Lumo - reservation only?

[SeanG]

Hi

I'm looking at getting the 2056 from Edinburgh - Newcastle on Saturday, and plan to buy the 'Lumo Only' anytime day single (although this query would also relate to any interavailable ticket).

If I do not have a reservation am I ok to board the service? I note that there are some unreserved seats, but Lumo marks the train as 'reservation only'.

I appreciate that I could book this through the Lumo website including a seat reservation but I wish to book via LNER ticket office to avail of the 10% AMEX credit offer. Alternatively could I book the reservation at Newcastle ticket office on Saturday morning?

Thanks

 

[bcarmicle]

The ticket office should be able to make a seat reservation.

 

[hexagon789]

Hi

I'm looking at getting the 2056 from Edinburgh - Newcastle on Saturday, and plan to buy the 'Lumo Only' anytime day single (although this query would also relate to any interavailable ticket).

If I do not have a reservation am I ok to board the service? I note that there are some unreserved seats, but Lumo marks the train as 'reservation only'.

I appreciate that I could book this through the Lumo website including a seat reservation but I wish to book via LNER ticket office to avail of the 10% AMEX credit offer. Alternatively could I book the reservation at Newcastle ticket office on Saturday morning?

Thanks

They accept walk-up tickets yes, but do indeed have only a limited number of non-reserveable seats.

In answer to your main question - you can board and travel on LUMO services without a reservation.

Otherwise you can make a reservation at the ticket office or on GWR's website.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In answer to your main question - you can board and travel on LUMO services without a reservation.

You can, but the chance of a seat is low, there are very few unreserved seats so you're largely relying on someone not showing up (or standing). Better to reserve as you say. They're short trains with very high load factors.

The booking office will make the reservation for you. Indeed you may (depending on who you get) struggle to buy the ticket without as they have marked all their services with the "fake compulsory reservation" flag.

 

[hexagon789]

You can, but the chance of a seat is low, there are very few unreserved seats so you're largely relying on someone not showing up (or standing). Better to reserve as you say. They're short trains with very high load factors.

I quite agree, but I was just pointing out that is isn't strictly necessary to travel but yes, certainly a sound idea to be sure of a seat!

 

[Kite159]

You can, but the chance of a seat is low, there are very few unreserved seats so you're largely relying on someone not showing up (or standing). Better to reserve as you say. They're short trains with very high load factors.

The booking office will make the reservation for you. Indeed you may (depending on who you get) struggle to buy the ticket without as they have marked all their services with the "fake compulsory reservation" flag.

I can't see the 20;56 from Edinburgh to Newcastle on a Saturday night being full & standing considering it's a short run to Newcastle rather than London. In my experience Lumo is only fully reserved south of Newcastle where you need a seat reservation or risk a vestibule.

 

[gray1404]

Lumo also allow you to buy on board without penalty. Of course they cannot sell advance tickets onboard.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't see the 20;56 from Edinburgh to Newcastle on a Saturday night being full & standing considering it's a short run to Newcastle rather than London. In my experience Lumo is only fully reserved south of Newcastle where you need a seat reservation or risk a vestibule.

Yes, if it's not a London train I'd imagine it'll be quiet.

 

[Segedunum]

North of Newcastle trains aren't quite so rammed.

I regularly get the 1958 from Edinburgh to Newcastle on weekdays and E tends to be almost empty - that seems to be last to be reserved.

If you book an Advance on the day they chuck a counted place at you anyway. Not a problem on the 1958 but "entertaining" on busier trains shall we say.

 

[SeanG]

Just booked a 'Lumo Fixed' which appears to be a much more sensibly named advance ticket as it gives more of an impression that it can only be used on the fixed train

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2024 ==

It came with a seat reservation so no worries any more

 

[nitten_travell]

Hi

I'm looking at getting the 2056 from Edinburgh - Newcastle on Saturday, and plan to buy the 'Lumo Only' anytime day single (although this query would also relate to any interavailable ticket).

If I do not have a reservation am I ok to board the service? I note that there are some unreserved seats, but Lumo marks the train as 'reservation only'.

I appreciate that I could book this through the Lumo website including a seat reservation but I wish to book via LNER ticket office to avail of the 10% AMEX credit offer. Alternatively could I book the reservation at Newcastle ticket office on Saturday morning?

Thanks

I’ve taken Lumo between Edinburgh and Newcastle quite often, most recently on Saturday. There have always been “green lights” above seats but you could reserve via gwr also. Once I had a whole carriage to myself, but that was a day when the line between Newcastle and Darlington was closed!

Thanks too for mentioning the Amex offer! I’ve just checked as I didn’t know and it’s only 5% for me but valid online which is just as well as there are no lner ticket offices in Scotland so I have the option to buy online or visit my friendly ticket office…

 

[Watershed]

which is just as well as there are no lner ticket offices in Scotland…

The main ticket office at Edinburgh is operated by LNER. Reportedly this cashback also works for season tickets.

 

[nitten_travell]

The main ticket office at Edinburgh is operated by LNER. Reportedly this cashback also works for season tickets.

Thanks - this will tell you how often I go in there! I will edit my comment

 

[SeanG]

The cashback also works for rail travel vouchers should you wish to stock up for the future....

 

[redreni]

The cashback also works for rail travel vouchers should you wish to stock up for the future....

That's worth knowing. My Amex card has LNER cashback, but only on transactions over £50. I hadn't thought of using the vouchers to consolidate what would otherwise be several sub-£50 transactions into one larger transaction...

 

[RollingStock19]

North of Newcastle trains aren't quite so rammed.

hhmmmm, I've driven 4 Edinburgh runs over the last few days... full and standing on every one, so thats not true. Weekends you get a fair amount of day trippers so that 1958 can get busy, especially during fringe and christmas market season.
I personally wouldn't board a lumo service without a seat res if you want to sit down. There are less than 20 un reserved seats, a few extra luggage racks have been installed which took some of the windowless seats out.
There is often the odd quiet service but with summer in full swing, if you dont have a seat... youre standing!

 

[A S Leib]

How many people normally get on / off the Lumo services at Morpeth? Presumably few enough that if you can't get a seat at Newcastle, you'd be unlikely to find one quickly there, and too close to Newcastle to be worth it southbound unless going on to Stevenage / King's Cross.

 

[RollingStock19]

How many people normally get on / off the Lumo services at Morpeth? Presumably few enough that if you can't get a seat at Newcastle, you'd be unlikely to find one quickly there, and too close to Newcastle to be worth it southbound unless going on to Stevenage / King's Cross.

It can be hit and and miss, I've seen loads get on and off, I've also had services where no one gets on or off.
It can be busy between Morpeth and Newcastle only sometimes though, with commuters on the early morning ones and tea time ones, and weekends theres a lot use it after the match or a day on the drink.

 

[mangyiscute]

North of Newcastle trains aren't quite so rammed.

I would warn it totally depends on the time of day - I occasionally take the 05:48 from London to Edinburgh and leaving London there are plenty of free seats since the departure time is quite unfriendly, but at Newcastle the platform is always super busy and the train too on departure and when I took it last Friday i can't imagine there would've been any free seats leaving Newcastle (I got off there)

 

[RollingStock19]

This is all very true, the 2027 on an evening from London to Edinburgh also used to be quiet but that often had a booked load of over 300 plus all the open tickets, and the off person who jumps on that instead of the 2100/2200 LNER which has a longer than usual journey time home compared to Lumos 2027 which is their quickest of the day.

Typically unless its a Tues or Wed, it will be busy.