Seat reservations question

[bengley]

I've just booked tickets for travel to windermere for July.

I have three friends coming with, but we are all booking separately. One of them has already booked, and he has been given a seat nowhere near me in the train. We want to sit together on the longer Virgin journey.

The train we're departing on is the 0539 London Euston - Glasgow Central.

Is it possible to amend this, or just sit in unreserved seats on the train together. I can't imagine that service is very busy.

 

[northwichcat]

If it's an advance ticket then you can only change at conductor's discretion. On TPE it would be easy to remove a seat reservation ticket from a seat if you ask to sit somewhere else, but on Virgin it's entered in a computerised system so the conductor will only likely let you sit somewhere else if they are being nice and 100% sure that the train won't get crowded en route.

 

[A60K]

Amendment should be possible I think if they're 'open' tickets, not sure about 'advance'. If not however, head for coach E at Euston (rearmost Standard Class coach) which will almost certainly be unreserved and have a choice of five or six tables.

 

[ian13]

I've been on plenty of trains where I've not used my seat reservation (despite it being 'mandatory' on advance tickets) for multiple reasons. I've not had a guard say anything yet.

Generally they don't care, but if it's a paper reserved notice above the seat, do remove it if there are no further journeys after yours so someone else knows they can sit there undisturbed.

 

[Pumbaa]

Just the three of you go to Coach E and bag some seats there!

 

[voyagerdude220]

I used to get this Pendolino on a regular basis between Preston and Glasgow Central in FC, and always remembered seeing the front five standard carriages appearing to be rather quiet as the Pendolino arrived into Preston.

First could sometimes vary though, it was also usually very quiet, but could occasionally become very busy for no apprent reason every so often.

As others have said, I don't think you'll have any problems taking seats in the unreserved coach E, although I obviously can't say how the TM on the day will react.

 

[eddygrim]

just sit all near each othere the guard wont mind unless its very packed and messes up the system but be honest with the guard and ask first

 

[455driver]

I have seen some guards who announce (and insist) on you taking your allocated seats, after all it is part of the conditions of the ticket.

I dont see why other pax (who have probably paid a lot more) should be inconvenienced because you want to change seats, surely a non reserved coach should be for people without reservations.

 

[Lampshade]

I've never had my seat reservation checked on any train by any guard (VT, XC or TPE) so it's probably unlikely it'll be strictly enforced, but as others have said, there's always a chance.

 

[Deerfold]

I have seen some guards who announce (and insist) on you taking your allocated seats, after all it is part of the conditions of the ticket.

I dont see why other pax (who have probably paid a lot more) should be inconvenienced because you want to change seats, surely a non reserved coach should be for people without reservations.

That would be a lot more reasonable if ticket sites let you book particular seats.

 

[455driver]

Reasonable or not they are the rules, If you don't like the rules don't buy a ticket that requires a compulsory reservation, I think SWT have dropped the seat reservations now and you are only reserved to a particular train, which I think is better (and fairer).

 

[bengley]

Reasonable or not they are the rules, If you don't like the rules don't buy a ticket that requires a compulsory reservation, I think SWT have dropped the seat reservations now and you are only reserved to a particular train, which I think is better (and fairer).

Ok, I'll just dish out £140 for an anytime open return!

 

[mallard]

I very rarely sit in the actual reserved seat when on an Advance ticket (usually on EMT). Nobody has ever questioned it and I've never been informed that sitting in the actual seat is compulsory, only that I must catch the correct train.

It doesn't help that I seem to almost never get the type of seat I select (table, window, forward facing), even when there are several such seats unreserved in the same carriage! I know they don't guarantee it or anything, but it almost seems as though they leave the "best" seats deliberately unreserved for the premium-paying walk-up ticket holders...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If not however, head for coach E at Euston (rearmost Standard Class coach) which will almost certainly be unreserved and have a choice of five or six tables.

I think you will find that coach E does have reservations in it - I've certainly been on several 390s where the indicators in this carriage had reservations displayed.

