How Long Are Tickets Locked For?

[westv]

Yesterday I was searching for tickets for Hull to King's X on 23/1 using Hull Trains. I wanted 1st class and a single seat. For various reasons I tried various combinations of seat preference.
The price started at £89 but after trying a few combinations (4 I think) the £89 price was replaced by £100.
I assumed this could be because I had locked too many £89 tickets even though I had exited from the selection each time.
I thought I would leave it so they would unlock.
I went back again 3 hours later but the price was still £100. I needed the ticket so bought at that price.
This morning I thought I would just check again and was disappointed to see the price was back to £89. When exactly would this have updated? I thought it was after 2 hours but that must be wrong. That mistake cist me another £11.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Were you putting them in your basket? If not they weren't locked, more likely there was one £89 ticket left and someone put it in their basket, and the basket had timed out by the morning so it was back for sale again.

 

[westv]

I vaguely remember it saying 4 or 5 "left at this price"
So, if they are in a basket they don't exit until the following day and not after 2 hours?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I vaguely remember it saying 4 or 5 "left at this price"
So, if they are in a basket they don't exit until the following day and not after 2 hours?

I forget how long they stay in the basket for, but it's a while. 2 hours maybe? It says on it if I recall, i.e. "your tickets will be kept for N hours then released".

It's possible someone else put all 4 in theirs, e.g. for a family of 4.

I suppose it's also possible that the site you use has a bug so if you click back they aren't released. It's always worth using the "go back" link rather than the back button to avoid this happening.

 

[island]

I believe it is 2 hours yes.

 

[Haywain]

For various reasons I tried various combinations of seat preference.

Was this on the Hull Trains site? After making the reservation you get offered the option of going to the seat picker to change the reserved seat which would avoid needing to try multiple times.

 

[westv]

Was this on the Hull Trains site? After making the reservation you get offered the option of going to the seat picker to change the reserved seat which would avoid needing to try multiple times.

LNER as I was also booking a return journey via LNER.

 

[Haywain]

LNER as I was also booking a return journey via LNER.

Right. You might have benefitted from looking at the HT site to get to the seat picker and see what was available, which might have helped with which preferences to choose.

 

[westv]

I wish HTs had had the seat selector pre Covid when I used them weekly to London.
I remember on numerous occasions having to put multiple tickets in my basket before it would offer an airline style seat rather than table - even though that's what I asked for in the first place.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wish HTs had had the seat selector pre Covid when I used them weekly to London.
I remember on numerous occasions having to put multiple tickets in my basket before it would offer an airline style seat rather than table - even though that's what I asked for in the first place.

Use Trainsplit, it has a seat selector for all TOCs (though to make it work I think you have to book one ticket at a time).