Taunton - Southampton Central bike reservations

[brad465]

I have a cycle event planned in the New Forest on Saturday 20th September, so have booked to stay in Southampton the night before and plan to travel by train accordingly (changing at Westbury). However, when booking with a bike reservation, the system flags there are no bike spaces on both journeys for all the service options on the Friday and Saturday, even though it's still nearly 3 months away.

Does anyone know if this is a case of certain routes causing issues with the bike reservation system, or whether there genuinely isn't any space?

 

[Watershed]

What route are you planning on taking - via Reading?

It's likely that bike reservations haven't opened yet for September. They tend to open at the same time as seat reservations and Advance tickets, i.e. typically around 8-12 weeks before travel for weekends. You can see the current booking horizons here.

I would contact GWR/XC (or whichever other operator(s) you plan to use) and ask them to clarify whether bike reservations are open yet for your intended date of travel.

 

[brad465]

What route are you planning on taking - via Reading?

It's likely that bike reservations haven't opened yet for September. They tend to open at the same time as seat reservations and Advance tickets, i.e. typically around 8-12 weeks before travel for weekends. You can see the current booking horizons here.

I would contact GWR/XC (or whichever other operator(s) you plan to use) and ask them to clarify whether bike reservations are open yet for your intended date of travel.

GWR appear to be offering the 11th October according to that site, however the GWR mixing deck doesn't yet have advance tickets available earlier than that on my planned travel dates.

 

[janb]

The reservations are open. Taunton to Westbury is fine, its just you can't book a bike on Westbury to Southampton. I'm not familiar with the local practice/units but having checked other dates it appears you can't ever book a bike on these services so I'm guessing walk up only.

For completeness since @Watershed introduced it, if travelling via Reading both legs are available for reservation.

 

[htwestern]

Westbury - Southampton on a direct route will be a GWR DMU of either a 2/3 car 165(rare), 3-car 166, or 2/3/4 car 158. Occasionally it’s formed of 2-car 165+ 3-car 166.

All of these will have unreserved bike spaces.

 

[brad465]

Thank you all for confirming. I'll probably just buy the flexible return and not bother with bike reservations at all. The fare for the flexible return looks reasonable as it is.