Printed ticket reservations

[eoff]

I booked a return fare with LNER and as I prefer collected card tickets at a machine.

But what is the purpose of having two printed reservations with

Coach (*)
No specified seat(s) reserved

and VALID ONLY WITH TRAVEL TICKET no less.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I booked a return fare with LNER and as I prefer collected card tickets at a machine.

But what is the purpose of having two printed reservations with

Coach (*)
No specified seat(s) reserved

and VALID ONLY WITH TRAVEL TICKET no less.

Likely it simply means that you have to travel on a specific, timed train, but don't get an actual reserved seat. P.S. Which journey is this for, as LNER don't normally offer LNER return fares any more.

 

[eoff]

Journey was Prestonpans to Sheffield with legs changing at Edinburgh, York and Doncaster (PST EDI YRK DON SHF)
with return from Sheffield to Prestonpans with legs changing at Doncaster and Edinburgh (SHF DON EDI PST)

Off-peak return restriction code 8X on ticket.
Unreserved on DON/SHF, SHF/DON legs.

(I know the outgoing is a bit mad but was slightly quicker)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are the Doncaster/Sheffield legs travelling with Northern?

Edinburgh to Sheffield Off Peak Returns are priced by Cross Country, not LNER, so returns are available and you can travel quite flexibly, using any train operator, setting off at or after 0500 (Mon-Fri) which is just about as unrestricted as you can get.

 

[saismee]

Likely it simply means that you have to travel on a specific, timed train, but don't get an actual reserved seat. P.S. Which journey is this for, as LNER don't normally offer LNER return fares any more.

That's not what it is, it's just a blank seat "reservation" which serves no purpose and is a waste of paper.

 

[eoff]

Are the Doncaster/Sheffield legs travelling with Northern?

Edinburgh to Sheffield Off Peak Returns are priced by Cross Country, not LNER, so returns are available and you can travel quite flexibly, using any train operator, setting off at or after 0500 (Mon-Fri) which is just about as unrestricted as you can get.

Yes Northern, just not clear to me why I need a reservation 'ticket' to tell me I have no reservation.

And yes, loving the flexibility of the off-peak return, which is why I purchased it, and I have a railcard to make it a bit cheaper.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That's not what it is, it's just a blank seat "reservation" which serves no purpose and is a waste of paper.

Agreed, now it's been established that the ticket isn't an advance.

 

[saismee]

Agreed, now it's been established that the ticket isn't an advance.

The format of the ticket in the original post told me that it was a "seat reservation" ticket rather than a "mandatory reservation" ticket. The ones paired with advance tickets don't say the coach number unless a seat is actually reserved, while the optional seat reservations always say "Coach (*)".