Seat reservations rant

[phil8715]

Mods' note: split from Virgin seat reservation chaos

It amazes me that you can buy an advanced ticket for what is no more than loose change and get a seat reservation included. Yet you can pay more than for a train ticket than a return flight to New York, which doesn't include a seat reservation.

If I've bought a train ticket for about £300/£400 and had to stand I think I would be pretty miffed.

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[Bungle73]

It amazes me that you can buy an advanced ticket for what is no more than loose change and get a seat reservation included. Yet you can pay more than for a train ticket than a return flight to New York, which doesn't include a seat reservation.

If I've bought a train ticket for about £300/£400 and had to stand I think I would be pretty miffed.

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Well reserve a seat then. It's not hard.

 

[MCR247]

It amazes me that you can buy an advanced ticket for what is no more than loose change and get a seat reservation included. Yet you can pay more than for a train ticket than a return flight to New York, which doesn't include a seat reservation.

If I've bought a train ticket for about £300/£400 and had to stand I think I would be pretty miffed.

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Jeez, you're making it sound like you can't reserve a seat at all, or you have to pay for one. Buy an anytime ticket online and you can reserve a seat, buy it at the station and reserve a seat. Am I missing something?!?!

 

[tony_mac]

there are some journeys were you can often only reserve a seat with an advance ticket - but they are generally very short.

 

[raildude]

there are some journeys were you can often only reserve a seat with an advance ticket - but they are generally very short.

Liverpool to London via Northampton is the longest advance journey without a seat reservation I can think off,

London Mid just do Seat * Coach **

 

[cuccir]

I don't know how true this is but anecdotally, and in my expierience, it has become significantly harder to reserve seats with a non-advance ticket on cross country. A few weeks ago I travelled for a job interview and, booking a week in advance, could not reserve a seat on any train after 12 and before 8 between Durham and Birmingham. I also tried the text reservation on the day, and had no luck. Yet, when using the train, fewer than half the.seats in my carriage - the quiet coach, so not a normally unreserved coach - were booked. I'm bot particularly complaining about this, but I do wonder if there has been a.decision to reduce the availability of reservations, in favour of more unreserved seats

 

[tony_mac]

but I do wonder if there has been a.decision to reduce the availability of reservations, in favour of more unreserved seats

On Crosscountry it is quite likely that it is in favour of overpriced advance fares.

On a lot of the journeys I looked at, a lack of reservations with Anytime tickets also meant an Advance fare which was more expensive than the Anytime.

Liverpool to London via Northampton is the longest advance journey without a seat reservation I can think off,

I think you misunderstood - I was talking about journeys, like cuccir mentioned, where reservations are often ONLY available with Advance tickets, and not walk-up tickets.

 

[barrykas]

If I've bought a train ticket for about £300/£400 and had to stand I think I would be pretty miffed.

BTDTGTTS on both West Coast from London to Manchester and East Coast from York to Kings Cross on more occasions than I care to remember...for the "privilege" of getting a staff discount on the respective TOCs extortionate Anytime fares.

Is it any wonder that many rail staff are resorting to buying Advance tickets or even driving just to get a reasonable price and a seat nowadays?

 

[Wyvern]

buy it at the station and reserve a seat. Am I missing something?!?!

My station only has a ticket machine

 

[Bungle73]

My station only has a ticket machine

Do it online.

 

[Wyvern]

Why? . . . .

 

[Bungle73]

Why? . . . .

Um, so you can reserve a seat.

 

[yorkie]

Unfortunately some fares are only available at station ticket offices, such as some Rovers/Rangers.

However I am unsure what points are being made in this thread.

 

[Bungle73]

Unfortunately some fares are only available at station ticket offices, such as some Rovers/Rangers.

However I am unsure what points are being made in this thread.

You wouldnt be abe to purchase them from a ticket machine anyway would you?

 

[yorkie]

You wouldnt be abe to purchase them from a ticket machine anyway would you?

No, which is presumably the point Wyvern was making.

 

[Bungle73]

No, which is presumably the point Wyvern was making.

I thought he was making the point he can't book seats at his station because it doesn't have a ticket office.

 

[yorkie]

I thought he was making the point he can't book seats at his station because it doesn't have a ticket office.

Yes, he did make that point, and you told him to book online.

 

[4SRKT]

Another point the simplistic 'just make a reservation' brigade have clearly missed is that one of the attractions of buying an open ticket is NOT having to choose a specific train. Somebody paying hundreds of pounds for flexibility could very easily end up standing on a train where someone who has paid only a few quid has got a reserved seat.

 

[Bungle73]

Yes, he did make that point, and you told him to book online.

To which you replied that certain tickets are only available from a ticket office. So he can't reserve a seat at his station, but then neither can he buy certain tickets. So his point is moot.

Another point the simplistic 'just make a reservation' brigade have clearly missed is that one of the attractions of buying an open ticket is NOT having to choose a specific train. Somebody paying hundreds of pounds for flexibility could very easily end up standing on a train where someone who has paid only a few quid has got a reserved seat.

A train ticket has never carried a guarantee of a seat no matter how much you've paid. That's why we have reservations.

