TPE reservations in 1st Class

[trainophile]

A small gripe, but every ticket I've ever bought online for a seat in 1st has always without exception been C10. Anyone else find the same?

I always ask for forward facing, and get C10 on both the out and return journey, so I console myself that at least I'll be forward facing in one direction. Not so yesterday, as my trains were formed with the 1st class coach at different ends so C10 was backwards both ways.

I sat in an unreserved single (1+1 facing) seats so was happy, but that brings up another puzzle - why when booking a single ticket does the system allocate a seat at a table for four, when single seats are available?

I don't know why the system bothers to ask our preferences when it totally ignores them. I book on the VTEC site for ease - wonder if I'd be better using TPE 's own website?

 

[Solent&Wessex]

A small gripe, but every ticket I've ever bought online for a seat in 1st has always without exception been C10. Anyone else find the same?

I always ask for forward facing, and get C10 on both the out and return journey, so I console myself that at least I'll be forward facing in one direction. Not so yesterday, as my trains were formed with the 1st class coach at different ends so C10 was backwards both ways.

I sat in an unreserved single (1+1 facing) seats so was happy, but that brings up another puzzle - why when booking a single ticket does the system allocate a seat at a table for four, when single seats are available?

I don't know why the system bothers to ask our preferences when it totally ignores them. I book on the VTEC site for ease - wonder if I'd be better using TPE 's own website?

In respect of why it allocates a certain seat, I have no idea.

A website will ask you for your preferences, but can't always meet them. On TPE it isn't possible to choose a direction of travel as the train can be different ways round. This is unlike VTEC or VWC which always have the sets the same way round, and hence can always say that seat 10 will always be facing the same way. On TPE and most other similar stock this isn't always the case for a whole host of reasons. You can choose window or aisle or airline, as these don't change and the system knows which seat is which in that regard, but it can't know which way round the unit is going to be.

Incidentally, when the 350's were introduced TPE trialled having the old fashioned system of dual seat numbers round tables - 10 facing and 10 backing - for example. This caused complete chaos so was dropped.

 

[trainophile]

Thanks for the swift reply!

Presumably the WebTis software doesn't distinguish between trains that could be formed in either direction, so when using one TOC's website to book with another operator,, it automatically gives the same "preferences" fields even though it cannot fulfil them.

TPE guards don't seem to worry about people sitting in their allocated seat, but in view of the discussion about removing unwanted reservation slips it means telling people that it's free, should the need arise if 1st fills up.

 

[sheff1]

- why when booking a single ticket does the system allocate a seat at a table for four, when single seats are available?

I have never understood this as, when it has happened to me, I would say that 9 times out of 10 there have been unreserved single seats available. Previously I have always removed 'my' reservation label (unless of course subsequent reservatiosn are listed) at the table for four after occupying a single seat, but following recent advice on here I will not be doing so in future.

 

[Welshman]

A small gripe, but every ticket I've ever bought online for a seat in 1st has always without exception been C10. Anyone else find the same?

Not C10, no.
Just as well - I might end up in your lap

 

[alistairstubbs]

I found when trying to book a trip on VT site that it always gave me the same seats. I was booking 2 in first class and it insisted on giving me 2 not next to each other. I tried several different times and different destinations and it still gave me the same 2 seats Coach E seats 16 & 18 on a Voyager. I Just kept adding more to my basket until I got the seats I wanted and then removed the others. I had to add 5 lots until I got them next to each other or opposite.

 

[hangus78]

Thanks for the swift reply!

Presumably the WebTis software doesn't distinguish between trains that could be formed in either direction, so when using one TOC's website to book with another operator,, it automatically gives the same "preferences" fields even though it cannot fulfil them.

The fields offered are controlled by the train operator of the service being booked not the WebTIS site you are on as each TOC supports a different list.

But all WebTIS (and any other booking engine) can do is pass these preferences to NRS. It is NRS that allocates the actual seat.

I've often found that NRS only seems to respect a few preferences when you supply a lot of them. So if you are supplying several and its not considering one that is important to you try dropping some that are not that important to you.

 

[trainophile]

The fields offered are controlled by the train operator of the service being booked not the WebTIS site you are on as each TOC supports a different list.

But all WebTIS (and any other booking engine) can do is pass these preferences to NRS. It is NRS that allocates the actual seat.

I've often found that NRS only seems to respect a few preferences when you supply a lot of them. So if you are supplying several and its not considering one that is important to you try dropping some that are not that important to you.

I always ask for forward facing aisle, and to be fair C10 is an aisle seat, but the forward facing seems to provide more of a challenge .

 

[johnnychips]

I always ask for forward facing aisle, and to be fair C10 is an aisle seat, but the forward facing seems to provide more of a challenge .

That's why you don't get a single seat as they are next to the window.

 

[trainophile]

That's why you don't get a single seat as they are next to the window.

Ah! I never thought of that. The reason I ask for aisle is so I don't get blocked in by someone, so I would consider the individual seats serve the same purpose, but now you come to mention it my logic is adrift there .