Virgin Friday Eve Passenger Loadings MAN -> EUS

[DeeGee]

Hi,

I'm travelling from Manchester - Milton Keynes Central next Friday night on the 19:55 out of Piccadilly.

I have an advance fare, thus a reserved seat. The seat I have is a restricted view one.

Now, I realise that I am supposed to sit in my reserved seat on an Advance ticket, but I have found on many occasions that the guard is generous enough to let me sit in an unallocated standard class seat if space allows.

I'm wondering, under normal circumstances, what the passenger load would be on this service. Will it be busy standing room only? Or are there likely to be empty seats around the train?

 

[yorkie]

There's a 40 minute gap (20 mins for previous departures) before that service, and it calls at quite a lot of stops, so I'd imagine it could get quite busy.

EC publish a rough idea of how busy Monday-Friday trains are, but I don't think Virgin Trains do this.

 

[DeeGee]

Is there any part of standard that might be a bit quieter?

 

[Lrd]

Is there any part of standard that might be a bit quieter?

Towards the front as people don't like to walk down the train/platform.

 

[Bob Ames]

Is there any part of standard that might be a bit quieter?

My experience is that coaches A, F, and U on an 11-coach set are usually less packed than the others, and coaches A and E on a 9.

 

[higthomas]

If you can get there early enough, there will be two, I think, unreserved carriages, so you might be able to bag a good seat in one of these before they fill up.

 

[Europa]

Can you start boarding a Virgin in Manchester 20 min before departure, or are you free to board when the train arrives at the Station?

 

[colchesterken]

I traveled on this train last week. I booked my ticket by phone direct with a virgin. I said I qanted a window seat. ( which is why I go by train, driving you just look at the road ahead )
Both out and back I was given D6/7 Both have no view just a blank plastic wall. So I picked a non reserved window seat, no ticket checks so no hassle .I think they give the grooty seats to the advance booked cheap seats,
Coming back it was not busy so I was OK .......Loved Manchester best bus museum I have ever been to 70 old busses in one place

 

[rebmcr]

I traveled on this train last week. I booked my ticket by phone direct with a virgin. I said I qanted a window seat. ( which is why I go by train, driving you just look at the road ahead )
Both out and back I was given D6/7 Both have no view just a blank plastic wall.

Window/Aisle is a bit of a misnomer. It should more accurately be Side/Aisle, especially because there is also a "View" option that can be added-on to the initial selection (easily seen on East Coast's website booking).

 

[DeeGee]

I think they give the grotty seats to the advance booked cheap seats

Which is, of course, what I have.

(I know what the rules say, but I've found practice to be somewhat more forgiving)

 

[Chew Chew]

I traveled on this train last week. I booked my ticket by phone direct with a virgin. I said I qanted a window seat. ( which is why I go by train, driving you just look at the road ahead )
Both out and back I was given D6/7 Both have no view just a blank plastic wall. So I picked a non reserved window seat, no ticket checks so no hassle .I think they give the grooty seats to the advance booked cheap seats,
Coming back it was not busy so I was OK .......Loved Manchester best bus museum I have ever been to 70 old busses in one place

The information people in call centres give out is unbelievable these days.