Seat reservations, how are they allocated?

[Bungle965]

No seat selection just random allocation.

Apologies, misunderstood.
Avanti ticket offices can.

 

[Flying Snail]

Apologies, misunderstood.
Avanti ticket offices can.

No apologies necessary, I could have worded it better, now edited.

As you said above the gulf between what ticket offices can or should be able to do and what they are willing or able to do...

Also those who travel on other types of tickets should have the same access to online seat reservation/selection and not be put at even further disadvantage.

 

[Mikey C]

A lot of the hassle would be avoided if window seats actually meant seats with a full window, or at least 70% window, so those seeking a window don't have to keep refreshing the seat allocator to get a better window seat!

Besides, there will be people looking at screens for the whole journey who may even prefer a relatively windowless seat to minimise light on the screen, so it's not a one way request.

 

[styles]

The thing that REALLY surprises me is that Trainline haven't done it and applied an additional fee to it. Unless that would be contrary to the rules to charge for the service, I suppose.

The most baffling thing about Trainline not offering it is that they do offer it for non-UK legs, so they've clearly built a lot of the capability.

 

[CyrusWuff]

A lot of the hassle would be avoided if window seats actually meant seats with a full window, or at least 70% window, so those seeking a window don't have to keep refreshing the seat allocator to get a better window seat!

That's reliant on two things:

• TOCs specifying View or No View in their carriage layouts in the reservations system
• Retailers presenting that choice to customers

I suspect a lack of consistency on the first of those two points is the main reason for retailers not offering the option.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

A lot of the hassle would be avoided if window seats actually meant seats with a full window, or at least 70% window, so those seeking a window don't have to keep refreshing the seat allocator to get a better window seat!

Besides, there will be people looking at screens for the whole journey who may even prefer a relatively windowless seat to minimise light on the screen, so it's not a one way request.

Yes! I was on a train recently on the aisle side of a window seat that was big enough to see out of when the person beside me, who was working on their laptop, pulled down the blind to stop glare on their screen without asking anyone who then would have their window view removed. I decided it wasn't worth making a fuss but was well annoyed.

If you don't want to look out of the window don't chose a window seat - leaving windows, big enough to see out of easily, for those of us who spend the journey looking out of the window.

 

[Samm]

One really annoying thing on GWR, is that if I split my ticket to use my Network Railcard on part of the journey, e.g. London to Didcot with a railcard, Didcot to Swindon without, it'll give me completely different seat reservations for the 2 legs, in different carriages!

On the contrary, XC offered me the same window seat reservation even though I had 4 split tickets for my journey. It's interesting because XC is notorious for charging significantly more for through tickets, which is why I almost had to split at every station along the route!

 

[kez19]

I think this is similar with ScotRail, as I have booked for Glasgow in March and both trains are allocated but you are unable to pick a seat (similar to LNER).

Just to add you get the options ie forward/back facing etc but you are not able to pick the seat you want

Source: ScotRail app

 

[Bletchleyite]

If you want to pick a seat on ScotRail or any other TOC just use TrainSplit or the Forum site.

 

[route101]

I think this is similar with ScotRail, as I have booked for Glasgow in March and both trains are allocated but you are unable to pick a seat (similar to LNER).

Just to add you get the options ie forward/back facing etc but you are not able to pick the seat you want

Source: ScotRail app

Not sure if they still do but Scotrail used to out all the reservations into one carriage on the HST and it often would be the one end.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Jan 2025 ==

There was on guard on the west coast that was enforcing that you should sit in your reserved seat.

If my seat is a dud and I couldn't select it, I just find a quieter coach or the unreserved coach.

 

[kez19]

Not sure if they still do but Scotrail used to out all the reservations into one carriage on the HST and it often would be the one end.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Jan 2025 ==

There was on guard on the west coast that was enforcing that you should sit in your reserved seat.

If my seat is a dud and I couldn't select it, I just find a quieter coach or the unreserved coach.

When I booked last time (sure was train line), finding the seat was fine (but similar happened).

I know it’s mostly obvious with LNER we get the Azumas but with ScotRail how do you know with the booking you are getting the right train? I don’t mind sitting on the Intercity or Turbostars (do ScotRail change sets often?)