 

[Dreadnought]

Reasonable or not they are the rules, If you don't like the rules don't buy a ticket that requires a compulsory reservation, I think SWT have dropped the seat reservations now and you are only reserved to a particular train, which I think is better (and fairer).

Maybe if I could actually pick the seat I wanted then I would sit in it, the fact that everytime I book window seats on Virgin I get a great big pillar where I should be sitting means I will never ever sit in it. This happens even when it is the only reserved seat in a carriage.

I once emailed them and complained about it and got a reply that basically said "if I booked cheap tickets I would get the ones with no view!"

 

[Lampshade]

Isn't it coach C that is usually unreserved?

 

[spoony]

Im sure if you use common sense you will be fine on this

 

[janb]

Isn't it coach C that is usually unreserved?

Coach E on a Pendo, Coach C on a Voyager.
http://www.travelwatch-northwest.org.uk/SeatResDiscuss_310.pdf

 

[ChrisCooper]

People who book cheap tickets shouldn't complain when they get poor seats. The problem with moving is that people get on the train on expensive tickets and then find that all the decent seats are taken by those on cheap tickets who have moved, yet the crap seats are showing reserved, so they can't sit in them and end up standing. If it's a quiet train that's one thing, but when it's busy it's not fair. If you want the flexability to sit where you like, they you will have to pay the £140 open price.

I do think more TOCs should give the option to book specific seats though, to make sure groups get together. On of the advantages of booking in advance should be to make sure a group can sit together. Remember you might not find a table free and unreserved anyway.

 

[janb]

I do think more TOCs should give the option to book specific seats though, to make sure groups get together. On of the advantages of booking in advance should be to make sure a group can sit together. Remember you might not find a table free and unreserved anyway.

Or move to a counted place system, where at least everyone is in the same boat.

 

[Pumbaa]

I have only ever once had the guard question where I was sitting and that was because I was sitting in the reserved Traveller club seats on Virgin FC. Never had it happen to me in standard - ever!!

 

[Dreadnought]

People who book cheap tickets shouldn't complain when they get poor seats. The problem with moving is that people get on the train on expensive tickets and then find that all the decent seats are taken by those on cheap tickets who have moved, yet the crap seats are showing reserved, so they can't sit in them and end up standing. If it's a quiet train that's one thing, but when it's busy it's not fair. If you want the flexability to sit where you like, they you will have to pay the £140 open price.

What a load of rubbish. If I know my travel plans and can book in advance why should I have to sit in the worst seats on the train, especially when the website will let me select from a number of options the kind of seat I would like.

Just because someone pays the £140 open price doesn't mean they should get the best seats available because they only know they are travelling at the "last minute", in my opinion they should have to accept what ever seats are left.

 

[moonrakerz]

yet the crap seats are showing reserved, so they can't sit in them and end up standing.

If a reserved seat is still empty after the stop where it should have been occupied - sit in it ! If there is an occupant in the loo or the buffet, you are no worse off than you claim to be - if there isn't an occupant, you have a seat AND nothing to moan about.

In my experience a large number of people who get reserved seats don't occupy them:- including me ! for various good reasons.
I am also amazed at the number of people who appear to reserve seats then don't turn up at all - most noticeable in HSTs.

 

[googolplex]

I'll sit elsewhere if my reserved seat isn't very good. Last week I ended up on a table with 4 other people in first class, so I moved further down the carriage to an empty set of seats.
When I move seats I check to see if there are any no shows on "better" seats, if everybody else did the same then the likelihood of people standing whilst there are empty seats (apart from those who chose to) would be nil.
I think as long as people use a bit of common sense with reservations then moving seats shouldn't be a problem - otherwise you can end up with people all bunched up one end of a carriage in their reserved seats when the rest of it is virtually empty.

 

[A60K]

I think you will find that coach E does have reservations in it - I've certainly been on several 390s where the indicators in this carriage had reservations displayed.

Very very rarely - and I very much doubt on the 0539 train that the OP asked about, unless you have experience of that!

 

[bnm]

Last week I ended up on a table with 4 other people in first class, so I moved further down the carriage to an empty set of seats.

I expect you would've ended up on the table if 4 other people were sat round it, unless you were sharing a seat!