Embarrassing- but I don't get trains!
Replies: 23 - Last Post: Nov 23, 2012 2:15 PM Last Post By: PoppyG
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Embarrassing- but I don't get trains!
First time poster- I'm hoping to find a helpful soul (or three) who know about trains.I'm familiar with metros and have traveled to many countries, but have never ridden on a regular train. I'm trying to book tickets using the website thetrainline.com for next week. We'll be travelling from London to York, staying two nights, then on to Edinburgh. I can't seem to figure out how to book tickets for my husband and myself sitting together. I found some information on their website saying that if you book in advance you can't sit together? It seems like I must just be reading that wrong. I'd appreciate any tips! We don't mind getting there early if there just aren't reservations and it's first-come first-served, but it seems we are being assigned seats not near each other. The notes on the website that worry me regarding advanced tickets not being able to sit together makes me hesitant to book. If we can't sit near each other I'd consider driving, especially the part from York to Edinburgh.
Thank you for your time!
1
Obviously you have not done a search on this site otherwise you would not be using thetrainline. Why use a middleman when you can use a train company direct - not always cheaper but never to my knowledge more expensive. Suggest you use http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/ which is actually the company with whom you will probably be traveling. Not having used the trainline personally I cannot confirm one way or the other about seating but I find it difficult to believe you cannot sit together.With Eastcoast, having been allocated your seat you can always view the seating plan before purchasing your tickets and change your seats. (Quite often it will say there are no vacant seats satisfying your preference but the seating plan will show otherwise - one of life's mysteries). Also there is no requirement to sit in your allocated seat. You can sit in any unallocated one if you wish.
I am not sure what you would be allocated if you specified window individual (aircraft) type seats as this is an invalid combination for sitting together. Also do not delay. Book asap to get better prices.
Edited by: pedro555
2
I wouldn't worry too much about it. As #1 says, reservations are optional which means that you don't have to sit in your assigned seat. Just get on the train and sit where you want, if you don't like your assigned seats.I sometimes struggle to get the system to issue the seats I want. East Coast is a much better website than thetrainline.
3
I'm sure that if you book the two tickets together (i.e. Passengers, 2, adults) then it will always put you together, if there are 2 available seats next to each other. Like the previous posters have said anyway, when you proceed through the booking on eastcoast.co.uk it will show you the seat numbers before you pay.I'd agree about everything said above too, lots of people don't sit in their allocated seats (chances are if you do want to sit in the seats you reserve, you'll probably have to kick an opportunistic seat-thief out of it first) so you're bound to find something. And agreed as well, use eastcoast.co.uk. Between york and london you'll be travelling on their train. I use that line a lot and have never found anyone else to have cheaper fares.
4
For a train between London and York you may also want to look at : Grand CentralFor general guidance the following site is always informative : The Man in Seat 61
Good Luck.
9
Could be, but for years me and several work colleagues have been travelling on advance fares to London.However, as long as we book the tickets at the same time, we always get seats together.
It has 'Never' been the case that we haven't.
10
last time I took a reserved train with a reserved seat, I misread the sign and sat in the wrong seat. A minute or two of abuse followed from the rightful owner, before I could get out the words 'sorry, I made a mistake and I'll move'.hopefully you won't come across such a complete waste of air, but it does appear to be the done thing to sit in the right seat. It's not the end of the world not to be next to each other for a few hours.
12
A bit of a tip for the OP. When travelling between York and Edinburgh try and get seated on the Starboard (Right-hand) side of the train. This gives a better view of the Likes of Durham, the Angel of the North and the Northumberland coastline - not least Bamburgh.14
we sat in reserved seats - others in the carriage said it was okay to, just expect to be asked to move. When the 'owners'of the reserved seats hopped on, they just went to other seats. I felt very guilty but my son had decided that he wanted that seat, I was very thankful the people didn't ask us to move.
