East Coast help

[CallySleeperKid]

Why when im booking for 2 people on East Coast will it not offer me a table for 2 in first class, I have added loads of tickets and all it offers me is 2 seats at a table of 4! I have tried all different seating preferences and still nothing.

The advanced tickets have only just gone online so im sure that all tables of 2 have not sold out yet!

HELP
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Well to get a table for 2 I have had to book advanced singles separately, it was the only way to get offered seats at a table for two.

To me this seems stupid, my partner is pregnant and being at a table for 4 was not an option, but after booking tickets individually it proved there was seats available at tables of 2, so why were we not offered them when booking the 2 tickets together?

Anyway, been stressful but at least we have the seats we needed!

I won't even go into getting a table for 2 for a 13.40 Sunday service from Leeds to Kings Cross! Settled for 2 forward facing at a table for 4 and hoping there is a table for 2 free!

 

[ainsworth74]

HELP

I would have suggested going to a manned station with a list of seats and booking it there. Of course you would lose the 11% on-line discount but if its very important.

I really hope the TOC's offer the ability to actually choose your seat or seats on-line like XC do soon!

 

[Failed Unit]

I would have suggested going to a manned station with a list of seats and booking it there. Of course you would lose the 11% on-line discount but if its very important.

I really hope the TOC's offer the ability to actually choose your seat or seats on-line like XC do soon!

Ironically doing this was part of nationalised expresses franchise.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I would have suggested going to a manned station with a list of seats and booking it there. Of course you would lose the 11% on-line discount but if its very important.

I really hope the TOC's offer the ability to actually choose your seat or seats on-line like XC do soon!

In the end we got a table for 2 on the Chieftain from Inverness to Kings Cross, but took side by side seats on the Leeds to Kings Cross, I am not expecting first class to be sold out on a 13.40 service from Leeds to London on a Sunday so should be fine getting a table for 2. Hopefully.

 

[furryfeet]

In the end we got a table for 2 on the Chieftain from Inverness to Kings Cross, but took side by side seats on the Leeds to Kings Cross, I am not expecting first class to be sold out on a 13.40 service from Leeds to London on a Sunday so should be fine getting a table for 2. Hopefully.

I would sit in the table for 2 seats anyway. The main thing is that you are in the correct coach and on the correct train. You would be very unlucky if you got a jobsworth guard who insisted that you sat the exact seats on your reservation coupon. If the train does get full, you can always tell someone that your "old" reserved seat is now free.

On a recent Apex 1st journey from Glasgow to Alnmouth, my sister and her children has the coach to themselves all the way, so they sat where they wanted and no-one from EastCoast batted an eyelid !

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I would sit in the table for 2 seats anyway. The main thing is that you are in the correct coach and on the correct train. You would be very unlucky if you got a jobsworth guard who insisted that you sat the exact seats on your reservation coupon. If the train does get full, you can always tell someone that your "old" reserved seat is now free.

On a recent Apex 1st journey from Glasgow to Alnmouth, my sister and her children has the coach to themselves all the way, so they sat where they wanted and no-one from EastCoast batted an eyelid !

Yeah, we have had the same many times on EMT services from Nottingham to London in the early afternoon, so im not expecting it to be to busy.

 

[penaltyfines]

You need a reservation to travel on the train, but since when are you required to sit on your reserved seats?

If I know the train's not going to be busy I just take whatever reservation it gives me (FGW seat preference system is awful), and then go and sit in an unreserved seat I prefer.

I'd tell a TM to go and do one if they tried to make me move!

 

[John @ home]

since when are you required to sit on your reserved seats?

In the case of Advance tickets, since May 2009.

When and where the ticket can be used
Where applicable, you must travel in the Class and reserved seat(s) shown on the ticket(s).
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/advance_conditions.html

 

[mickey]

In the case of Advance tickets, since May 2009.

...which few if any TOCs actually enforce. I could understand it if the train were full to capacity as it's the easiest way to ensure everyone who has a reservation gets a seat but otherwise it's really a step too far.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that people not using their reserved seats actually helps on the day... If you look at a TPE service out of Liverpool, for example, ALL the reservations are in the same carriage (why can't they be spread out over two or even all three?), which is inevitably the rear carriage. Everyone therefore crams into this one carriage, which causes problems boarding at stations further down the line when people who head for the rear doors realise the carriage is full and they then move down the platform, delaying departure for everyone. So guards don't really care if people don't sit where they're officially supposed to.

Even more pertinent a point is that if TOCs ever started enforcing this rule, it would have to work both ways, i.e. they would have to kick people without reservations out of seats that are reserved for someone else. Does anyone really think guards are likely to do this?

 

[penaltyfines]

In the case of Advance tickets, since May 2009.

Is this in the CoC or somewhere on paper that is mentioned at ticket offices/on the tickets?

Putting it up on the NR website is purely cosmetic...

 

[yorkie]

In reality you won't experience a problem unless the train is extremely busy and then staff may not appreciate you moving to an unreserved seat. I think it would depend on the circumstances. I really wouldn't worry about it though.

 

[John @ home]

Is this in the CoC or somewhere on paper that is mentioned at ticket offices/on the tickets?

It appears on all the sites which I use to buy tickets. For example:

Advance Single Ticket(s) key terms and conditions
Your ticket(s) are only valid for the date, East Coast train(s) and reserved seat(s) shown on your ticket(s), plus those of appropriate connecting Train Companies.
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/travel-i...nformation/Ticket-Sales-Terms-and-Conditions/

Terms & conditions - Advance
Tickets are valid ONLY on the date and train service(s) shown on the ticket(s). Where applicable, you must travel in the class and reserved seat(s) shown on the ticket(s).
http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/Tickets/TicketTypes/

 

[penaltyfines]

It appears on all the sites which I use to buy tickets. For example:

Fair point if you buy online, I was talking about all other forms of purchase

 

[yorkie]

I think it's on the information card that many stations give out with the tickets (often stapled to them).

 

[John @ home]

I was talking about all other forms of purchase

It's in at least some of the TOCs' leaflets:

Valid from 2 Jan 2010
Pages 2 and 3

Advance tickets - Conditions
1. Advance fares are valid only on the date, train and reserved seat shown on your ticket and are non-refundable.

Booklet E32/Jan10