Question about unreserved tickets from London to Edinburgh

[jamesbond]

Hello,

My family members (a Mother, and her youth child aged 17) are visiting the UK next week. They want to travel from London (Kings Cross) to Edinburgh by a LNER train.

They are looking for tickets on the LNER website for Monday December 20 London to Edinburgh. Some of the ticket options say

"No seat reservations available
This train is fully reserved. You may have to stand for all or part of your journey. There is limited unreserved seating in coach C in Standard"

What are the chances of them getting a seat if they arrive an hour before the train departs?

Would you recommend a particular time of day which may be easier to get two seats? They can leave as early as 6am and as late at noon.

Thank you

Update I managed to find a train with reserved seating and purchased those tickets. Any advice on how to make the journey more enjoyable, or tips, are welcome.

Thank you

 

[Scotrail314209]

If they are boarding in Kings Cross then chances are they will get a seat. The train may show as fully reserved but it’s worth keeping in mind some may have reserved on flexible tickets as was the case on my train north. Fully reserved but several didn’t show up.

 

[dk1]

You should have both a buffet counter (for hot food/more choice) & an at seat trolley service. Hopefully seats are on the right hand side in direction of travel as this will avail the best views north of Newcastle.

 

[InOban]

Am I right in thinking that there are likely to be plenty of 1st class upgrades available?

 

[dk1]

Am I right in thinking that there are likely to be plenty of 1st class upgrades available?

Would imagine it will be quite busy next week. Will be a weekday too so rather more expensive.

 

[Porty]

You should have both a buffet counter (for hot food/more choice) & an at seat trolley service. Hopefully seats are on the right hand side in direction of travel as this will avail the best views north of Newcastle.

Travelled from Edinburgh to Kings Cross last Thursday and returned on Saturday, both on LNER. First time for a couple of years. Use of the buffet counter was discouraged due to space and crowding, but the at seat service via a QR code on the seat back seemed pretty good with refreshments arriving within 10 minutes. Limited range of goods but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sandwich/bacon roll and the prices

There's little point in arriving at Kings Cross too early as the platform is announced only 10 minutes or so before departure. If you're not familiar with the station layout my tip, if you're early, is to go upstairs to the cafe area where there's seating and a good view of the departure boards. Then there's quick access at upper level, across the platforms to the escalator to each platform.

 

[robbeech]

All but 1 service I’ve taken out of King’s Cross in the last 2 or 3 months had had the reservation system either switched off or setup Still for the incoming train (I assume). So having reserved seats is great news but it’s quite a risk to rely on it and leave it to the last minute. Therefore I’d still advise them to get there in plenty of time and go to the train as it is announced (which is usually 15 to 20 minutes before departure) or better still use a website that gives out platform information before hand.

Access to the platforms via the upstairs eating area is good as it is less busy. You’ll often find the gates are open more frequently up there too so they can wander as they please.

The at seat service by scanning the QR code works really well.

 

[jamesbond]

You should have both a buffet counter (for hot food/more choice) & an at seat trolley service. Hopefully seats are on the right hand side in direction of travel as this will avail the best views north of Newcastle.

Thank you friend.

I am slightly confused as to which direction the seats are facing. I have looked at my booking and the train seat map on LNER.

Is there any easy way to determine which way my seats are facing? I remember seeing that option during the reservation, but not sure where to look.

In the seat map, I see a seat with a line at the end of each seat, but not sure what it indicates.

Thank you

 

[Watershed]

Thank you friend.

I am slightly confused as to which direction the seats are facing. I have looked at my booking and the train seat map on LNER.

Is there any easy way to determine which way my seats are facing? I remember seeing that option during the reservation, but not sure where to look.

In the seat map, I see a seat with a line at the end of each seat, but not sure what it indicates.

Thank you

On LNER services, first class is normally at the London end. So on a journey from London to Edinburgh, coach A would be at the front. Do you know which coach and seats they have?

 

[jamesbond]

If they are boarding in Kings Cross then chances are they will get a seat. The train may show as fully reserved but it’s worth keeping in mind some may have reserved on flexible tickets as was the case on my train north. Fully reserved but several didn’t show up.

Thank you very much

You should have both a buffet counter (for hot food/more choice) & an at seat trolley service. Hopefully seats are on the right hand side in direction of travel as this will avail the best views north of Newcastle.

Thank you very much

Am I right in thinking that there are likely to be plenty of 1st class upgrades available?

Thank you. Is this via the seatfrog app or some other site?

On LNER services, first class is normally at the London end. So on a journey from London to Edinburgh, coach A would be at the front. Do you know which coach and seats they have?

Yes they have B 29 and B 30 on a Azuma 9 cross train from London to Edinburgh.

They will have one suitcase (26 inches) and one roll on (21 inches) each, will that be an issue to transport on this train?

On LNER services, first class is normally at the London end. So on a journey from London to Edinburgh, coach A would be at the front. Do you know which coach and seats they have?

Thank you see my reply below

 

[Watershed]

Yes they have B 29 and B 30 on a Azuma 9 cross train from London to Edinburgh.

Ok, those seats are next to each other, facing against the direction of travel, at a table on the right hand side.

They will have one suitcase (26 inches) and one roll on (21 inches) each, will that be an issue to transport on this train?

As long as they can lift them onto the train and into one of the luggage racks (above the seats, at the end of the coach or between the table rows) they will be absolutely fine.

