09.30 Penzance - York on Sunday 9th April

[bennorthyork]

I have off peak tickets valid for this journey, with a family railcard, for 2 adults and 3 children. Please can someone give an idea when I will be able to reserve seats? Also, are there likely to be weekend first tickets available to book in advance for this train? I tried to reserve at the station a couple of weeks ago but they said reservations weren't released yet. I also might be looking to get weekend first and they said there may only be few advance weekend first available. So I'd need to be quick when they were. Thanks!

 

[Watershed]

Weekend First upgrade fares aren't quota controlled - they are effectively a walk-up fare. It's just a question of whether you can find a ticket office whose staff are willing and able to sell you it.

 

[Merseysider]

I have off peak tickets valid for this journey, with a family railcard, for 2 adults and 3 children. Please can someone give an idea when I will be able to reserve seats? Also, are there likely to be weekend first tickets available to book in advance for this train? I tried to reserve at the station a couple of weeks ago but they said reservations weren't released yet. I also might be looking to get weekend first and they said there may only be few advance weekend first available. So I'd need to be quick when they were. Thanks!

As in, you've already bought off peak tickets?

Just a couple of heads up:

If you have a through ticket Penzance - York it will be cheaper for you to refund this, potentially even paying £10 fee per ticket, and rebook with trainsplit.

There is normally no advantage to buying flexible tickets in advance, but on this occasion you may avoid a fares rise by doing so.

Weekend first will be available depending on how many seats are unreserved/unused upon commencement of the journey - I've seen the TM on Aberdeen - Penzance turn away prospective upgraders due to (almost) all 1st seats being taken already.

If you contact XC on Twitter they are normally fantastic at making seat reservations, but if you don't yet hold a 1st class ticket they won't reserve one for you, instead they will be happy to reserve you Standard seats.

You could also try the XC 10 minute reservation system to reserve 1st class seats by text on the day - full procedure on their website.

 

[Benjwri]

If you contact XC on Twitter they are normally fantastic at making seat reservations

Much easier to use GWR’s site now, they let you reserve seats on any TOC from the My Bookings page

 

[bennorthyork]

Weekend First upgrade fares aren't quota controlled - they are effectively a walk-up fare. It's just a question of whether you can find a ticket office whose staff are willing and able to sell you it.

Thanks. That's surprising as the person in the ticket office, who has worked there for at least 20 years that I know of, said there were limited numbers. Is there something I can show to prove otherwise?

 

[Watershed]

Thanks. That's surprising as the person in the ticket office, who has worked there for at least 20 years that I know of, said there were limited numbers. Is there something I can show to prove otherwise?

Not really - ultimately you don't have an absolute right to the upgrade and so you're reliant on an individual member of ticket office staff being helpful. They might be referring to the limited number of first class seats that physically exist, I suppose.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks. That's surprising as the person in the ticket office, who has worked there for at least 20 years that I know of, said there were limited numbers. Is there something I can show to prove otherwise?

Ticket office staff typically lack knowledge about such matters. Those who have been around a while can be among the worst as they may act as if old rules and principles still apply.

Train Timetables | CrossCountry

Download or print the latest CrossCountry train times to help with planning your journey. Buy cheap train tickets with no booking fees online now.

www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

Please note that weekend upgrades are currently not available to purchase whilst on board. We hope to be able to reinstate this in the near future.

See also:

CrossCountry weekend firsts

Has anyone got recent experience of buying CrossCountry weekend firsts? My dad is planning a day trip tomorrow where he intends to use them, but I've just noticed that all reference to them has ominously disappeared off their website, and their website is no longer selling them either. The fares...

www.railforums.co.uk