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Strange Issue with Night Riviera & Poor Communication from GWR

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Essexman

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I’ve been trying to book the Night Riviera for w/c 13th December (it’s the only GWR Inter City train I feel safe to use due to passengers not wearing masks).

Earlier in the week their website showed no ticket availability at all (‘no fares available’).

On Tuesday I contacted GWR by twitter and was told that the train would be running but there would be no sleeper berths available due to ‘an issue with the berths’.

I assumed that it was a technical or Covid issue but questioned further and was told that it was ‘a fares issue so from 13th they’re not bookable at present’.

Today I noticed that fares were available for seats but not berths so messaged GWR again. I was told that the issue was ongoing and to check over the weekend.

Bookings for berths are being taken for this week. Next week the sleeper isn’t running due to engineering works in Cornwall. It seems strange that an issue has arisen that allows bookings for this week but prevents them selling berth tickets from 13th.

There is no mention of this on GWR’s website so prospective customers may assume that the berths are fully booked and GWR will lose business. Poor communication and a strange problem.

Meanwhile I can’t make firm plans for my trip in case the problem isn’t resolved and berths can’t be sold.
 
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Paul Duck

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Good old new reservation system that is being introduced nationally hasn't worked very well on sleeper trains. I'm sure I seen on the website that if you need to book a berth then to give them a ring on a number. It was on the night riveria page on the GWR website. I got a call from the GWR reservations team today to advice I would be allocated a different berth from my original one. Thought this was really good of them to call and go through what is happening.
I believe the new reservation system is putting strangers in the same berth and splitting up passengers who want to be together. Ticket offices have been given a brief on how to book sleeper bookings going forward but not sure if the internet has not caught up.
 

FQTV

Member
Joined
27 Apr 2012
Messages
1,067
I’ve been trying to book the Night Riviera for w/c 13th December (it’s the only GWR Inter City train I feel safe to use due to passengers not wearing masks).

Earlier in the week their website showed no ticket availability at all (‘no fares available’).

On Tuesday I contacted GWR by twitter and was told that the train would be running but there would be no sleeper berths available due to ‘an issue with the berths’.

I assumed that it was a technical or Covid issue but questioned further and was told that it was ‘a fares issue so from 13th they’re not bookable at present’.

Today I noticed that fares were available for seats but not berths so messaged GWR again. I was told that the issue was ongoing and to check over the weekend.

Bookings for berths are being taken for this week. Next week the sleeper isn’t running due to engineering works in Cornwall. It seems strange that an issue has arisen that allows bookings for this week but prevents them selling berth tickets from 13th.

There is no mention of this on GWR’s website so prospective customers may assume that the berths are fully booked and GWR will lose business. Poor communication and a strange problem.

Meanwhile I can’t make firm plans for my trip in case the problem isn’t resolved and berths can’t be sold.

It seems to be explained on the website:

Night Riviera Sleeper​

Updated: 2 December 2020​

Important changes – you will need to book your cabin by telephone
Due to a problem with our reservations system, we have had to make some temporary changes:
  • if you want to book a cabin, please call our dedicated team on 0345 700 0125 – option 3, 3
  • if you have already booked a cabin and are travelling up to 12 December, your plans won't be affected
  • if you have already booked to travel from 13 December onwards, we may have to offer you a different cabin of the same standard when you arrive
 

Essexman

Established Member
Joined
15 Mar 2011
Messages
1,380
Thanks. I couldn’t find anything on the website and the person on GWR Twitter didn’t refer me to it or tell me that I can book by phone.
 

Essexman

Established Member
Joined
15 Mar 2011
Messages
1,380
I called GWR today. They can't sell me a ticket for a berth for any date from 13th December and said this is due to a problem with the booking system. She said that the train will run and they could sell me a seat and they hope to resolve the booking issue but if not it will run with the berths empty. What a ridiculous situation.
 

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,539
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
I called GWR today. They can't sell me a ticket for a berth for any date from 13th December and said this is due to a problem with the booking system. She said that the train will run and they could sell me a seat and they hope to resolve the booking issue but if not it will run with the berths empty. What a ridiculous situation.

How bizarre. Surely they could set up an Excel spreadsheet or something temporarily!
 
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