FESTIVE rail travellers have been given an unexpected bonus this year as belt-tightening, a longer holiday and more capacity on the network keep prices lower than last year.

Fares are still available on trains which were sold out last year. Singles from London to Birmingham can be booked for £17.90, while there were still tickets to Bristol for £10.

Coach operators are offering huge bargains as well, including £5 to Birmingham and £7 to Cardiff.

Nationally, 22 million people are expected to travel in the seven days before Christmas, with Friday and Monday the peak period. But the capital's terminuses are expected to be quieter than last year. Passengers are benefiting from the fact that Christmas falls two days later in the week than last year.

A new timetable has introduced dozens more long-distance services from 18 to 24 December. And as the economic downturn takes effect, customers have been holding out on making bookings - so cheaper tickets are still around.

Rail services will run normally on 23 December and most of 24 December, when they will stop earlier than usual.

Only the Heathrow and Gatwick Expresses will run on Christmas Day, on a reduced timetable.

Services will resume elsewhere on Boxing Day, although not all trains will be running and those that do are likely to have altered timetables. Large sections of the National Rail network will shut between 25 to 28 December. Some London commuter lines will close for up to 11 days.

Engineering work is planned on several lines out of London. Virgin and London Midland routes to Northampton and Rugby will be hit on 27 and 28 December. The West Coast Main Line will shut from 25 to 28 December south of Coventry. Blackfriars station, and part of Liverpool Street station, closes on 27 and 28 December. The Clapham Junction-Barnes line will shut from Christmas Day to 4 January.

On Christmas Eve coach operators will run a reduced service from Victoria, with the last international departures leaving mid morning.

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