Coach * Seat *** reservation with non-Advance ticket

[dvboy]

Booked an off peak return from Birmingham to Haywards Heath route High Wycombe with East Midlands Trains website today and collected it from a TVM, noticed I had a seat reservation marked coach * seat ***, which I'm used to getting with some advances, but never got it with any other ticket before. The website did ask me if I wanted to reserve a seat but never confirmed I had reserved one, though it was a bit unusual and pointless to get a */*** reservation with my ticket today!

Unless the idea is that it's supposed to guarantee me a seat, if any seat (might be useful on the 1655 out of Moor Street)

 

[transportphoto]

I wasn't aware Chiltern done specific seat reservations? This may be the reason why; wait for further confirmation though.

TP

 

[Searle]

Yep, I've got a couple of these after going Hertford - Birmingham via High Wycombe on an Off Peak ticket. Made me laugh, totally useless tickets

 

[ushawk]

Just a train reservation ticket, only given out for TOCs that dont do specific seat reservations (Southern, Chiltern, Southeastern etc).

 

[dvboy]

I know what the ticket is but fail to see the point of it with a ticket that isn't an Advance, ie I'm not tied to any specific train anyway?

 

[Lrd]

If booked online you normally have to select an outward journey to select the ticket, that means the reservation ticket you got is telling you which train to catch as it's the one you've chosen.

 

[daniel78]

I just got one for a Stenaline ferry, as part of an Anytime Day Single, Belfast to Glasgow Sailrail ticket.

 

[bb21]

I just got one for a Stenaline ferry, as part of an Anytime Day Single, Belfast to Glasgow Sailrail ticket.

A control ticket?

They are supposed to be exchanged for a boarding pass at the port, however I have never had one taken off me. They usually just take a look at it and give it back.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

.... and pointless to get a */*** reservation with my ticket today!

Unless the idea is that it's supposed to guarantee me a seat, if any seat (might be useful on the 1655 out of Moor Street)

They are pointless for any non-Advance fares. Northern staff have been advised not to issue them with 'walk-up' fares as they may take away from Advance quotas (total number of reservable places).

 

[Class172]

When we (family) went to London last year, we booked a off-peak family ticket to London Marylebone at the Droitwich ticket office, and got one of these reservations marked **** — the person at the ticket booth basically said if you cannot get a seat on the train, go find the train manager and he will get you seats since the reservation effectively gives you priority.

 

[benk1342]

When we (family) went to London last year, we booked a off-peak family ticket to London Marylebone at the Droitwich ticket office, and got one of these reservations marked **** — the person at the ticket booth basically said if you cannot get a seat on the train, go find the train manager and he will get you seats since the reservation effectively gives you priority.

I assume you didn't end up having to test this theory on the train?

 

[Class172]

No we didn't. The train (1807 silver train from Marylebone) was really quiet; we had an empty carriage to outselves between Leamington and Kidderminster.