Reserved seats - are they binding?

[Class377]

Sorry if the thread title is a little confusing.

Got a journey on East Coast booked this weekend for the football, and my Dad is coming as well. Only problem is, he booked his train ticket a few weeks after me, which means we have 2 reserved seats in 2 different carriages!

Given that the journey is about 2 and a half hours, it would make much more sense to sit together. Question is, if we find 2 unreserved seats together somewhere else on the train are we allowed to sit in them? Or if the seat next to one of us is reserved, could we try and get the person in that seat to swap with the other one of us so that we end up together?

I had a similar situation on FGW last month when travelling down with a friend, when they were travelling from the previous station. In that instance I just sat down in the unreserved seat next to them and the train manager never asked for my reservation, but I hear EC are much more strict about ticketing and I don't want to end up paying another £50-60 or whatever just because we were sitting in another seat!

 

[SS4]

They are meant to be binding but in practice it's very rare. The staff at New Street even told me as such once when I went to change a seat reservation. I foresee no problem with sitting together

 

[Romilly]

If you have "Advance" (i.e. booked train only) tickets, then strictly you are required to occupy your reserved seats (especially if you have Print@home tickets). In practice, this requirement is not often enforced, but you can always ask the guard first.

If you don't have "Advance" tickets, then you are free to travel on any other trains for which your tickets are valid, and free not to occupy your reserved seats even if you are on the train on which they are reserved.

 

[Class377]

Thanks for the replies - they are indeed Advance tickets which is why I was concerned.

I might let my dad sit down then go up to the Express Cafe and "happen" to find the guard on the way back to my seat, to save me having to get all my stuff and move down the train once I've settled down?

 

[gordonthemoron]

On Virgin I rarely use my reserved seat with an Advance, however Virgin rarely check tickets IME

 

[Searle]

I've never ever heard of anyone being pulled up about this, your biggest threat is other passengers trying to take the seat :P

 

[Tetchytyke]

There shouldn't be a problem, assuming that you can find unreserved seats available. Ask the guard and there really won't be an issue. If it's a busy train you may see if you can remove the reservation tags so that others can take the seat.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

I sat coaches away from my seat on East Coast the weekend just gone. I was also on an advance ticket and the guard asked for the reservation and thanked us and continued with his duty. I never really sit in my reserved seat most of the time anyway, and neither do most people by the looks of it so you should be ok sitting in unreserved seats.

 

[Temple Meads]

Shouldn't be an issue, but make sure you ask first, both for politeness' sake, and to avoid any potential confrontation further down the line.

 

[yorkie]

Sorry if the thread title is a little confusing.

Got a journey on East Coast booked this weekend for the football, and my Dad is coming as well. Only problem is, he booked his train ticket a few weeks after me, which means we have 2 reserved seats in 2 different carriages!

Next time, either book the 2nd ticket at a ticket office, or on the East Coast website. The latter will give you a few quid off many of their Advance tickets, as well as letting you choose your seat.

The only time you can't change seat is if your ticket is the only one in that quota.

It's also possible to see how busy that service is by doing a 'dummy' booking. But if it's for football, it may well be busy so the guard may (and has the right to) insist that passengers do not occupy any seat other than the one they reserved.

 

[Ediswan]

... but I hear EC are much more strict about ticketing ...

I used East Coast a couple of weeks ago, with an advance. The ticket checker on the train didn't even look at the reservation coupon. Being handed two coupons was enough for them. If they are being strict, he missed the memo.

 

[andrewkeith5]

I used East Coast a couple of weeks ago, with an advance. The ticket checker on the train didn't even look at the reservation coupon. Being handed two coupons was enough for them. If they are being strict, he missed the memo.

Normally I carry my tickets in a specific ticket wallet, so there are 3 showing at any one time. Normally just opening it up and pointing out the right ticket and reservation just results in a thank you!

On FGW at the weekend, both the guards I saw watched me open the wallet and before they could possibly have checked the ticket had thanked me and moved on

 

[ASharpe]

I frequently travel on East Coast (though not usually on advances) and I have never know moving seats to be a problem.

And I also know on a weekend if you get to your station early the guard will probably let you on an earlier service if you ask nicely before the train departs. Never tried it on a later train but a guard did tell me that would probably be fine too.

 

[island]

It is extremely rare for the condition requiring a passenger to sit in their booked seat to be enforced. Although yorkie's favourite EC guard probably does it...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's also polite to remove the paper ticket on your pre-booked seats, so that others can use them after you have moved.
Otherwise you would be tying up 4 seats.

 

[bb21]

It's also polite to remove the paper ticket on your pre-booked seats, so that others can use them after you have moved.
Otherwise you would be tying up 4 seats.

Only if there is no other reservation on the same slip, but yes, it would be a courteous thing to do.

 

[greatkingrat]

It's also polite to remove the paper ticket on your pre-booked seats, so that others can use them after you have moved.
Otherwise you would be tying up 4 seats.

Isn't that technically illegal (even if it is your own reservation?)

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Doesn't it say something like 'unauthorised' removal i.e if it is not yours? I don't see it as illegal and I always remove used labels for my collection.

 

[westv]

Is it actually written anywhere (apart from some obscure dusty rule book) that the reserved seat must be used? Personally I take the seat if there are lots of other reservations but am more flexible if there aren't.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

It is extremely rare for the condition requiring a passenger to sit in their booked seat to be enforced. Although yorkie's favourite EC guard probably does it...

I can assure you that he does not.

I have only experienced on-board staff expressing interest in seat numbers when:
- when more than one passenger claimed a 'right' to occupy a particular seat;
- when the passenger presented a 'Print @ Home' piece of paper ticket;
- when the passenger was demanding some other 'right' which wasn't theirs;
- when the passenger didn't have a valid ticket for the journey taken;
- when the passenger was travelling in First Class with a reservation in Standard Class.

 

[SeanG]

It's also polite to remove the paper ticket on your pre-booked seats, so that others can use them after you have moved.
Otherwise you would be tying up 4 seats.

I always do this, but surely it is against the rules (mention of fine etc on reservation slip)