EMR Advance First but no seat reservation

[BlueDanger]

Hi all
I hope you can give me your thoughts and advice, please, on a ticket I recently purchased online From EMR

I bought an advance first for travel next week from London St Pancras to Chesterfield.

However, when i got the pdf download, the coach and seat number just showed asterisks.The covering email also said that no seats were reserved.

I’ve tried to query this with EMR, but their replies have left me even more confused. Their first email said:

“I would like to inform you that journey you have chose is non reserve able journey . As seats are subjective to availability. I afraid to inform you that we wont be able to reserve seats.”

This seemed to imply that no seats were reservable on that train, so I queried this again, and they said:

“I would like to get to your notice that as the seats are subjective to availability. All the seats are reserved before you make a booking so at this time we don't have any seats available.”

This seemed to mean that all seats had been booked, so i queried again, and was told:

“As I can see that the ticket type is an Advance Single (1st Class) which is restricted to seat number printed on the ticket.… So, I would request you to please check with the station staff before you board the train.”

But the point was that i wasn’t given a seat reservstion in the first place!

I thought that all advance tickets sold by EMR would have compulsory seat reservations. Is it possible to buy an advance ticket if no seats are available? I know that some operators sell advances without reservations, but I didn’t think that was the case with EMR.

Do you have any advice as to how to take this further please, or what I should do on the day of travel? As it stands I guess I’ll just have to get to St Pancras as soon as I can and try to grab an unreserved seat if any are available.

Many thanks

 

[Adam Williams]

However, when i got the pdf download, the coach and seat number just showed asterisks

This sounds very much like you were given a "counted place" reservation. It's enough for purchasing an Advance or a walk-up on a mandatory reservation train journey, but it's not a specific seat.

 

[Djgr]

Hi all
I hope you can give me your thoughts and advice, please, on a ticket I recently purchased online From EMR

I bought an advance first for travel next week from London St Pancras to Chesterfield.

However, when i got the pdf download, the coach and seat number just showed asterisks.The covering email also said that no seats were reserved.

I’ve tried to query this with EMR, but their replies have left me even more confused. Their first email said:

“I would like to inform you that journey you have chose is non reserve able journey . As seats are subjective to availability. I afraid to inform you that we wont be able to reserve seats.”

This seemed to imply that no seats were reservable on that train, so I queried this again, and they said:

“I would like to get to your notice that as the seats are subjective to availability. All the seats are reserved before you make a booking so at this time we don't have any seats available.”

This seemed to mean that all seats had been booked, so i queried again, and was told:

“As I can see that the ticket type is an Advance Single (1st Class) which is restricted to seat number printed on the ticket.… So, I would request you to please check with the station staff before you board the train.”

But the point was that i wasn’t given a seat reservstion in the first place!

I thought that all advance tickets sold by EMR would have compulsory seat reservations. Is it possible to buy an advance ticket if no seats are available? I know that some operators sell advances without reservations, but I didn’t think that was the case with EMR.

Do you have any advice as to how to take this further please, or what I should do on the day of travel? As it stands I guess I’ll just have to get to St Pancras as soon as I can and try to grab an unreserved seat if any are available.

Many thanks

When you look at the quality of the English in the customer service replies, it is clear that AI can't come soon enough.

 

[LowLevel]

If it's on the 1902 or some days 1632 from St Pancras it's because it's worked by a 180 unit which don't have seat reservations. They mostly do Nottinghams but do escape to Sheffield in the evening.

 

[sheff1]

When you look at the quality of the English in the customer service replies, it is clear that AI can't come soon enough.

Indeed. A 'customer service' person who is unable to compose a one line message in English - welcome to GB Rail 2023.

And to answer the original question, EMR do sell Advance tickets without a specific seat reservation.

 

[Watershed]

Hi all
I hope you can give me your thoughts and advice, please, on a ticket I recently purchased online From EMR

I bought an advance first for travel next week from London St Pancras to Chesterfield.

However, when i got the pdf download, the coach and seat number just showed asterisks.The covering email also said that no seats were reserved.

I’ve tried to query this with EMR, but their replies have left me even more confused. Their first email said:

“I would like to inform you that journey you have chose is non reserve able journey . As seats are subjective to availability. I afraid to inform you that we wont be able to reserve seats.”

This seemed to imply that no seats were reservable on that train, so I queried this again, and they said:

“I would like to get to your notice that as the seats are subjective to availability. All the seats are reserved before you make a booking so at this time we don't have any seats available.”

This seemed to mean that all seats had been booked, so i queried again, and was told:

“As I can see that the ticket type is an Advance Single (1st Class) which is restricted to seat number printed on the ticket.… So, I would request you to please check with the station staff before you board the train.”

But the point was that i wasn’t given a seat reservstion in the first place!

I thought that all advance tickets sold by EMR would have compulsory seat reservations. Is it possible to buy an advance ticket if no seats are available? I know that some operators sell advances without reservations, but I didn’t think that was the case with EMR.

Do you have any advice as to how to take this further please, or what I should do on the day of travel? As it stands I guess I’ll just have to get to St Pancras as soon as I can and try to grab an unreserved seat if any are available.

Many thanks

You have been issued a 'counted place' seat reservation. This means you have a reservation, but it is only nominal, not for any given seat on the train. EMR sell Advances without 'real' seat reservations on its Regional routes and did so on its Intercity route during much of Covid. Therefore it is the ability to make a real reservation that is almost more of a surprise!

First class is provided in such excessive quantities on EMR Intercity services that I wouldn't be particularly worried about getting a seat.

 

[AlterEgo]

You have been issued a 'counted place' seat reservation. This means you have a reservation, but it is only nominal, not for any given seat on the train. EMR sell Advances without 'real' seat reservations on its Regional routes and did so on its Intercity route during much of Covid. Therefore it is the ability to make a real reservation that is almost more of a surprise!

First class is provided in such excessive quantities on EMR Intercity services that I wouldn't be particularly worried about getting a seat.

It isn’t terribly well provided for on 180s. I took the 1512 NOT-STP yesterday and it was 50% full.

 

[BlueDanger]

If it's on the 1902 or some days 1632 from St Pancras it's because it's worked by a 180 unit which don't have seat reservations. They mostly do Nottinghams but do escape to Sheffield in the evening.

Ah. Thanks, LowLevel. I am booked on the 1632 so sounds like it’ll be a 180. I don‘t think I’ve been on one of those operated by EMR before - I usually travel up on a Meridian so it’ll be a new experience.

I’ll just get to St Pancras early to grab a good seat!

Many Thanks for the help guys!

 

[AY1975]

Ah. Thanks, LowLevel. I am booked on the 1632 so sounds like it’ll be a 180. I don‘t think I’ve been on one of those operated by EMR before - I usually travel up on a Meridian so it’ll be a new experience.

I’ll just get to St Pancras early to grab a good seat!

Many Thanks for the help guys!

I've just booked two £33.50 Standard Class Advances for myself and a friend visiting from Germany for the 16.32 next month just before the timetable change. I understand that the 16.32 has usually been a 222 rather than a 180 lately but presumably for administrative convenience EMR has left that train as counted place reservation only for the remainder of the current timetable. If we end up having to stand up all the way or even as far as Leicester, its first booked stop, that would be a rather poor advert for rail travel in Britain to foreign visitors.

 

[30907]

If we end up having to stand up all the way or even as far as Leicester, its first booked stop, that would be a rather poor advert for rail travel in Britain to foreign visitors.

It won't be a problem if it's a 222 - and presumably they don't sell more tickets than seats in a 180?
If the worst comes to the worst, your German friend will be able to say " it's just like home."