LM Seat Reservations

[transportphoto]

According to the National Rail Timetable Reservations are possible on the XX46 departure from London Euston (Mon->Fri) . I have never traveled on this service but is this true.

Sorry if the thread is in the wrong place, it is partly ticket related

 

[yorkie]

I think the longer distance LM services can be reserved but if you get to Euston in decent time I doubt you will have any problems. These services are not used by many people for the throughout journey anyway so if it's busy when you get on I am sure decent seats will become available within the next stop or two.

 

[mickey]

What time are you thinking of going? These services do get fairly busy, particularly the 1346 and 1446 (the last for (super) off-peak tickets), but there's usually no problems getting a seat. Reservations are possible and are usually marked as they should be on the train (though not always, particularly it seems if a 350/2 is used). Again depending on the time you're going there can be a lot of passengers going to TV destinations, with those getting off at Watford and MKC being replaced in numbers by new ones heading north; early afternoon they don't really start emptying until Northampton.

 

[transportphoto]

Just had a PM from London_Midland I asked him before the whole forum and this is what he said:

Unfortunately, reservations are not possible on any London Midland service. However, Advance fares are available on these trains, and this is what confuses some of the publications.

David.

So maybe not boys!?

 

[mickey]

So maybe not boys!?

Boys? I'm pretty sure there are some girls on here!

Anyway, a bit of digging on the LM website brought this up:

London Midland no longer offer seat reservations but still provide a "counted place" reservation which will allow you to sit anywhere in standard class or first class depending upon the ticket purchased.

So the answer is that he's right and we're wrong. The key words though are "no longer" - I don't know when this came into play but I'm guessing it's this year as it can't be that long since I last saw them, can it? It's an interesting move in any case, as passengers usually say they want more guaranteed seats, not fewer...

 

[transportphoto]

I only answered 'boys' because I knew that only boys had answered the thread.

Also it odd as if a passenger boarded with open tickets will just see a seat and sit in it - it in noway guarantee's a seat!

 

[mickey]

Also it odd as if a passenger boarded with open tickets will just see a seat and sit in it - it in noway guarantee's a seat!

It does in the sense that if you've got one you can get the TM to ask the person occupying it to move. This has happened at least to someone every time I've got a southbound Voyager from Crewe recently (admittedly it's usually the 0956, i.e. the first off-peak service), and though they must be getting pretty fed up with it each time they do it without question.

 

[Ivo]

I only answered 'boys' because I knew that only boys had answered the thread.

Also it odd as if a passenger boarded with open tickets will just see a seat and sit in it - it in noway guarantee's a seat!

No criticism or offence intended here TP, but I find it amusing that you're calling us "boys" when you're one of the youngest posters...

 

[transportphoto]

Sorry Gents.

But...

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Say I board a LM train at Liverpool South Parkway which is full and standing from Lime Street.

If I have an advance ticket, am I entitled to a seat? And how do I choose who to kick onto the floor?

 

[yorkie]

You're equally entitled to a seat as anyone else, no more and no less surely.

And if someone sits in a seat that isn't marked as reserved they can't be asked to move!

 

[Pumbaa]

Seat reservations were stopped in Dec last year.