 

[YorksLad12]

I have never known a member of staff actually bother enforcing that (assuming you picked a seat that wasn't reserved to someone else). It was I believe put in at the request of GNER, a TOC that doesn't even exist any more.

Interesting - I never had a problem with GNER/Virgin/East Coat/LNER. In the early days I did check first with a member of the on-board crew - it was usually just a case of lifting the reservation out of the slot, and we were fine.

The weirdest one I had was pre-pandemic when I was one of four booked seats in my coach... and one of the other reservations was next to me, for no good reason whatsoever (unless LNER knew I was a regular, and thought to reserve a seat next to me so I wouldn't be disturbed. Which is jolly unlikely). The rest were showing green, so I moved. These days they'd be showing amber, to keep you on your toes.

 

[trainophile]

That's highly unusual; was there definitely a coach B and not a coach C? But this is a whole new topic, so probably best discussed in a separate thread. Perhaps you can say which train it was.

A few IC East Coast franchise guards did many years ago, before it was branded LNER, and several of them used to be very strict (which led to negative headlines). Even today, some of them make announcements asking people to sit in their booked seats, but without enforcing it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Jan 2025 ==


True, but that's a faff. I had so many bad experiences of being denied the tickets I wanted over the years, I am very glad to be able to pick the ticket, and seat I want online!

Sorry about delay in replying, and I’m away with only my phone so had to quote the whole post.

it was the 11:59 from Taunton, destination Paignton, originally the 08:03 ex-Man Picc. I’ve just looked on RTT and found it shows as coaches A, C, D & F. However as it pulled in I checked the coach numbers on the doors and I’m sure they showed E, D, B (where I boarded so not sure what the rear coach was labelled).

That’s a mystery now - if they had substituted a different train would RTT have updated the details on their website? I’m not sure where RTT draw their info from but on occasions it hasn’t been entirely accurate. Or I’m losing the plot!

 

[Silver Cobra]

Interesting - I never had a problem with GNER/Virgin/East Coat/LNER. In the early days I did check first with a member of the on-board crew - it was usually just a case of lifting the reservation out of the slot, and we were fine.

The weirdest one I had was pre-pandemic when I was one of four booked seats in my coach... and one of the other reservations was next to me, for no good reason whatsoever (unless LNER knew I was a regular, and thought to reserve a seat next to me so I wouldn't be disturbed. Which is jolly unlikely). The rest were showing green, so I moved. These days they'd be showing amber, to keep you on your toes.

I had the same experience with LNER once pre-pandemic (it may have even still been during VTEC's tenure). I had booked an airline window seat in coach D of an IC225 set, back when they were still using the paper slips for reservations and coach C was the default reservation coach. Boarding the train at Peterborough, I saw that there were only about 4 or 5 reservations total in the coach, but one happened to be beside my selected seat, and the passenger who had reserved it was already sitting in it. Seeing as there were only about half a dozen passengers total in the coach at the time, I simply sat in a seat further down the coach (and the coach never went above about 30% full throughout the entire journey). It wouldn't have made sense to disturb that passenger to sit in my 'reserved seat' when the coach was so empty.

 

[Jurg]

Have XC changed their policy on seat reservation? I'm pretty certain that in the past when booking a ticket with a leg between Nuneaton & Birmingham I have usually been allocated a seat. I have just tried to book for a future day on Trainsplit, and it suggests that reservations are not usually offered on those legs.

 

[OscarH]

Have XC changed their policy on seat reservation? I'm pretty certain that in the past when booking a ticket with a leg between Nuneaton & Birmingham I have usually been allocated a seat. I have just tried to book for a future day on Trainsplit, and it suggests that reservations are not usually offered on those legs.

Yes, as of the December timetable change I believe, they're no longer offering assigned seats or first class on the Turbos. Both remain as before on the Voyagers

 

[Jurg]

Yes, as of the December timetable change I believe, they're no longer offering assigned seats or first class on the Turbos. Both remain as before on the Voyagers

Cheers, thought so.

 

[Mikey C]

I remember fighting my way through a rammed XC 170 between Cheltenham and Birmingham to reach my reserved seat. I was quite surprised to find it still empty!

