Seat Reservation Question

[drevil0208]

2 friends and I are visiting from Canada in February (I was born in the UK and have visited many times). Anyway....

We are flying into Glasgow, then immediately take the train to Stranraer, bus or taxi to cairnryan then ferry to Belfast. A couple of days later we will be taking Irish Ferries Ulysses (8:00) to Holyhead and train to London.

We have already bought SailRail tickets through Irish Ferries. It is a Saturday and we were originally going to take the 14:38 Pendolino drag to Euston. But that means we have to kill 3 hours in Holyhead, which I've heard is painful!

We could take the 12:38 ATW service and change at Chester. However, I read on here in another thread that this train is often overcrowded due to 3 ferries all arriving within about an hour. Is it possible to make seat reservations on ATW services? And if so, could we make these reservations in Glasow before we travel to Stranraer? I'm looking forward to the journey on the North Wales coast and don't want to end up standing!

Or would it be better to wait for the 13:23 ATW service and I change at Chester? Is is this service less busy than the 12:38? Keeping in mind it's a Saturday...

Thanks!

 

[dvboy]

Pages 20-12 of this timetable suggest reservations are possible on both the 1238 ans 1323 services:
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=3126&libID=3517

You should be able to book these at Glasgow.

 

[Michael.Y]

Yes. Train arrives at the station approximately 12:10, the 7:36 off Newport, and usually (always has when I've worked it) is left open on Platform 2. Usually has a trolley on it.

 

[Johnny Lewis]

When booking advance tickets for journeys involving travel on a Manchester - Cardiff / West Wales service, the reservation on this leg of the journey is now classed as a "counted place" - i.e., the customer must travel on that specified train, but will not be allocated a specific seat. I'm not sure if this now applies to ALL reservable services operated by Arriva Trains Wales, or just the trains on that particular route.

 

[Welshman]

I've had this on ATW services from North Wales into Manchester, and wondered what would happen should there be an unexpected rush of turn-up and go passengers on the day and the train was packed to the gunwhales [possible in the summer and with only a 2-car unit]. Presumably then, the "seat reservation" would be meaningless.