Page 5 | Train seat reservations

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 14/07/2026 07:37

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 22:41

There is always some arsehole who sits in your reserved seat and refuses to move.

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Then you find someone official on the train and get them involved. Personally I’d make a huge stink and wait until they moved. I’ve booked and paid, therefore that’s my seat.

Rocknrollstar · 14/07/2026 07:36

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 22:41

There is always some arsehole who sits in your reserved seat and refuses to move.

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Not in my world. If they are in my seat they move (and I am small and older). Many years ago I got a train in Manchester with my mum, toddler and baby and four business men were in our seats. I asked them politely to move and they declined. So I handed one of them the baby and told him I would be back when I had found seats. They moved pretty quickly. If people refuse to move you can call the guard. In my experience these days, people just don’t seem to understand how the seating works. They are often in the wrong carriage, never mind the wrong seats.

LightlyRoamingOcelots · 14/07/2026 07:35

tilypu · 14/07/2026 06:55

I would be very surprised if the train company reserved three seats around one table, and one elsewhere, for a party of four, tbh...

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They might, if there were no tables left that were fully unreserved and there were one or more tables where a solo traveller had reserved and requested a table seat (as is their right). In which case the maximum number of table-seat spaces anywhere on the train would be 3, and if a group of 4 makes a booking and requests table seats they would almost certainly be assigned 3 seats together and one elsewhere.

They could then try to negotiate with the holder of the 4th seat at their table to swap with their stranded group member but that person would have every right to refuse.

tilypu · 14/07/2026 06:55

Wadsworthy · 13/07/2026 23:48

Had you reserved all the seats around a table? Just because you're travelling as a family, you don't "need" a table - unless you reserved all seats.

If you did, then the other passengers had no leg to stand on [bad pun apologies].

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I would be very surprised if the train company reserved three seats around one table, and one elsewhere, for a party of four, tbh...

Tamtim · 14/07/2026 06:46

What the heck is wrong with some people? Just apologise and move for goodness sake. They don’t seem to have to ability to recognise that them taking up a reserved seat will likely have a knock on effect if you then take another person’s seat and so on and so forth.

SereneFinch · 14/07/2026 06:19

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 23:14

I haven on several train where the person "squatting" refused to move and the guard told the passenger with the reservation that they would find them another seat. Hasn't happened to me yet, but give it time.

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When this happens, the seat they find is usually in first class so the wronged passenger gets the last laugh.

GrottBaggs · 14/07/2026 06:13

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 23:03

Thanks for your thoughts on this, I hate anything like this and if you stand up for yourself people don’t like it. I think this woman thought I would capitulate because she decided to allocate our seats. I am bored of people like this.

I know exactly how you feel.

NotAnotherScarf · 14/07/2026 05:47

Cooshawn · 13/07/2026 22:48

If you're going to be patronising, at least know what you're talking about before going all smart arse.

Network Rail don't own any trains in the UK. The trains are owned by Angel, Eversholt and Porterbrook. Network Rail owns most of the infrastructure.

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Given the complete lack of information in the ops post a smart arse answer was well deserved...if they'd posted the later follow up rather than drip feed the post and my response would have been completely different

Wadsworthy · 13/07/2026 23:48

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:46

I got called an ableist for asking someone to leave the seat we had booked today. One of the ladies had cane, there was a disability table free. We were a party of 4 and needed the table as a family and the carriage was empty. I hasten to add they hadn’t sat down. Another women unrelated to the party waded in called me an ableist

Had you reserved all the seats around a table? Just because you're travelling as a family, you don't "need" a table - unless you reserved all seats.

If you did, then the other passengers had no leg to stand on [bad pun apologies].

BooBooMagoo · 13/07/2026 23:29

Cooshawn · 13/07/2026 22:48

If you're going to be patronising, at least know what you're talking about before going all smart arse.

Network Rail don't own any trains in the UK. The trains are owned by Angel, Eversholt and Porterbrook. Network Rail owns most of the infrastructure.

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Haha love this response

Weeellokthen · 13/07/2026 23:20

"Ableist " , did someone actually say that word? I have never ever heard anyone in real life using that in a sentence? 😂

fashionqueen0123 · 13/07/2026 23:18

I wish they’d scrap them. More hassle than they’re worth in many cases

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 23:14

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 13/07/2026 23:11

In that case you summon the guard to sort them out.

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I haven on several train where the person "squatting" refused to move and the guard told the passenger with the reservation that they would find them another seat. Hasn't happened to me yet, but give it time.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 13/07/2026 23:11

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 22:41

There is always some arsehole who sits in your reserved seat and refuses to move.

Edited

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In that case you summon the guard to sort them out.

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 23:03

Thanks for your thoughts on this, I hate anything like this and if you stand up for yourself people don’t like it. I think this woman thought I would capitulate because she decided to allocate our seats. I am bored of people like this.

OP posts:

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:57

Hmm sadly no dog with us today

OP posts:

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:56

She didn’t even want the table and was looking to be difficult.

OP posts:

Pistachiocake · 13/07/2026 22:56

NorthXNorthWest · 13/07/2026 22:41

There is always some arsehole who sits in your reserved seat and refuses to move.

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It should be like a plane, but as they're never going to have the same staffing levels, unfortunately I'm not sure what you can do. This is why my mum always took a dog on the train-no one bothers you, and wouldn't pull this. Can you borrow a dog from someone?

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:56

randomchap · 13/07/2026 22:49

Then they were being a dick.

I had to turf someone out of my booked seat on Friday. He huffed and puffed like a petulant child.

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I think on a moving train it’s difficult to see sometimes, this was leaving a mainline station and net prepared train

OP posts:

SallyD00lally · 13/07/2026 22:55

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:52

She said we were having an altercation as I pointed out it was our table - just so weird and overly aggressive because I disagreed with her. We all arrived at the same time and it marked reserved.

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“We are hsuan altercation “

Bit weird?

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:54

ABoldStatement · 13/07/2026 22:49

What’s a disability table? Not heard of them before.

But people sitting in seats reserved by others (and then refusing to move, more specifically) is a bugbear of mine.

They tend to have wheelchair access and move, they are on a few trains and have a lot more space

OP posts:

Original poster

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:52

AplineDaisies · 13/07/2026 22:48

What did they say when you pointed out that you had booked it ?

She said we were having an altercation as I pointed out it was our table - just so weird and overly aggressive because I disagreed with her. We all arrived at the same time and it marked reserved.

OP posts:

LightlyRoamingOcelots · 13/07/2026 22:49

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:39

That if you booked a seat it’s yours?

It depends. Sometimes yes.

If a train gets cancelled then all seat bookings on the next train are sometimes declared void and all seats are to be considered unreserved.

It is possible to book two seats and then your expected travelling companion doesn't show up. The unoccupied seat is not yours and cannot be used for your bags or for your own comfort - you only get one seat.

If neither of these apply and someone is occupying the seat you booked and there's nowhere else on the train you could sit but they refuse to move then yes they are a tosser.

ABoldStatement · 13/07/2026 22:49

What’s a disability table? Not heard of them before.

But people sitting in seats reserved by others (and then refusing to move, more specifically) is a bugbear of mine.

randomchap · 13/07/2026 22:49

littlebilliie · 13/07/2026 22:46

I got called an ableist for asking someone to leave the seat we had booked today. One of the ladies had cane, there was a disability table free. We were a party of 4 and needed the table as a family and the carriage was empty. I hasten to add they hadn’t sat down. Another women unrelated to the party waded in called me an ableist

Then they were being a dick.

I had to turf someone out of my booked seat on Friday. He huffed and puffed like a petulant child.