Interrail cabin reservation on GWR Night Riviera

[MalaiseForever]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice/guidance please. My girlfriend is trying book a cabin on the Night Riviera from Paddington to Newquay for 30/06/2024. They have gone on sale this week. She has an interrail pass so only needs to book a sleeper supplement - currently £90.50. This can't be booked online (unless I am missing something), they won't take the booking over the phone, multiple ticket offices (e.g. Euston, Kings Cross, Birmingham New Street, Crewe) won't sell it, and the last few times we have tried to book at Paddington the ticket office has been closed! So it really seems impossible to book even though it shouldn't be.

Any ideas on how to get through the incomprehensible incompetence of the railway in this case?

Thanks

 

[hexagon789]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice/guidance please. My girlfriend is trying book a cabin on the Night Riviera from Paddington to Newquay for 30/06/2024. They have gone on sale this week. She has an interrail pass so only needs to book a sleeper supplement - currently £90.50. This can't be booked online (unless I am missing something), they won't take the booking over the phone, multiple ticket offices (e.g. Euston, Kings Cross, Birmingham New Street, Crewe) won't sell it, and the last few times we have tried to book at Paddington the ticket office has been closed! So it really seems impossible to book even though it shouldn't be.

Any ideas on how to get through the incomprehensible incompetence of the railway in this case?

Thanks

Can only be done over the phone AFAIK, Seat61 agrees with my recollections.

 

[MrJeeves]

My girlfriend is trying book a cabin on the Night Riviera from Paddington to Newquay for 30/06/2024.

Are you trying to book a journey from Paddington to Newquay on the sleeper?

I assume you're really wanting a supplement to Plymouth or Penzance, then onward travel with the Interrail pass. Is that what you're asking for on the phone?

 

[MalaiseForever]

No, trying to book a cabin from Paddington to Par. That’s all we need. Ticket office won’t sell it, phone line tell us they can’t do it and it needs to be done at a ticket office. Going round in circles.

 

[MrJeeves]

No, trying to book a cabin from Paddington to Par. That’s all we need. Ticket office won’t sell it, phone line tell us they can’t do it and it needs to be done at a ticket office. Going round in circles.

Ah yes, sorry I forgot it stopped in between!

 

[Sleepy]

Probably silly question - I take it your ringing GWR (0345 700 0125) and selecting Sleeper booking option ? I've booked berth only supplements this way several times in last 12 months.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Probably silly question - I take it your ringing GWR (0345 700 0125) and selecting Sleeper booking option ? I've booked berth only supplements this way several times in last 12 months.

Yeah, twice they’ve told me to buy from a ticket office, but no ticket office will sell it! So frustrating.

Maybe I just need to get lucky with the right person on the phone

 

[trei2k]

Are you trying to book a journey from Paddington to Newquay on the sleeper?

I assume you're really wanting a supplement to Plymouth or Penzance, then onward travel with the Interrail pass. Is that what you're asking for on the phone?

No, trying to book a cabin from Paddington to Par. That’s all we need. Ticket office won’t sell it, phone line tell us they can’t do it and it needs to be done at a ticket office. Going round in circles.

Can you clarify EXACTLY what you are asking for? I'm wondering if there are issues with terminology in play here?

Is it just your girlfriend travelling? If so, she should be asking for a room supplement as she already holds a ticket between Paddington and Par.

 

[janb]

Paddington to Newquay for 30/06/2024. They have gone on sale this week. She has an interrail pass so only needs to book a sleeper supplement - currently £90.50. This can't be booked online (unless I am missing something), they won't take the booking over the phone, multiple ticket offices (e.g. Euston, Kings Cross, Birmingham New Street, Crewe) won't sell it

I did hear a whisper when Virgin introduced TTK Avocet as their ticket office TIS that they "couldn't do sleepers" but I don't know if that was actually true or continues to be but would be possible explanation for Euston, Birmingham, Crewe. Otherwise its just lack of product knowledge, Riviera sleeper is not one that comes up very often at least where I am.

 

[Mainline421]

Can you clarify EXACTLY what you are asking for? I'm wondering if there are issues with terminology in play here?

That sounds like the issue to me. As far as I can tell she wants to reserve a berth from Paddington to Par, clerks might be looking for a product called a 'room' or 'cabin' to Newquay. Also if the main ticket office at Paddington is closed then the smaller one is likely open on one of the platforms.

Avanti might still not be able to sell them, but any other TOC should be fine.

 

[ainsworth74]

Avanti might still not be able to sell them, but any other TOC should be fine.

They should be but I'd wager the vast majority of ticket office staff will have never sold one and so might not be at all confident that a) they can or b) how to do it even if they think they can. Which means you're then reliant on finding a ticket office person who is up for a challenge. In my experience some seem to relish the opportunity to try and sell something that's, from their point of view, weird whilst others will just say it cannot be done.

 

[CyrusWuff]

The other potential issue is that GWR no longer do berth-inclusive products, instead having different tiers of berth supplement.

