Can I buy a train ticket online with no seat reservation

[CatKings]

I’m trying to buy DD a train ticket to come home just now but it’s not letting me just buy a normal ticket. It’s saying onlt first class left. I just want a ticket where she can jump on the next train (not a long journey).

Sounds odd. What train is it?

Where are you trying to buy it, what train operator is it? Which kind of ticket?

I just had to buy a booked ticket. I couldn’t see anywhere I could just get a standard ticket so she could get on any train she wanted.
Just meant she had to wait / she’s home now anyway.

I think you are confusing standard/ first class/ anytime/advance.Anyway pointless now!

Not confusing them. Didn’t give me the option to just buy a ticket and let her pick the train. Only let me buy one for specific trains, some only offering first class.

Normally you should get multiple
options, rare that there is only 1st class left but with all the issues in Scotland that might have limited trains and seats…

You can always buy a ticket and choose the train.

where were you looking?

I’ve seen the Trainline app declare there’s no seats available to book when there were plenty of seats spare on the train (that I already had a ticket for, I was just checking the times)

Often you have to pick a time, and it gives you the option of a seat but it’s an off peak single ticket so you can use it on another train.

You choose between that, or a set train which is often cheaper.

Many intercity routes require a reservation for a specific train. You can buy some tickets without specifying a train as there are unreserved carriages but it is a lottery as to whether there is space.

Eh? Thats how it works unless you buy an anytime ticket

Also, that’s not the question in your thread title

They're usually on a different tab or in a link at the bottom. If you're travelling after the morning peak, an off peak return is often no more expensive than advance tickets which are restricted to set trains.

I'm too disorganised to plan around fixed trains so I'll always pick the flexible option unless it's silly money.

What app are you using? And what train line?

For example if I'm buying on Trainline, the options to buy an Anytime Single/Return are shown after you choose a train that is leaving (for example) at 9am if you want to leave after 9am IYSWIM?

However, that option is also a lot more expensive. So for example, right now in Trainline I can go London-Leeds for £46 on the next train with an allocated seat. If I want to go some time after the next train on an Anytime ticket, no allocated seat, it is £116.

I’d try another app or website. My work platform once said there were not tickets to our alternate office one day - I got permission and bought one on my credit card on another app.

I think that’s because there’s always an unreserved carriage, so you just have to wing it as you whether you get one.

Trainline and northern were like this - you had to pick the specific train and some were only first class available.
Obviously in the station you can just buy a standard ticket and jump on the train. I couldn’t see anywhere online where you could just buy the anytime ticket.
Teen is ASD and wasn’t able to manage this at the station herself so I had to buy remotely.

It means that the train is very full so they won't sell any more in advance because they know that some will just turn up o the day and buy an open ticket.

What you need to do is to click on whatever train is available. Then click Continue and on the next page select off peak day single. That ticket can then be used o any offpeak train.

What is the screenshot supposed to show? There is a choice between standard or first here

I couldn’t screenshot the trains in the past. It was an example of how it presents, specific trains, not a general ticket.

You have to choose a specific train, but then on the next page you select whether you buy an Advance ticket that is only valid for that train, or an open ticket that is valid for any train.

The choice for Anytime tickets appears on the next page, after you have chosen a specific train. Yes, I know that probably doesn't make sense, nevertheless that's where it is....

Yeah you have to pick a time and on the next page you get the option for to make it any time :)