So are reservations required on LNER now? Or not?

[swaldman]

In the Interrail timetable system, all LNER services are marked as requiring reservations.
Various bits of the internet say that they are required.
But LNER's own website says that they're not - just that they are recommended.

What's going on?

 

[transportphoto]

No, they’re not. Go with LNER’s own website.

(I’m currently sat on an LNER service without a reservation… I have a seat!)

 

[yorkie]

In the Interrail timetable system, all LNER services are marked as requiring reservations.
Various bits of the internet say that they are required.
But LNER's own website says that they're not - just that they are recommended.

What's going on?

They are not required in reality, however LNER have set all data sources to state they are required

This causes all sorts of problems, as well as confusion, but who can bring LNER to account?

 

[swaldman]

They are not required in reality, however LNER have set all data sources to state they are required

This causes all sorts of problems, as well as confusion, but who can bring LNER to account?

*sigh* right. Thanks for the info!

Any idea *why* they've done this?

 

[yorkie]

*sigh* right. Thanks for the info!

Any idea *why* they've done this?

I've asked them:

https://twitter.com/RailUKForums/status/1678477365377224704

@lner are you able to say why your trains are marked as 'reservations compulsory' in timetable data? are there any plans to change this?

Edit: their reply was swift but didn't answer the question:

Seat reservations are advised, not mandatory. ^Sam

This begs the question, is this an error? or is it the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?

 

[Watershed]

Along with Avanti, Lumo, Grand Central and TPE (on their Anglo Scottish route), they continue to falsely mark their trains as reservations compulsory in the timetable data, having introduced a policy of ostensibly requiring reservations during Covid, under the guise of 'social distancing'.

I suspect it rather suited them to "prevent" (well, not really - but 99% of people wouldn't know the workarounds) people from buying tickets for trains whose timings aren't yet confirmed, or which they haven't yet decided whether to run - particularly in view of the number of strikes during the last year. At some point, when the likes of GWR and XC removed this from their schedules, they must have realised nobody in authority was challenging them and that they'd get away with keeping it this way.

It causes all sorts of problems, including for Interrail holders who - as you say - are then told they have to pay for a reservation which they can get for free on the LNER or GWR websites!

 

[Starmill]

Along with Avanti, Lumo, Grand Central and TPE (on their Anglo Scottish route), they continue to falsely mark their trains as reservations compulsory in the timetable data, having introduced a policy of ostensibly requiring reservations during Covid, under the guise of 'social distancing'.

I suspect it rather suited them to "prevent" (well, not really - but 99% of people wouldn't know the workarounds) people from buying tickets for trains whose timings aren't yet confirmed, or which they haven't yet decided whether to run - particularly in view of the number of strikes during the last year. At some point, when the likes of GWR and XC removed this from their schedules, they must have realised nobody in authority was challenging them and that they'd get away with keeping it this way.

It causes all sorts of problems, including for Interrail holders who - as you say - are then told they have to pay for a reservation which they can get for free on the LNER or GWR websites!

It also allows them to sell first class tickets at a large premium on services where standard is "full" but in fact there would be free standard seats. Avanti West Coast are especially guilty of this because they keep a large number of seats unrservable but unlike LNER they won't issue you 'counted place' reservations with a standard ticket to enable you to take your chance on getting one.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suspect it rather suited them to "prevent" (well, not really - but 99% of people wouldn't know the workarounds) people from buying tickets for trains whose timings aren't yet confirmed, or which they haven't yet decided whether to run - particularly in view of the number of strikes during the last year. At some point, when the likes of GWR and XC removed this from their schedules, they must have realised nobody in authority was challenging them and that they'd get away with keeping it this way.

This does make a level of sense (a lot of people used to complain quite loudly about buying an Anytime and not getting a reservation when quotas weren't released when if they'd booked later there'd have been a cheap Advance), but better would be to develop specific functionality that allowed specific trains to be released or not released without anything to do with seat reservations.

 

[Watershed]

This does make a level of sense (a lot of people used to complain quite loudly about buying an Anytime and not getting a reservation when quotas weren't released when if they'd booked later there'd have been a cheap Advance), but better would be to develop specific functionality that allowed specific trains to be released or not released without anything to do with seat reservations.

The solution to perceived problems like that isn't to "prevent" people from buying tickets, and inconvenience everyone who wants to book far in advance for the benefit of the small minority who blithely assume they will get a seat even if they don't have a reservation. It's to improve the information given to people when booking - e.g. by displaying a prominent warning if no seat reservation has been provided (some retailers don't make this very obvious).

If someone buys an Anytime ticket, by definition it's refundable and so they can always switch to an Advance later, with at most a £10 fee to pay.

 

[pedr]

My brother is visiting from overseas with a Eurail pass this month, and Avanti trains say they require reservations (at an extra cost). Presumably in fact a Eurail pass would be accepted without a reservation? Or might train staff say that 'reservations compulsory' in the Eurail/Interrail system means just that, and the passes are not valid without them?

 

[yorkie]

My brother is visiting from overseas with a Eurail pass this month, and Avanti trains say they require reservations (at an extra cost). Presumably in fact a Eurail pass would be accepted without a reservation? Or might train staff say that 'reservations compulsory' in the Eurail/Interrail system means just that, and the passes are not valid without them?

Yes it would be accepted; Avanti are doing the same thing as LNER (and other TOCs).

 

[Haywain]

My brother is visiting from overseas with a Eurail pass this month, and Avanti trains say they require reservations (at an extra cost). Presumably in fact a Eurail pass would be accepted without a reservation?

Reservations may be chargeable through the Eurail app but they can be obtained free of charge in person at ststions and can be made online on the GWR website, I believe.

 

[Watershed]

My brother is visiting from overseas with a Eurail pass this month, and Avanti trains say they require reservations (at an extra cost). Presumably in fact a Eurail pass would be accepted without a reservation? Or might train staff say that 'reservations compulsory' in the Eurail/Interrail system means just that, and the passes are not valid without them?

It's the same story there as with LNER. The pass is valid without a reservation, and on any event a reservation can be obtained for free through the GWR website, from any ticket office, or through the relevant TOC's customer services.

 

[Mainline421]

My brother is visiting from overseas with a Eurail pass this month, and Avanti trains say they require reservations (at an extra cost). Presumably in fact a Eurail pass would be accepted without a reservation? Or might train staff say that 'reservations compulsory' in the Eurail/Interrail system means just that, and the passes are not valid without them?

Not compulsory, there's confirmation of this on the Eurail site if they're concerned https://www.eurail.com/en/get-inspired/top-destinations/great-britain-train

Also to be fair if you do try booking on the reservation service it does at least tell you

"Reservations are free of charge if purchased in Britain from any National Rail Ticket Office."