Making Bike Reservations on Virgin Trains

[Grannyjoans]

Does anyone know how to make Bike Reservations with Virgin Trains ?

I tried phoning the Virgin helpline that is on their website but got told I need to make the reservation at least 2 weeks in advanced!
Yet on their website it states that you can book them right up until departure time.

 

[yorkie]

Any station with access to the central reservation system can do it.

Also Atos WebTIS powered booking engines (and possibly others?) can issue cycle reservations at the time of booking your ticket.

 

[Grannyjoans]

But what if I turn up at the ticket office just before travelling, book a bike reservation and get told there are none left ?

I'd like to reserve a place the day before to avoid this, and Virgin wouldn't let me do it over the phone.

 

[erk]

If you already have your ticket, you can get a bike reservation at a station at any time up to shortly before the train leaves its origin (or possibly up to when it leaves your origin).

If you don't have your ticket then follow Yorkie's advice and use a WebTis booking site to get ticket and bike reservation together.

 

[yorkie]

But what if I turn up at the ticket office just before travelling, book a bike reservation and get told there are none left ?.

Some companies do allow bookings to be made right up to departure; I've been doing that on VTEC for many years. I'm pretty sure VT do it too.

 

[Grannyjoans]

What websites use WebTis booking ? Plus do they allow you to book an ATOC-card discounted ticket ?

 

[yorkie]

What websites use WebTis booking ?

Off the top of my head the following use Atos WebTIS: Chiltern, Virgin Trains East Coast, Scotrail, GWR, and a few others.

The Govia-owned TOCs (GTR, LM & Southeastern) used to until relatively recently, but now use some awful provider.

Virgin Trains and some others use Trainline.

Plus do they allow you to book an ATOC-card discounted ticket ?

No you can't get a PRIV discount on any booking site that I know of.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Off the top of my head the following use Atos WebTIS: Chiltern, Virgin Trains East Coast, Scotrail, GWR, and a few others.

Not Scotrail these days - since Abellio took over they've used the Trainline. (The now defunct First Scotrail used to use WebTIS.)

Transpennine Express and Hull Trains (like GWR both First Group TOCs) also use WebTIS. I'd guess the new First/MTR South Western operator will too.

The Govia-owned TOCs (GTR, LM & Southeastern) used to until relatively recently, but now use some awful provider.

I'm no great fan of it either, on the desktop at least - however the mobile version of the Govia booking site (which you also get if you use one of the Govia TOCs' mobile apps) is perhaps better than other mobile offerings, in that it's quick and responsive and allows a user to specify a "via" point and so access a wider range of fares, plus it offers GroupSave tickets by default (unlike many TVMs).

 

[Grannyjoans]

The problem is I don't think I can reserve a bike space online without having to pay the full fare ? As the online systems don't give me the PRIV discount. Unless anyone knows a way around it ?

 

[Joe Paxton]

The problem is I don't think I can reserve a bike space online without having to pay the full fare ? As the online syste ms don't give me the PRIV discount. Unless anyone knows a way around it ?

Try tweeting them? (@VirginTrains)

 

[gray1404]

Go to a booking office then if you have PRIV.

 

[Grannyjoans]

Go to a booking office then if you have PRIV

If I'm planning to make the trip the night before, and the nearest Virgin booking office is 4 miles away, it's not always viable.

Of cause I could just turn up before departure on the day, but they could say that the reservations are all full, so just turning up it's like dicing with luck.

 

[gray1404]

In that case try sending a Tweet to VT.