 

[jamesbond]

Ok, those seats are next to each other, facing against the direction of travel, at a table on the right hand side.


As long as they can lift them onto the train and into one of the luggage racks (above the seats, at the end of the coach or between the table rows) they will be absolutely fine.

Thank you.

I guess I can keep looking to see if new seats open up online? I presume there is no way to change seats once the train departs, unless they actually swap with other passengers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thank you.

I guess I can keep looking to see if new seats open up online? I presume there is no way to change seats once the train departs, unless they actually swap with other passengers.

If there are any empty seats they could just take those (reservations are generally displayed on screens above them).

 

[High Dyke]

Luggage space is shown at the end of coach on seat plans. There's also limited space between back-to-back seats.

 

[E759]

The 17 year old requires an Adult ticket; just checking you know that. [Child tickets are for those 5-15.]

 

[jamesbond]

If there are any empty seats they could just take those (reservations are generally displayed on screens above them).

Thank you

 

[Wallsendmag]

If the trains are showing as full I would advise looking for another service. Yes coach C is unreserved but if you can find a seat reservation on another service I would suggest you go for that one.

 

[Falcon1200]

On Monday (13th Dec), thanks to Avanti cancelling my planned train from Glasgow, I travelled to London on LNER's 0900 from Edinburgh. I did not have a reservation but expected no problems finding a seat in First, however there were hardly any seats showing available. So I sat in a seat with an orange light above and the message 'Seat may be reserved later'. On departing Edinburgh I decided to try reserving the seat I was in, from the next stop (Newcastle) as the system would not now allow reserving from Edinburgh, only to be told 'there are no seats available'; However I also received an e-mail saying I did have a reservation but without a specified seat ! Presumably this is some kind of counted place system, but I am mystified as to why I could not book a particular seat - I was not even able to state in which class I was travelling. It seems a strange way of doing things, although fortunately no-one else was able to reserve my seat, or claim it, during the journey.

 

[Scotrail314209]

On Monday (13th Dec), thanks to Avanti cancelling my planned train from Glasgow, I travelled to London on LNER's 0900 from Edinburgh. I did not have a reservation but expected no problems finding a seat in First, however there were hardly any seats showing available. So I sat in a seat with an orange light above and the message 'Seat may be reserved later'. On departing Edinburgh I decided to try reserving the seat I was in, from the next stop (Newcastle) as the system would not now allow reserving from Edinburgh, only to be told 'there are no seats available'; However I also received an e-mail saying I did have a reservation but without a specified seat ! Presumably this is some kind of counted place system, but I am mystified as to why I could not book a particular seat - I was not even able to state in which class I was travelling. It seems a strange way of doing things, although fortunately no-one else was able to reserve my seat, or claim it, during the journey.

The reason for many seats not being available would be due to the fact the Azumas have less First Class provision than the MK4s with 104 seats compared to 175.

 

[Falcon1200]

The reason for many seats not being available would be due to the fact the Azumas have less First Class provision than the MK4s with 104 seats compared to 175.

Fair point, but LNER's system did not even allow me to specify which class seat I wanted !

 

[Wallsendmag]

Fair point, but LNER's system did not even allow me to specify which class seat I wanted !

That seem strange, I've never seem that.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Fair point, but LNER's system did not even allow me to specify which class seat I wanted !

That is quite odd, perhaps it might be worth raising with the social media teams and getting a clear answer as to why it is?

 

[Haywain]

Fair point, but LNER's system did not even allow me to specify which class seat I wanted !

Which 'system' were you using?

 

[Wallsendmag]

That is quite odd, perhaps it might be worth raising with the social media teams and getting a clear answer as to why it is?

To be honest Haywain and I will know much more about LNER's Retail System than our Social Media team

 

[Falcon1200]

Which 'system' were you using?

My account on LNER's website.

 

[Wallsendmag]

So you were amending an existing seat rather than booking a new one?

 

[Falcon1200]

So you were amending an existing seat rather than booking a new one?

No, I had no seat booked (having originally planned to travel via the WCML, scuppered when Avanti cancelled the 0737 Glasgow Central-Euston, despite the stock being in the platform and the train shown on the departure board until 0715 with an expected on time departure !) so was trying to make a new reservation.

 

[Wallsendmag]

No, I had no seat booked (having originally planned to travel via the WCML, scuppered when Avanti cancelled the 0737 Glasgow Central-Euston, despite the stock being in the platform and the train shown on the departure board until 0715 with an expected on time departure !) so was trying to make a new reservation.

If you were in "My Account" that only changes seats already booked, to book a new seat you need the green button as below. Then you get the options.

 

[Haywain]

No, I had no seat booked (having originally planned to travel via the WCML, scuppered when Avanti cancelled the 0737 Glasgow Central-Euston, despite the stock being in the platform and the train shown on the departure board until 0715 with an expected on time departure !) so was trying to make a new reservation.

Further to what @Wallsendmag has said, the process of reserving a seat is just as simple in the LNER app.

 

[Falcon1200]

All I can say is that I used my phone to access my LNER account, tried to reserve a new seat, not change an existing one, input journey details Edinburgh-Kings X, was given a choice of trains but not the one I was on as it had already departed Edinburgh, therefore tried to reserve a seat on the same train from the next stop, Newcastle, was told there were no seats available, but also received an e-mail stating I had a place on the train, but without any seat or even class specified. At the end if the day it did not matter as I had a seat and no-else claimed it.