EC booking bypassing seat reservation option

Quickie if there's anyone around please.

I'm in the middle of booking an Off Peak Day Return St Pancras to Margate for tomorrow (I'll do anything to get more Reward points lol), and although I have selected the trains I want to use, and it says "only select a train if you wish to reserve a seat", the seat reservation area of the next page is not there, the only thing in its place being PlusBus.

Would this mean that the train is already fully booked? Is there an unreservable coach on SE high speed trains?

SE HighSpeed trains do not carry seat reservations.

The system shows seat reservations only to allow "counted place" reservations for Advance tickets. You can't reserve a specific seat.

Thanks, you're a star . We'll make sure we're there in good time to get seats then!

I don't think you should have a problem there, assuming you'll be leaving at about 10.

higthomas said:

I don't think you should have a problem there, assuming you'll be leaving at about 10.

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Er, nope. We'll be en route to London via Cardiff, in fact just about to leave Hereford, at 1000, arriving PAD 1333 and KGX about 1400. Quickly check into our hotel and out again. This extra trip was an afterthought - we'll only have an hour and a quarter in Margate and it will be dark as we return to London, but we're mainly going for the ride .

Outbound 1512, return 1753 is the plan. When I collected the tickets earlier I noticed they are Super Off Peak, so hope they are valid on these trains. I'm presuming they wouldn't have been offered at the £20.05 (inc Railcard) price otherwise?

Anyone know how far the station is from the town at Margate?

Edited to add, as I'm very confused having just re-checked the booking engine...

Can anyone tell me why there are several different price options when I enter day return for two adults with senior railcards, as there are tabs which all permit HS trains, i.e. £40.10; £45.00; £46.30 (via Herne Bay, but why dearer?); £51.80; £54; £58.20 and £61.90, all of which cover my input criteria and most offer the same trains? Obviously I bought the cheapest ones, but wondering whether I've done the right thing now.

Your ticket is valid from London from 1000 and any train back. There should be a cheaper one valid via Herne Bay. The more expensive one via Herne Bay is valid at 0929.

Thanks Deerfold, I'm still confused about why so many and what the difference is between them all, but reassured now .

trainophile said:

Anyone know how far the station is from the town at Margate?

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I used to live there, I can help here!

When you exit the station, if you turn right, follow the path out along the station approach, then follow the seafront road for 3-4 mins, you'll hit the clock tower, where the road forks. If you go left (following the seafront) you'll hit the Old Town and the Turner Contemporary art gallery (usually worth checking out), if you carry straight on you'll hit the (semi-pedestrianised) high street, where you have banks/WHSmiths etc, the usual.

If you've only got a couple of hours in Margate, I'd definitely recommend the gallery and the Old Town, and also the harbour arm if you fancy a nice bracing walk!

Thanks so much Craig, that'll be really helpful later today. I'd like to cover all your suggestions but realistically the gallery might have to wait for another occasion.

Got lovely weather for it, so far .

Also pop to the Lifeboat pub in the old town for a nice pint and food.

No time for a pint sadly, but we did have a lightning tour of the Turner Gallery . It is a lovely building but there wasn't much going on today, just a wall covered in people's selfie sketches!

I can see why Margate has a reputation for being a bit run down, but they are obviously trying to improve it, and the sea and sands were inviting.

Just about to depart back to London. Very glad we came.