Is it possible to change a seat reservation but not the train?

[gingerheid]

Hello

Daft question that I'd be grateful for help with...

My mum has an off peak return with XC, but didn't think to tell them she wants to be facing direction of travel and now wants to change her seat on one journey.

Is this possible? She's been to the station she booked the tickets at and they said no, but it's one of these small local stations that doesn't quite know how to deal with much more than a return to the nearest city, so we never quite trust them!

 

[bb21]

Don't ask them to change the reservation. Ask them to make another reservation as if you don't have one already, obviously don't tell them that you already have a reservation.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There is no reason I can think of that they can't do it for an Off-Peak return.

 

[yorkie]

What train is it and what's the journey?

It will be quite random whether the seat will be 'facing' or not! I am surprised XC advertise seats as facing/non-facing! There is, in my experience, a roughly 50/50 split and the computer has no way of knowing which way the train will be. This applies to just about every DMU operated service I can think of (apart from Adelantes into King's Cross - they do try to get the FC end at the buffers, but it often isn't the case!).

You can almost always rely on NXEA loco hauled, Virgin and East Coast to be the right way round. FGW usually, but I can think of numerous occasions when they aren't! EMT, again, they do try but it must be wrong at least a quarter or third of the time!

Some XC trains are HSTs. If it's one of those, there will be plenty of room.

Some XC trains have an additional Coach B, this coach is completely unreserved. Depending on where the train is boarded and how busy it is, again seats should be available.

 

[button_boxer]

I usually get the same time XC train between Derby and Sheffield on various days of the week and it seems pretty random as to which way round the set is, and not infrequently I find that the departure board at the station will say first class at the front and the train will turn up with first at the rear (or vice versa). I've learned the trick with voyagers that the coupler on the first class end is painted yellow, so I can spot when this happens before the train gets to the platform (I'm aiming for the quiet coach, which is always the opposite end to first class).

 

[telstarbox]

Get one reservation facing each way. If it's busy someone will sit in the one she doesn't use before long and if it isn't it doesn't matter anyway.