If a member of staff hasn't sold a Sleeper ticket since that change took place it could be catching them out.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Can you clarify EXACTLY what you are asking for? I'm wondering if there are issues with terminology in play here?

Is it just your girlfriend travelling? If so, she should be asking for a room supplement as she already holds a ticket between Paddington and Par.

A room supplement on the Night Riviera from Paddington to Par. That is all we want. She has a valid ticket to travel already.

 

[Bungle965]

multiple ticket offices (e.g. Euston, Kings Cross, Birmingham New Street, Crewe)

I did hear a whisper when Virgin introduced TTK Avocet as their ticket office TIS that they "couldn't do sleepers" but I don't know if that was actually true or continues to be but would be possible explanation for Euston, Birmingham, Crewe. Otherwise its just lack of product knowledge, Riviera sleeper is not one that comes up very often at least where I am.

That sounds like the issue to me. As far as I can tell she wants to reserve a berth from Paddington to Par, clerks might be looking for a product called a 'room' or 'cabin' to Newquay. Also if the main ticket office at Paddington is closed then the smaller one is likely open on one of the platforms.

Avanti might still not be able to sell them, but any other TOC should be fine.

Avanti can issue it, it might just be that the clerk has never issued one before and isn't familiar.

Indeed, I have successfully done a dummy booking with Avocet today. They have to put it in as a reservation only and select "SZE"

Manchester should be able to help.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Avanti can issue it, it might just be that the clerk has never issued one before and isn't familiar.

Indeed, I have successfully done a dummy booking with Avocet today. They have to put it in as a reservation only and select "SZE"

Manchester should be able to help.

Thanks a lot. I’m going to ask them to try that.

 

[janb]

Avanti can issue it, it might just be that the clerk has never issued one before and isn't familiar.

Indeed, I have successfully done a dummy booking with Avocet today. They have to put it in as a reservation only and select "SZE"

Manchester should be able to help.

Good to know.

(For anyone with Fujitsu Journey Planner, view availability against a walk up ticket ie SDS, scroll down to SZE in supplements, add it, book it, ticket reservations and supplements only.)

 

[Wallsendmag]

Caley Sleeper are very hot on people booking from the correct quota so be very careful what you book if you don't want a call from your pricing manager.

 

[MrJeeves]

Caley Sleeper are very hot on people booking from the correct quota so be very careful what you book if you don't want a call from your pricing manager.

The Cally Sleeper has extended to Cornwall?

 

[Haywain]

They should be but I'd wager the vast majority of ticket office staff will have never sold one and so might not be at all confident that a) they can or b) how to do it even if they think they can. Which means you're then reliant on finding a ticket office person who is up for a challenge. In my experience some seem to relish the opportunity to try and sell something that's, from their point of view, weird whilst others will just say it cannot be done.

I spoke to a very experienced former colleague (who is still working in ticket offices) last night and he couldn't tell me how to sell a berth only reservation for the Cornish sleeper. He thinks it is several years since he was called upon to sell one, and none since they moved away from dedicated tickets. And that's working at a major London terminal station.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The Cally Sleeper has extended to Cornwall?

Oops

 

[MalaiseForever]

Avanti can issue it, it might just be that the clerk has never issued one before and isn't familiar.

Indeed, I have successfully done a dummy booking with Avocet today. They have to put it in as a reservation only and select "SZE"

Manchester should be able to help.

Tried at Avanti Glasgow Central and whilst the staff there did try to help they couldn’t work it out.

Where does SZE need to be entered? As a destination?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Tried at Avanti Glasgow Central and whilst the staff there did try to help they couldn’t work it out.

Where does SZE need to be entered? As a destination?

SZE is one of the ten levels of Berth Supplement for a Solo cabin (TZx for Twin.)

The member of staff will need to select it at some point during the reservation process. Exactly where depends on the Ticket Issuing System they're using.

For Worldline MTiS/TOMTIS/Tribute X for example they need to choose Reservation Only, then any walk up ticket type, find the Sleeper, select it and then choose "Select by leg" on the next screen. That will prompt them to enter contact details and choose the correct supplement.

Unfortunately it doesn't check availability for them all in one hit, so they have to go through each one in turn until they find one with availability.

 

[Haywain]

For Worldline MTiS/TOMTIS/Tribute X

Also called @station by LNER.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Finally got through to someone very helpful at GWR and they have booked it for me over the phone.

Thanks to all for the help and advice on this thread.

 

[Bungle965]

SZE is one of the ten levels of Berth Supplement for a Solo cabin (TZx for Twin.)

The member of staff will need to select it at some point during the reservation process. Exactly where depends on the Ticket Issuing System they're using.

For Worldline MTiS/TOMTIS/Tribute X for example they need to choose Reservation Only, then any walk up ticket type, find the Sleeper, select it and then choose "Select by leg" on the next screen. That will prompt them to enter contact details and choose the correct supplement.

Unfortunately it doesn't check availability for them all in one hit, so they have to go through each one in turn until they find one with availability.

Avocet is very similar, although no "select by leg"