Seat Reservations on Cross Country Trains

[peter166]

I want to book an off peak return from Bristol Parkway to Manchester online before the price rise on Sunday for travel in April.

I would like to reserve a seat in each direction. There is no problem in booking the ticket but despite requesting a seat reservation the folloeing appears on the booking page " Sit in any vacant unreserved seat except first class "

Is there a way of getting a reservation for the services I wish to travel on ? 1609 XC train to Manchester & 1703 XC train return to Bristol Parkway.

 

[Watershed]

On which dates do you intend to travel? It may be that 'proper' seat reservations have not yet been released for those dates, and so you have been offered (pointless) 'counted place' seat reservations.

You can get seat reservations after buying your ticket, so either way, don't let this hold you off buying your tickets.

It's worth considering using a retailer that doesn't charge admin fees for refunding tickets, in case your plans change.

 

[peter166]

On which dates do you intend to travel? It may be that 'proper' seat reservations have not yet been released for those dates, and so you have been offered (pointless) 'counted place' seat reservations.

You can get seat reservations after buying your ticket, so either way, don't let this hold you off buying your tickets.

It's worth considering using a retailer that doesn't charge admin fees for refunding tickets, in case your plans change.

Thank you. Travelling out 3 April & back on 6 April. Advance tickets with reservations are available for these dates but apparently not for flexible tickets even though I wish to specifically travel on the through XC trains with no changes.

 

[MrJeeves]

Is there a way of getting a reservation for the services I wish to travel on

GWR allow you to book arbitrary seat reservations through the "My bookings" section of their website, even if you didn't buy your tickets through them. You can then collect these from a ticket machine with a TOD code like a normal ticket, too.

I find this the easiest way to grab reservations if my originally planned service changes between booking and travelling.

 

[Watershed]

You can then collect these from a ticket machine with a TOD code like a normal ticket, too.

You get an 8-character reference that's in the same style as a ToD collection reference, but you can't actually collect anything.

 

[Haywain]

You get an 8-character reference that's in the same style as a ToD collection reference, but you can't actually collect anything.

That's right, transactions without a monetary value cannot be issued through the ToD system.

 

[peter166]

GWR allow you to book arbitrary seat reservations through the "My bookings" section of their website, even if you didn't buy your tickets through them. You can then collect these from a ticket machine with a TOD code like a normal ticket, too.

I find this the easiest way to grab reservations if my originally planned service changes between booking and travelling.

Thank you for the information. I have tried the GWR site and it indeed works as far as recognising the trains I want and processing the information but then says it is unable to book seats with this operator ie. XC trains.

I think I will contact XC trains and ask why they won't allow seat reservatios for passengers with flexible tickets?

 

[Mainline421]

Any ticket office will be able to do this if reservations are available.

 

[Adam Williams]

That's right, transactions without a monetary value cannot be issued through the ToD system.

Are you sure?

It is currently not possible to indicate within the ToD message structure that a booking is for a reservation only. The message must include details of the travel ticket, and therefore the TIS which issues the booking should generate coupons and SDCI+ data records for the travel ticket indicated as well as the reservation

At the Fares and Retail Group (FRG) meeting on the 2nd of April 2015 it was agreed to formalise the
arrangement that the majority of suppliers have already implemented with regard to zero value ticket reservation only products which are fulfilled through ToD. When a ticket is created at nil charge the only element that must be fulfilled are the accompanying reservations, not the travel ticket(s). This arrangement allows reservation only transactions to be created by a TIS and placed
on the LSM database for fulfilment via ToD. When the CTR is recalled for fulfilment the issuing TIS ignores the zero value ticket element that is also within the data and only fulfils the reservation.

Bulletin issued: 28-Aug-2015

Now, whether this has actually come to be supported in practice, I dunno - but there's an accreditation test for it in RSPS5040!

 

[Haywain]

Are you sure?

Well, that was always my understanding and I'm not aware of any cases of reservation only transactions having been fulfilled through ToD. I'm not in a position to confirm that though.

 

[Hadders]

When LNER first set up 5 minute reservations I was able to collect a seat reservation from the TVM at Kings Cross without an associated ticket (not that I needed to, of course). Doesn't work now.

 

[Cantab26]

Well, that was always my understanding and I'm not aware of any cases of reservation only transactions having been fulfilled through ToD. I'm not in a position to confirm that though.

I’ve managed to collect them before, although I’ve never managed to discern a pattern as to when it will and won’t allow you to.

 

[Adam Williams]

TVM manufacturer?

I know first-hand that Flowbird do some stupid things (and then are adamant it's the retailer's fault)..!

 

[Cantab26]

TVM manufacturer?

Nope. Same TVM type operated by same TOC at same station (indeed, the exact same TVM on more than one occasion) after making the reservations through the same channel, but inconsistent results.

 

[Adam Williams]

Nope. Same TVM type operated by same TOC at same station (indeed, the exact same TVM on more than one occasion) after making the reservations through the same channel, but inconsistent results.

Bizarre