SWR cancelled journey - finding alternative itinerary

[petter2]

Hi,
I had the following ticket booked:
FARE TYPE ROUTE Advance Single Swr & Connection
Itinerary - Mandatory Reservations
17 July
London Waterloo 10:20
South Western Railway No specific seat
13:43 Exeter St David's 14:00
GWR
14:38 Torquay

The 1020 train from Waterloo is now not running, am I allowed to use GWR from Paddington instead?
Thanks

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Hi,
I had the following ticket booked:
FARE TYPE ROUTE Advance Single Swr & Connection
Itinerary - Mandatory Reservations
17 July
London Waterloo 10:20
South Western Railway No specific seat
13:43 Exeter St David's 14:00
GWR
14:38 Torquay

The 1020 train from Waterloo is now not running, am I allowed to use GWR from Paddington instead?
Thanks

According to SWR's website, yes you can:

Advance ticket holders will be permitted to travel on other operator’s services if the original booked service has been delayed or cancelled. Travel must still be on the same date.

Of course, whether that ticket acceptance will be known about and/or honoured on GWR is another question entirely...

 

[petter2]

That's great, thank you!

 

[30907]

According to SWR's website, yes you can:


Of course, whether that ticket acceptance will be known about and/or honoured on GWR is another question entirely...

This is the relevant passage (my bold):

If you have a ticket that is for a specific train operator this may be used on any service provided by any operator between the same start and end station, group or Zone.
...
Advance ticket holders will be permitted to travel on other operator’s services if the original booked service has been delayed or cancelled. Travel must still be on the same date.

I first read that as permitting travel by any operator between Waterloo and Exeter/Paignton; however, Waterloo and Paddington form part of a Group so I concur with ForTheLoveOf.
However, I would be inclined to check with GWR - and also to check the timetable nearer the time, as I am surprised that SWR plan only to operate a minimal service West of Salisbury by then.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

This is the relevant passage (my bold):

I first read that as permitting travel by any operator between Waterloo and Exeter/Paignton; however, Waterloo and Paddington form part of a Group so I concur with ForTheLoveOf.
However, I would be inclined to check with GWR - and also to check the timetable nearer the time, as I am surprised that SWR plan only to operate a minimal service West of Salisbury by then.

OP's Advance will be issued from London Terminals; therefore Waterloo and Paddington are both acceptable departure stations.

 

[Haywain]

Hi,
I had the following ticket booked:
FARE TYPE ROUTE Advance Single Swr & Connection
Itinerary - Mandatory Reservations
17 July
London Waterloo 10:20
South Western Railway No specific seat
13:43 Exeter St David's 14:00
GWR
14:38 Torquay

The 1020 train from Waterloo is now not running, am I allowed to use GWR from Paddington instead?
Thanks

You will, almost certainly, require a reservation on whatever service you do travel on so it would be inadvisable to leave it until the last minute.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

You will, almost certainly, require a reservation on whatever service you do travel on so it would be inadvisable to leave it until the last minute.

Is GWR planning on introducing mandatory reservations?

 

[petter2]

Is GWR planning on introducing mandatory reservations?

It does say in the journey planner mandatory reservations, but can't find anything on their website on how to get one unless doing it without buying a ticket.
Visiting a ticket office seems to be the only option?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

It does say in the journey planner mandatory reservations, but can't find anything on their website on how to get one unless doing it without buying a ticket.
Visiting a ticket office seems to be the only option?

Many TOCs have changed the timetable data so as to force booking engines to issue reservations for tickets they sell, likely in order to more easily assess demand for services (and prevent services being shown online once "socially distanced" seating capacity has been exceeded). This has been discussed elsewhere on the forum.

But the only TOCs with a strict reservations compulsory system are LNER and Caledonian Sleeper - although @Haywain appears to be suggesting GWR will be implementing a similar policy.

You can get reservations through customer services (most easily via Twitter or similar) if you already hold a ticket.

 

[Haywain]

But the only TOCs with a strict reservations compulsory system are LNER and Caledonian Sleeper - although @Haywain appears to be suggesting GWR will be implementing a similar policy.

Compulsory reservation on the train* and travelling on what is likely to be a busy day, even with current restrictions on travel, would suggest a reservation would be required. Train companies do not have to notify in advance if they decide to implement boarding controls to prevent overcrowding so I am providing what I believe to be appropriate advice. I believe that is a function of the forum.

*Unlike LNER, Great Western cannot implement an across the board mandatory reservation policy as they operate many trains which are unreservable. However, their inter-city services appear to be operating in a similar manner to those of LNER and Avanti West Coast.

 

[petter2]

Got a response within 5 minutes after contacting them through Facebook Messenger!
Seats are reserved but apparently the train does not offer specific seats, so I just got seat ***. Isn't that unusual for Paddington to Exeter?

 

[Haywain]

Got a response within 5 minutes after contacting them through Facebook Messenger!
Seats are reserved but apparently the train does not offer specific seats, so I just got seat ***. Isn't that unusual for Paddington to Exeter?

It would be unusual normally, but it's probably how they are limiting the numbers for CoVid purposes (it's what is called a counted place reservation).

 

[causton]

Of course, whether that ticket acceptance will be known about and/or honoured on GWR is another question entirely...

This.

Reservation or not, I would definitely get some written confirmation from GWR that you can use their trains. Even then, expect an argument at Paddington gateline!

(If it were me, I would catch another SWR service at a different time, but if time is of critical importance I can see you might want to take GWR!)