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how long for an advance ticket to go back in system?

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boyaloud

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I was about to order a ticket on the cross country site so I could cancel it if needed but realised you have to pay extra for TOd so was going to do it on virgin site.how long until it "goes back" intp the system (it was the last one in its tier) . Thanks
 
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Bletchleyite

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I was about to order a ticket on the cross country site so I could cancel it if needed but realised you have to pay extra for TOd so was going to do it on virgin site.how long until it "goes back" intp the system (it was the last one in its tier) . Thanks

If you're able to go on and take it out of your basket, pretty quickly I think.

If not a few hours.
 

gray1404

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My understanding is that it is right away if you take it out of your basket. Otherwise it is 2 hours (someone correct me if I am wrong).
 

Ash Bridge

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My understanding is that it is right away if you take it out of your basket. Otherwise it is 2 hours (someone correct me if I am wrong).

2 hours does seem about right speaking from personal experience a couple of days ago.
 

alistairlees

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It should be (near) instant.

Advance tickets are held in NRS (New Reservation System) which all ticket issuing systems query for availability.

If you query fares availability, and get results including an Advance fare, then that ticket is held in your browser session (if you're doing this on a website) until:
1. you buy it
2. you close your browser / empty your basket or do something similar
3. a two hour time limit is reached, when the TIS must end your browser session

In cases 2 and 3 the TIS returns the ticket to NRS and it becomes immediately available (there is no delay). Any TIS then doing a query will see this fare as available.

2 hours does seem about right speaking from personal experience a couple of days ago.
 

alistairlees

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Usually a couple of hours


Hi

Is your answer based on your experience on websites? If so, I guess that could be the case, if websites are not correctly cancelling NRS reservations when a browser session is ended, or a basket is emptied, for instance.

Ticket Issuing Systems that are accredited by RSP (i.e. all of them) are supposed to return the availability to NRS immediately a user does an action. It's only two hours if you open a browser window with an Advance fare on it and leave it open without doing anything.

NRS has got its faults, but instant availability isn't generally one of them.
 

MikeWh

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Usually a couple of hours


Hi

Is your answer based on your experience on websites? If so, I guess that could be the case, if websites are not correctly cancelling NRS reservations when a browser session is ended, or a basket is emptied, for instance.

Ticket Issuing Systems that are accredited by RSP (i.e. all of them) are supposed to return the availability to NRS immediately a user does an action. It's only two hours if you open a browser window with an Advance fare on it and leave it open without doing anything.

NRS has got its faults, but instant availability isn't generally one of them.

The reservation can only be returned immediately if you tell the website you are cancelling the enquiry. If you just close the browser window, or enter a new address in the address box then there is no further communication to original website.
 
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Romilly

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The reservation can only be returned immediately if you tell the website you are cancelling the enquiry. If you just close the browser window, or enter a new address in the address box then there is no further communication to original website.

This is also my understanding and experience: immediately if you positively remove the booking from your basket; but 2 hours otherwise.
 
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