Unreserved Train Seats - Advise needed please!

PeedieKat

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone could advise me about unreserved train seats on a return trip from Nottingham to Skegness in October (14th and 21st are travel dates)? I have tried reserving seats online but it says they are unavailable, no matter what time I select. After a call to East Coast trains a few days ago they said they would only be releasing some of the seats I needed today, but it still wont let me reserve them, even though it says the seats have been released:(.
We are travelling as a party of 2 adults and 4 kids with a family railcard and I wondered what the chances were of us getting unreserved seats and how long before the train leaves you need to be there to get them? We're travelling at off peak times, so hoping it wont be too busy. We've never travelled by train before, so unsure of how it all works
Any help or advice very much appreciated x

dzug1

PeedieKat wrote: »

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone could advise me about unreserved train seats on a return trip from Nottingham to Skegness in October (14th and 21st are travel dates)? I have tried reserving seats online but it says they are unavailable, no matter what time I select. After a call to East Coast trains a few days ago they said they would only be releasing some of the seats I needed today, but it still wont let me reserve them, even though it says the seats have been released:(.
We are travelling as a party of 2 adults and 4 kids with a family railcard and I wondered what the chances were of us getting unreserved seats and how long before the train leaves you need to be there to get them? We're travelling at off peak times, so hoping it wont be too busy. We've never travelled by train before, so unsure of how it all works
Any help or advice very much appreciated x

There are no reserved seats (or indeed cheap advance tickets) on that route at all. The basic fare is £28.20 a head off peak return - obviously less F&F, etc, discounts for you. You don't need to book in advance - it's the same price on the day.


The train starts from Nottingham (most of them anyway) so it won't arrive full. I wouldn't imagine it will be that busy on Mondays in October but ICBW. Half term??

PeedieKat

Thank you so much for your help! We're in Scotland so it's our school holidays but I think the English school holidays start a few weeks later.
I'll just go ahead and book the tickets now (I'm a bit of a worrier so hate leaving things to the last minute!) and will relax a bit more about it now. Trying to organise a holiday for us is like a military operation!:D
Thanks again for your help x

LexyBoy

I wouldn't book tickets now! There's nothing to be gained from booking so far in advance - the tickets will be the same price on the day, and as dzug1 says these trains are non-reservable. If your plans change and you need to travel on a different day, or not at all, then you will have lost most of your money (these tickets are refundable minus £10 fee per ticket).

If you are booking now, remember not to use Thetrainline - it is always more expensive than the station!

jacques_chirac

The 21st is the Monday of half term week for Nottinghamshire, so may well be busy with people that have been away for the weekend - and that train does get very busy! Unfortunately dzug1 is correct, you cannot prebook seats on this route. Get to the station early and queue at the gate (they don't let you on the platform until the train is in). To kill some time there are some excellent chip shops just round the corner