Booking train tickets

Kido

I'm going to London towards the end of December and looking at the virgin trains website I've found some reasonabley priced tickets for my journey. The problem is that it doesn't let me select which way I travel. Due to travel sickness I need to be facing forward. If I went to my local station (or the nearest mainline station), would they be able to sell me the same priced tickets but let me select whether I'm facing forwards or backwards? The tickets are marked as advance, so not an internet only price or anything.

dzug1

Kido wrote: »

I'm going to London towards the end of December and looking at the virgin trains website I've found some reasonabley priced tickets for my journey. The problem is that it doesn't let me select which way I travel. Due to travel sickness I need to be facing forward. If I went to my local station (or the nearest mainline station), would they be able to sell me the same priced tickets but let me select whether I'm facing forwards or backwards? The tickets are marked as advance, so not an internet only price or anything.

If you book the same tickets on the First Great Western site it will let you express a preference. Your local station will probably be the same

There's no 100% guarantee though.

opinions4u

Where are you travelling from?

Manchester to London trains usually have an unreserved carriage E. So while you can book a preferred option in the way suggested above, when you get to the station you could head straight for carriage E. You'll almost certainly get what you want 15 minutes prior to departure.

dzug1

opinions4u wrote: »

Where are you travelling from?

Manchester to London trains usually have an unreserved carriage E. So while you can book a preferred option in the way suggested above, when you get to the station you could head straight for carriage E. You'll almost certainly get what you want 15 minutes prior to departure.

But a cheap advance ticket 'requires' you to sit in the reserved seat - OK that may not always be enforced, but the rule is there.

Andystriker

Whenever I book train tickets I use thetrainline.com

It always asks me if I want to sit facing forwards and if I want quiet coach etc.... Then before I book it tells me the seat number.

dzug1

Andystriker wrote: »

Whenever I book train tickets I use thetrainline.com

It always asks me if I want to sit facing forwards and if I want quiet coach etc.... Then before I book it tells me the seat number.

So does First Great Western - and they don't charge thetrainline's booking fees

dzug1

And on some journeys (many cross country services for example, and a few Great Western) the train reverses en route so even if you start off right halfway along you find yourself facing the wrong direction