TheManOnThe172
Member
- Joined
- 1 Aug 2014
- Messages
- 344
Trying to book Manchester-London: Out Sat 21, back Sun 22. Trainsplit has "Not Available" against all of the direct trains, and I am offered no trains at all when starting to try and make a seat reservation via GWR (in contrast to normal all-seats-gone experience of being allowed to select a train, asked preferences, and only then told there are no reservations available).
Via Sheffield is not clever because of replacement buses. There are some journeys possible via Oxford but clearly a lot slower than direct trains - it would be maddening to book that route if direct tickets are going to become available between now and the weekend.
Does the blanket "not available" response point to reservations not yet having opened? Is there any way to find out when (if ever) they might open? Could one book a flexible ticket, without a reservation, from a ticket office and take one's chance for an unreserved seat? Or would one risk being refused sale of the ticket, or turned away at the departure station without a reservation?
Via Sheffield is not clever because of replacement buses. There are some journeys possible via Oxford but clearly a lot slower than direct trains - it would be maddening to book that route if direct tickets are going to become available between now and the weekend.
Does the blanket "not available" response point to reservations not yet having opened? Is there any way to find out when (if ever) they might open? Could one book a flexible ticket, without a reservation, from a ticket office and take one's chance for an unreserved seat? Or would one risk being refused sale of the ticket, or turned away at the departure station without a reservation?