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Do you have to sit in the correct seat on advanced tickets?

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arabianights

arabianights

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Most advance tickets I have bought, assuming there is a seat reservation, say that you have to sit where the reservation is. I have usually ignored this and taken a better seat and never ever seen it be enforced - but technically am I travelling illegally?

Also, I once boarded a train to find someone in my seat (in first) who said they were in standard and train staff had cancelled all reservations. This was during a period of heavy disruption and trains were utterly packed everywhere. Is that a plausible story?
 
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swt_passenger

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Sitting in your booked seast is a clearly published requirement of the Advance T&Cs, despite it hardly ever being enforced:

Where applicable, you must travel in the Class and reserved seat(s) shown on the ticket(s).

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46546.aspx
Click to expand...

Declassification of First and cancellation of reservations is perfectly feasible during 'heavy disruption', although you'd perhaps expect to hear about it from announcements.
 
SS4

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Yes although I've never seen it enforced. Cancelling all the reservations does not automatically mean First is declassified although it's certainly possible, onboard announcements should cover both of these
 
Yew

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Never seen anyone make a fuss of it. I would be tempted to remove the reservation slips from your old seat if its busy however.
 
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SteamPower

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No, but on busy services it is beneficial to all if you do, so as not to deter someone from sitting in your vacant but reserved seat.
 
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yorkie

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arabianights said:
Most advance tickets I have bought, assuming there is a seat reservation, say that you have to sit where the reservation is. I have usually ignored this and taken a better seat and never ever seen it be enforced - but technically am I travelling illegally?
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It's a technical breach of the T&Cs, yes.

EC and XC both allow you to select your seat online. For other operators, consult a seating plan and call telesales or book at a station, to get the seat you want.
arabianights said:
Also, I once boarded a train to find someone in my seat (in first) who said they were in standard and train staff had cancelled all reservations. This was during a period of heavy disruption and trains were utterly packed everywhere. Is that a plausible story?
Click to expand...
Absolutely plausible, yes.

In this case, you are entitled to a refund of the difference in fares between Standard & First Class.
 
Birdbrain

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I've had no problems with this. On ScotRail recently the guard asked to see seat reservations so he could remove the old ones for us.
 
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