Seat reservations on train

[ProudAS]

More a wwyd

I am on a train and some passengers (myself included) reserved seats in advance but the reservation tickets haven't been put in place.

Most people have been good natured about it and found seats near their travelling companions. I am now in "my seat" as the gentleman who was there has got off the train so hopefully I won't be told off for being in someone else's!

Problem is the train is now filling up, a few passengers are standing and there will no doubt be more after the next station. Would it be unreasonable to expect passengers who have not reserved to give up seats to those who have?

As for why the reservations weren't put on in the first place there may have been a good reason and I'm not in a position to hazard a guess.

In my (extensive) experience as a rail commuter, if the reservations are not out the train staff do not enforce them, this is usually accompanied by an annoucement to that effect. ALL the passengers have paid so its not really up to them to suffer due to the companies failure to comply with the ticket terms

Thanks Russians, that makes sense.

So travelling on FGW, if you get on, there ISN'T an announcement then people in your seat should move.

I cannot be the only one to travel on trains (admittedly not regularly) but to never be on rammed ones where this would be an issue

This time of year, the trains I travel on are like the black hole of calcutta.

I was told once that my ticket wasn't valid unless I was sitting in my reserved seat. (It was being used when I got on so I sat nearby) She had to move as ordered by ticket man. Now if I had reserved seat I always sit in it and ask someone nicely if they are in it showing my ticket if needed. Everyone has understood and moved.

I was going to do a long post, but this does it better.

I was travelling east coast last week and the reservations for two coaches got mixed up. They announced every station that the reservations in coaches B and D were void.

This didn't stop people trying to move others out of seats though...

Cross country trains would void reservations if their ticker tape displays weren't working...

You don't have to pay extra to reserve a seat. So if there aren't any reserved tickets our you can sit where you like and all reservations are void.