 

[route101]

Interesting - I never had a problem with GNER/Virgin/East Coat/LNER. In the early days I did check first with a member of the on-board crew - it was usually just a case of lifting the reservation out of the slot, and we were fine.

The weirdest one I had was pre-pandemic when I was one of four booked seats in my coach... and one of the other reservations was next to me, for no good reason whatsoever (unless LNER knew I was a regular, and thought to reserve a seat next to me so I wouldn't be disturbed. Which is jolly unlikely). The rest were showing green, so I moved. These days they'd be showing amber, to keep you on your toes.

Had that a few times on Avanti, had someone sit next to me from Glasgow to Wigan, rest of the carriage was empty. I moved but often people don't.

 

[TUC]

What is the point of even asking passengers whether they want a table/aisle seat etc if a TOC's system isn't set up to prioritise those filters?

 

[Flying Snail]

Had that a few times on Avanti, had someone sit next to me from Glasgow to Wigan, rest of the carriage was empty. I moved but often people don't.

What is the alternative though? spread reservations across all coaches at low density so there is no chance for unreserved passengers (or those who have reservations but want to move for X reasons) to get any free spaces.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

What is the alternative though? spread reservations across all coaches at low density so there is no chance for unreserved passengers (or those who have reservations but want to move for X reasons) to get any free spaces.

On Avanti that's what Coach C, U and G are for (don't know what the unreserved on Everos are).

I would've hoped that if I specify "table" and then it doesn't give me 4 airline seats in a busy carriage, and gives me a full table in the one with empty tables.

What is the point of even asking passengers whether they want a table/aisle seat etc if a TOC's system isn't set up to prioritise those filters?

I guess the people who reserve first get their requirements met, everyone else doesn't.

 

[TUC]

I guess the people who reserve first get their requirements met, everyone else doesn't.

But it's more than that. I have been on trains where I've found that my reserved seat doesn't match what I requested, but that there are unreserved seats which do meet my requirements.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

But it's more than that. I have been on trains where I've found that my reserved seat doesn't match what I requested, but that there are unreserved seats which do meet my requirements.

Indeed, Avanti gave me entirely airline seats in a packed coach F, just one carriage down in D it was empty.

 

[TUC]

Indeed, Avanti gave me entirely airline seats in a packed coach F, just one carriage down in D it was empty.

Is there a lazy organisational neatness in how the reservation systems are configured, so it they default to giving a passenger the one remaining seat in an otherwise fully reserved coach, even that is an aisle airline seat rather than the window table seat they requested, rather than start a new set of reservations in a different coach?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Is there a lazy organisational neatness in how the reservation systems are configured, so it they default to giving a passenger the one remaining seat in an otherwise fully reserved coach, even that is an aisle airline seat rather than the window table seat they requested, rather than start a new set of reservations in a different coach?

No clue, but I'm glad I can change it manually (as I imagine the few other Coach D reservations also did).

 

[DynamicSpirit]

The thing that REALLY surprises me is that Trainline haven't done it and applied an additional fee to it. Unless that would be contrary to the rules to charge for the service, I suppose.

If they did, they would cause a lot of hassle for themselves with demands for refunds from people who paid they charge and then found their reserved seat occupied. Maybe that's why they haven't

 

[Mikey C]

Is there a lazy organisational neatness in how the reservation systems are configured, so it they default to giving a passenger the one remaining seat in an otherwise fully reserved coach, even that is an aisle airline seat rather than the window table seat they requested, rather than start a new set of reservations in a different coach?

There are definite benefits for passengers without a reservation if one carriage is completely reservation free, rather than having free seats scattered across the train.

 

[trainophile]

There are definite benefits for passengers without a reservation if one carriage is completely reservation free, rather than having free seats scattered across the train.

That's why all reservable trains should have a dedicated unreserved coach.

 

[route101]

What is the alternative though? spread reservations across all coaches at low density so there is no chance for unreserved passengers (or those who have reservations but want to move for X reasons) to get any free spaces.

Good point. LNER azumas for example, the unreserved seating is very limited and you have to find the carriage with least number of red lights.