Avanti Reservations - How do they work?

[Peter0124]

Hi, in the context of a London Euston to Glasgow Central Avanti Pendolino service:

Say I reserve a seat from Lancaster to Glasgow, but someone has reserved that same seat from London Euston to Wigan.
Will the Reservation display update at Wigan (where the person gets off) to say "Reserved from Lancaster" ?

Otherwise what's to stop someone from just sitting in it after Wigan assuming its free yet I have reserved it for later on in the journey. I don't want to run into a situation where the display doesn't update and I'm left without that seat.

Thanks!

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

It will update to "available until Lancaster."

 

[Peter0124]

It will update to "available until Lancaster."

Does that apply to Unrefurbished Pendolino's aswell as the newly refurbed ones?

 

[RAPC]

Even in the situation where the reservation system doesn’t load, it is usually a lot quieter north of Preston anyway.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Does that apply to Unrefurbished Pendolino's aswell as the newly refurbed ones?

I don't think the refurbishment had anything to do with the reservation system. Just fixtures and fittings.

 

[zwk500]

Does that apply to Unrefurbished Pendolino's aswell as the newly refurbed ones?

Pre-refurb the system certainly had this ability, although I thought they showed 'Reserved from Lancaster' rather than 'available until Lancaster' but that's a minor detail.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Pre-refurb the system certainly had this ability, although I thought they showed 'Reserved from Lancaster' rather than 'available until Lancaster' but that's a minor detail.

100% correct that was my error, apologies.

 

[zwk500]

100% correct that was my error, apologies.

Not to worry, I think some other reservations show 'available until' now so it's an easy mistake to make.

 

[Peter0124]

How far in advance can you reserve a seat AND for it to be downloaded and put on the screen?

My reservation for a different train today failed to appear on the screen. Though it was done 45 minutes before departure time.
All other reservations in the carriage were loaded and on screen. Mine just showed "Available"

Thanks!

 

[Bletchleyite]

You should get a counted place rather than a reservation once the train has left its origin. The refurbs are fitted with seat occupancy cameras but I don't believe they are in use yet.

 

[glasgowniteowl]

How far in advance can you reserve a seat AND for it to be downloaded and put on the screen?

My reservation for a different train today failed to appear on the screen. Though it was done 45 minutes before departure time.
All other reservations in the carriage were loaded and on screen. Mine just showed "Available"

Thanks!

Was that 45 minutes before departure from the initial station of that service or from the one you were boarding at if that differs

 

[voyagerdude220]

You should get a counted place rather than a reservation once the train has left its origin. The refurbs are fitted with seat occupancy cameras but I don't believe they are in use yet.

Several times when I've sold tickets for immediate travel for journeys which involve Avanti trains, Journey Planner has happily offered a seat reservation despite the Avanti train already being on the move. Personally I always refuse to offer the seat reservation, knowing that there could potentially be someone already occupying that seat.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Several times when I've sold tickets for immediate travel for journeys which involve Avanti trains, Journey Planner has happily offered a seat reservation despite the Avanti train already being on the move. Personally I always refuse to offer the seat reservation, knowing that there could potentially be someone already occupying that seat.

I wonder if that is another side effect of the stupid compulsory reservation flag thing?

 

[Peter0124]

Was that 45 minutes before departure from the initial station of that service or from the one you were boarding at if that differs

45 mins before it left Glasgow Central and I also boarded there.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

45 mins before it left Glasgow Central and I also boarded there.

Was the train already in Glasgow at that time with the reservations loaded?

 

[zwk500]

45 mins before it left Glasgow Central and I also boarded there.

it may simply be that the database didn't refresh in time before the service was prepped for departure. It will depend on the retailer, on train and background systems as to what the minimum cut off is, and how late you might be able to leave it and still get them come through.

 

[Peter0124]

Was the train already in Glasgow at that time with the reservations loaded?

The inbound arrived about 15 minutes after I reserved the seat.

 

[josh-j]

You should get a counted place rather than a reservation once the train has left its origin. The refurbs are fitted with seat occupancy cameras but I don't believe they are in use yet.

Seat occupancy cameras? Is that to prevent a reservation on a seat someone is already sitting in? (Something I really think is awful with short term reservations)

 

[zwk500]

The inbound arrived about 15 minutes after I reserved the seat.

So a 30 minute turnround, the database query and download presumably would be started c.20 mins prior to departure, leaving 25 minutes for your order to get synchronised to the reservations database which could easily be missed if the background systems are not set to continuously update but rather take snapshots e.g. every hour.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Nov 2023 ==

Seat occupancy cameras? Is that to prevent a reservation on a seat someone is already sitting in? (Something I really think is awful with short term reservations)

More to release reservations that have not been taken up, I think. Although how it works if you needed to spend a long time in the loo or queuing at the buffet I don't know.

 

[Peter0124]

More to release reservations that have not been taken up, I think. Although how it works if you needed to spend a long time in the loo or queuing at the buffet I don't know.

When I need the loo I actually just leave my belongings on the seat and say to someone nearby to look after them. Would require some trust in your fellow passengers though to makesure your stuff won't be stolen!

Also shows the seat is taken.

 

[duffield]

When I need the loo I actually just leave my belongings on the seat and say to someone nearby to look after them. Would require some trust in your fellow passengers though to makesure your stuff won't be stolen!

Also shows the seat is taken.

I leave my rucksack behind, which has nothing of significant value in it (papers, food, painkillers, plasters, cheap wired headphones, etc.). I take my phone and wallet with me. If anyone steals my "junk" I don't really care too much.