Why is it so difficult to choose a seat online?

[apbj]

If I go into my long-distance TOC ticket office, I can specify the exact seat I want and generate a reservation for it. Yet online I have to play a game in which I can only specify "forward or back" or "table or non-table" and hope for the best.

GWR has recently gone backwards on this as its new booking engine no longer has the ability to dump the suggested seat and try again, and absurdly you can't even express a preference between window or aisle. On my very regular trip in First, it's now impossible to reserve the single seats online unless all the table seats are already reserved; it's madness, and usually results in everyone with a reservation making a beeline for the few desired empty seats that were clearly available in any case! For a five-hour journey in which I need to work, it matters - and the functionality clearly exists.

Is there any hope that GBR might tackle this drawback of train travel over the airlines?

 

[Bletchleyite]

GWR has recently gone backwards on this as its new booking engine no longer has the ability to dump the suggested seat and try again, and absurdly you can't even express a preference between window or aisle. On my very regular trip in First, it's now impossible to reserve the single seats online unless all the table seats are already reserved; it's madness, and usually results in everyone with a reservation making a beeline for the few desired empty seats that were clearly available in any case! For a five-hour journey in which I need to work, it matters - and the functionality clearly exists.

The new GWR booking engine is just rubbish. I do wonder if (as they were forced to change by Worldline's withdrawal from the market) they just chose the cheapest option in order to tide them over until GBR. Pick any other and you will get the traditional options, or use Trainsplit and you can choose specific seats.

If you're buying a walk up fare or there's plenty of quota of the Advance level you want, just keep putting tickets in the basket until you get what you want then remove the ones you don't want before paying. If GWR doesn't support this again try another site

Is there any hope that GBR might tackle this drawback of train travel over the airlines?

Lots of options. I can see GBR trying to monetise it i.e. charging for selection, though who knows? I remain surprised that Trainline has never attempted to monetise it, unless I suppose to do so would be an accreditation breach.

 

[mmh]

You could use a third party website which lets you select your specific seat - the forum's ticket site is one.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Lots of options. I can see GBR trying to monetise it i.e. charging for selection, though who knows?

Honestly if it costs a few quid to reserve the seats I want I'd consider that worth it.
Airlines and coaches already do it.

 

[Haywain]

I remain surprised that Trainline has never attempted to monetise it, unless I suppose to do so would be an accreditation breach.

Trainline might like doing there own thing, but they stiil have to work with the train operators and charging for something which would make the train operators financially liable for compensation wouldn't be a great idea.

 

[Hadders]

The forum’s own ticketing site has a seat selector so you can choose the seat you want.

 

[styles]

Why are TOC websites so bad at it? They have substandard journey planner suppliers. Not much more to it than that.

Use the forum's ticketing site and you can choose whichever seats you want (or indeed select the preferences you mention like forward facing and let the site pick them for you).