If you're in FC, I'm in Standard yet you've paid less than me, and there are no seats in Standard are you going to give up your seat to me? Of course not.

 

[4SRKT]

To which you replied that certain tickets are only available from a ticket office. So he can't reserve a seat at his station, but then neither can he buy certain tickets. So his point is moot.

A train ticket has never carried a guarantee of a seat no matter how much you've paid. That's why we have reservations.

If you're in FC, I'm in Standard yet you've paid less than me, and there are no seats in Standard are you going to give up your seat to me? Of course not.

Yes, but the point of the thread was that someone who's paid a lot will be miffed if he hasn't got a seat when someone who has paid a lot less has. Your post is technically correct but irrelevant as it will not reduce the annoyance felt. The first and second class argument is 100% bogus as they are different products. I reckon that if you pompously told someone who'd paid a lot of money that technically they weren't entitled to a seat you'd get a richly deserved punch in the mouth (deserved assuming you're not staff that is).

 

[chris89]

I can see how people could get annoyed, but saying someone who payed considerably more for a seat compared to an advance ticket or railcard ticket is more.deserving for an seat sounds rather self entitled going the i payed more i derserve this seat.

Generally it comes down to the times you can travel and that all/ nearly all advance tickets require an resevation.

If someone did that to me i would completely ignore them, as your paying for the transportation and not the seat, also myself i couldnt care less how much someone else payed for the ticket.

Sorry for any typos on the railuk app on my phone.

Chris

 

[Bungle73]

Yes, but the point of the thread was that someone who's paid a lot will be miffed if he hasn't got a seat when someone who has paid a lot less has. Your post is technically correct but irrelevant as it will not reduce the annoyance felt. The first and second class argument is 100% bogus as they are different products. I reckon that if you pompously told someone who'd paid a lot of money that technically they weren't entitled to a seat you'd get a richly deserved punch in the mouth (deserved assuming you're not staff that is).

So I deserve to be assaulted because I told the truth?. A train ticket has never guareeted a seat; anyone who knows anything about our railways knows this. You're paying to be transported from A to B, that's all.

This whole argument is "bogus". ANYONE can reserve a seat if they want to, or can be bothered. Saying someone is more entitled to seat because they've paid more is ridiculous. Or are you saying the TM should turf Advance ticket holders out of their seats so Anytime holders can sit down?

 

[WillPS]

Are any of the online ticket sellers looking in to Rovers/Rangers?

It's be great to see one of them giving it a go -on a similar note, what'd be really nice is travelcards with railcard discount!

 

[Bungle73]

Are any of the online ticket sellers looking in to Rovers/Rangers?

It's be great to see one of them giving it a go -on a similar note, what'd be really nice is travelcards with railcard discount!

Um, you can already get travelcards with a railcard discount.

 

[WillPS]

Um, you can already get travelcards with a railcard discount.

Where from? Whenever I try it only wants to sell me a full-price one?

 

[Bungle73]

Where from? Whenever I try it only wants to sell me a full-price one?

Anywhere. You just put in which railcard you've got and you get the appropriate discount for whichever ticket you're buying.

 

[districtline]

Yes, but the point of the thread was that someone who's paid a lot will be miffed if he hasn't got a seat when someone who has paid a lot less has. Your post is technically correct but irrelevant as it will not reduce the annoyance felt. The first and second class argument is 100% bogus as they are different products. I reckon that if you pompously told someone who'd paid a lot of money that technically they weren't entitled to a seat you'd get a richly deserved punch in the mouth (deserved assuming you're not staff that is).

Most people have a bit of common sense and use an advance ticket which gets an automatic free reservation. By offering this free reservation it rewards the people that plan ahead. If you haven't got the common sense to do this then why do you think you should get a seat? People complain that on the day fares are too expensive but all you have to do is book ahead and not only will you get a cheap fare you will also be guaranteed a seat.

 

[ainsworth74]

People complain that on the day fares are too expensive but all you have to do is book ahead and not only will you get a cheap fare you will also be guaranteed a seat.

And so dies the idea of a walk up railway...

 

[Bungle73]

And so dies the idea of a walk up railway...

So what do want? Advance fares to be abolished and everyone has to pay through the nose to travel anywhere? You still wouldn't be guaranteed a seat. This whole "I've paid more so I'm more entitled to seat" argument smacks of jealousy from people who didn't bother to make an effort against people who did to me.

 

[Robinson]

So what do want? Advance fares to be abolished and everyone has to pay through the nose to travel anywhere? You still wouldn't be guaranteed a seat. This whole "I've paid more so I'm more entitled to seat" argument smacks of jealousy from people who didn't bother to make an effort against people who did to me.

Mate, not everyone can realistically plan so far ahead. Plans change/get cancelled, people need to be somewhere at short notice, etc... Many people on walk-on tickets choose not to book advance for reasons such as increased flexibility - not because they "can't be bothered". I happen to be one of those people who often needs to be flexible with plans and therefore would be more foolish to book advance.

Having said that, I make sure I get a seat by turning up at the station with enough time to spare before the train goes, and not waiting until the last minute to get on. I have never yet failed to get a seat on longer distance Virgin/FGW trains by sitting in the unreserved coach.