyone planning a flexible leisure trip, SuperFare can be an excellent way to reduce the cost of rail travel.
So if you are travelling on the West Coast Main Line and can book at least a week ahead, it’s well worth checking SuperFare before buying a standard Advance ticket. You may be surprised how much you can save.
SuperFares can be booked online at: avantisuperfare.co.uk
Further Reading
- There is a similar product called Secret Fares for passengers using East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and TransPennine Express.
- When looking to make savings on train fares, it may be worth getting a Railcard. For more details and eligibility criteria, see our article here
- Club Avanti is the loyalty scheme for regular West Coast Mainline travellers
- Read how to get 20% off most TransPennine Express tickets
Great content! Keep up the good work!