Alr

[bennorthyork]

Please can someone tell me how long in advance I can buy an ALR? I've just been to York station to buy one and they told me 3 days but that doesn't sound right.

 

[MCR247]

I bought one 2 months before

 

[bennorthyork]

I thought I should be able to buy one now for December but they are insistent that it is 3 days in advance. Is there anywhere in the rule that says I can buy it longer in advance? They flashed a page in front of me that said all rovers can only be bought 3 days in advance. Thanks

 

[rail-britain]

You can buy the ALR as soon as reservations for the final applicable week are available; 12 weeks
The 3 day rule was brought in, but only applies to regional rail rovers
Therefore go to another manned station and buy it there

Then go back to York and make your reservations there
That will make a nice queue!

 

[bennorthyork]

It's not easy for me to get to another manned station for the next couple of weeks. Is there anything in the rules that says I can buy an ALR 12 weeks in advance? If there is then I can go back to York and quote that. Thanks

 

[First class]

Why do you need to buy it that far in advance?

 

[transportphoto]

Um, when I purchased my ALR, we attempted 2m in advance, the clerk's (two different booking offices) attempted to issue but found that the system wouldn't let them select the start date, the furthest they could select was for starting within 1 month from then.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[bennorthyork]

I was hoping to book that far in advance as advice on here suggests I need to book sleeper berths that far in advance. If not then I'm not so worried. It sounds like some people have been able to book 12 weeks in advance so there must be a way of doing it on the system?

 

[gordonthemoron]

can't you book sleeper berths without a ticket?

 

[bennorthyork]

Gordon, I've done as you suggest and booked sleepers without the ticket on the phone. Thanks

ScotRail have given me berth numbers and reference numbers on the phone. They told me that as I will have an ALR there will be no charge I'm slightly worried though that I should have a reservation ticket? I don't want to turn up and find my berth is not booked! Will they cancel the berths if they realise I haven't paid?

 

[First class]

Gordon, I've done as you suggest and booked sleepers without the ticket on the phone. Thanks

ScotRail have given me berth numbers and reference numbers on the phone. They told me that as I will have an ALR there will be no charge I'm slightly worried though that I should have a reservation ticket? I don't want to turn up and find my berth is not booked! Will they cancel the berths if they realise I haven't paid?

You sure you didn't reserve seats?

A berth costs around £40 for one way and is a supplement.


They may not cancel the booking, but on the day you arrive for your train, you will have to pay the supplement if the Chief Sleeper Host spots you don't hold a supplement.

 

[MCR247]

I went on an ALR with someone, and I booked my FGW & SR sleeper supplements, and (incorrectly I think) we paid nothing to share a berth from PNZ - PAD, and paid £60 for two single ones from EDB - EUS

 

[bennorthyork]

I'm pretty sure I didn't reserve seats, they are J3, G9 and J15 if that gives a clue. So is the worst that could happen that I have to pay on the day?

 

[MCR247]

They don't sound like anything? My berth numbers were just Coach x 12U and 13L. Numbers are just examples, but I'm sure they had L for lower and U for upper or something

 

[gordonthemoron]

if Ben has a 1st class ALR, the berths sound like coach J berth 3, coach G berth 9 and coach J berth 15. 1st class ALRs will presumably give you the whole compartment? although 15 seems a high number, perhaps they've renumbered with odd numbers being lower and even numbers upper?

 

[bennorthyork]

Gordon, they are as you suggest. Letters for coach and number for berth. The guy on the phone said berth. It's Euston - Aviemore coach J berth 3, Euston - Fort William coach G berth 9 and Glasgow - Euston coach J berth 15.

 

[MCR247]

I don't think so, with a 1st class ALR which is what I had, you still have to pay the supplement

 

[bennorthyork]

I've been busy getting reservations for my ALR - in fact I left them with the list at York station for them to process overnight. I now have all the reservations that they could do. But they couldn't get reservations for any of the following:
28/11/2010 Manchester - Buxton 08:55
28/11/2010 Buxton - Stockport 10:22
28/11/2010 Stockport - Chester 11:31
28/11/2010 Chester - Wrexham 13:22
28/11/2010 Wrexham - Marylebone 15:15
01/12/2010 Par - Newquay 06:52
01/12/2010 Newquay - Par 07:48
01/12/2010 Newton Abbot - Teignmouth 10:35
01/12/2010 Teignmouth - Newton Abbot 12:49
02/12/2010 Pwllheli - Machynlleth 15:34
02/12/2010 Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury 19:30
03/12/2010 Oxenholme - Windermere 12:28
03/12/2010 Glasgow - Ayr 16:30
03/12/2010 Ayr - Stranraer 17:31
03/12/2010 Ayr - Glasgow 21:13
04/12/2010 Derby - Matlock Bath 09:50
04/12/2010 Matlock Bath - Derby 10:35
04/12/2010 Exeter - Exmouth 15:18
04/12/2010 Exmouth - Exeter 16:25

While I don't have to have reservations for these trains (and I understand that for some Northern trains are non-reservable) for some of them I am surprised that I can't get reservations. Does anyone know why that is?

 

[MCR247]

Northern don't do reservations, ATW don't anymore apart from Advance tickets from stns, and local routes won't have them

 

[Squaddie]

28/11/2010 Wrexham - Marylebone 15:15

While I don't have to have reservations for these trains (and I understand that for some Northern trains are non-reservable) for some of them I am surprised that I can't get reservations. Does anyone know why that is?

WS&M on a Sunday?