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Importance of seat reservations in the UK

  • 15 June 2022
  • 6 replies
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Hello community,

I am going to travel the UK in July/August, starting in Germany, taking the Eurostar to London and then traveling through England and Scotland to go back. 

As our timetable is a bit tight (3 weeks time, so much to see), I just want to know how important it is to reserve seats in the UK. I’ve reserved seats for LNR trains because they are mandatory, but reserving seats for example for Birmingham-Liverpool and Glasgow-Inverness via GWR didn't work out due to that they don’t have seats left in their booking system on the days we want to travel. I’m now thinking of reserving seats at the apcrail website, but it costs 6€ per reservation and I wish to avoid that. 

Is there a chance that seats will still be available if we book them in person at the train station and/or we just board the train without reserving? I don't mind not having a seat, and we only have small carry-ons anyway.

Thank you! :)

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Best answer by rvdborgt 15 June 2022, 22:01

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All day trains in GB have optional reservations. Some appear to be mandatory but that is because RDG can't be bothered to send correct information.

It can be a good idea to book though. Don’t go via ACPrail though but use GWR instead, since they book free of charge, see these steps.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
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All day trains in GB have optional reservations. Some appear to be mandatory but that is because RDG can't be bothered to send correct information.

It can be a good idea to book though. Do go via ACPrail though but use GWR instead, since they book free of charge, see these steps.

Thanks for your kind and speedy answer, but GWR seems like it’s got some issues, at least for me. I’ve tried to book 3 different trains and destinations now, but yet it doesn’t work. I receive confirmations, but they don’t show seat number and coach number. I asked GWR on Twitter, their answer is just that their amount of reservable seats is already booked out then. Has anyone else had this problems?

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You could also contact the companies directly. So first check on nationalrail.co.uk who runs the trains and then contact them via their social media to get a reservation. That often seems to work and is also free of charge.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
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You could also contact the companies directly. So first check on nationalrail.co.uk who runs the trains and then contact them via their social media to get a reservation. That often seems to work and is also free of charge.

Thanks! I’ll try that. 

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There are several STRIKE (yes, thats streik) days coming up-in case du hast dies noch nicht gehoert. Even if it will not hit all the many different companies, they may be cautious and not release trains they are not sure of they will run.

REServ can only be done in IC-trains (though they do not use that label much anymore), not on the biggest lot of ´Nahverkehr´. In fact most of these trains as I´ve found, seem to have 1 car never REServed-but you may have to struggle to find it.

Its also free when there at counter-you do not have to fear for full trains weeks ahead.

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There are several STRIKE (yes, thats streik) days coming up-in case du hast dies noch nicht gehoert. Even if it will not hit all the many different companies, they may be cautious and not release trains they are not sure of they will run.

REServ can only be done in IC-trains (though they do not use that label much anymore), not on the biggest lot of ´Nahverkehr´. In fact most of these trains as I´ve found, seem to have 1 car never REServed-but you may have to struggle to find it.

Its also free when there at counter-you do not have to fear for full trains weeks ahead.

Thanks for warning, but I’m travelling at the end of July and hope that there won’t be any strikes by then. 

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