To say something? Small children on quiet coach

[Balacqua]

Family with two toddlers in here.journey just started. I don't want to be an arse, maybe they don't realise- could be tourists, not sure - aibu to say something, nicely?

SilverBirch I can assure you I wasn't arsey - I even joined in a bit of banter with elder. I am on an ipad that takes ages to even post my comment ........... by which time you have already moved on and I am on catch-up!

SadW you did appear to be the only poster who couldn't understand the OPs post at the start

I know! Isn't it a bummer when you are typing "can you tell us more" and when your post appears via the ipad which was on 'go-slow' ................. everyone has been in and got the answer!

I have booked seats with virgin and Trainline twice in the last 2 weeks and have been presented with a choice of seats on the screen.
However, that may not always happen, depending on the availability, price etc.

Quiet coach just means no music etc.

Wow I didn't realise you couldn't opt out of being allocated seats on the quiet coach. What a daft system! If you've chosen it knowing your children will be noisy then that's one thing (selfish) but if you get told to sit there that's quite another (potentially embarrassing and awkward). Sort it out train companies!

I also think if the train is full and there's no other seats then the quiet carriage it is regardless of how noisy your children are.

YABU, how dare you expect a quiet coach to be....quiet.

I've been presented with a choice of seats, but only table/aisle/power socket, etc. Option for quiet coach, but no definitely-not-quiet-coach. Are you getting options for actual choices of seat/coach allocations beyond that? Am seriously jealous if so!

Argh, I was allocated the bloody quiet coach with a child yet again last week. I swear they do it deliberately.

Why can't they let you ask for non quiet coaches? WHY?

It was perfectly clear what the OP meant.

Stupid that you can't request not the quiet carriage. If I ended up in one with DD, who is fairly quiet but I couldn't guarantee it, I would collar the ticket inspector when he came round and ask if we could be moved and basically get him to collar seats in another carriage before shifting. If there wasn't then I would explain and apologise to my nearby fellow passengers and do my damnedest to keep her quiet.

What I absolutely wouldn't do is just expect everyone else to suck it up without attempting to resolve the situation.

"when you book, the system tells you which coach it is and gives you a choice."

Not all train companies offer this service when booking online.

IMHO the 'quiet coach' creates more trouble than it's worth. Should be renamed the passive aggressive sighing, glaring, tutting and flouting the rules coach. For what it is worth here's the Virgin rules:

Keeping the peace
To help keep things tranquil there are a few rules we need you to abide by in the quiet coach. Mobile phone calls and noise from electronic devices are strictly forbidden, and conversations must be conducted quietly, so everyone can escape distractions or enjoy a nap.

If you do have to make that important call, please move into the vestibules before dialing or answering.

... So not a child free zone and nor is first class.

If you book seats online, you are given the option of changing them in your booking. Well you are with Virgin anyway.

I have booked online family railcard and 2 children tickets for tickets only valid if you sit in particular seats, and been given the quiet coach.
Someone must think it's funny as it's happened a few times.

Someone upthread explained that she tried to change her booking - cost her £70.

Problem is that everyone has a different idea of what quiet means. It doesn't mean silent - says so on various train websites - but what constitutes 'quiet' is open to much interpretation.

I'm sure you're charged after the event, but before you even pay you get the option to change your seats with Virgin. Job done.

That's only one company though - depends who you're travelling with.

I think some of the pro-quiet / anti-children in quiet coach comments are ridiculous.

Obviously, if a parent travelling with young children deliberately books seats in quiet coach that is insane.

However, I don't see any reason why a parent allocated quiet coach seats without requesting them should necessarily move, even if seats elsewhere are free. First, there may be seats free elsewhere, but they may not be together, facing each other etc. Secondly, it is not easy to move seats on a train if you have luggage plus young children to move around. Thirdly, and most importantly, it is very difficult to be certain that seats will be available elsewhere. Frankly, if the train is empty enough for the parent and children to move it is likely empty enough for the person looking for quiet to move to a different quiet carriage or other end of the carriage they are end.

I don't remember when these quiet carriages became a "thing". I first remember encountering them on a French TGV train from Paris to south of France in 2006.

Great idea Retro. All those seeking peace & quiet should move OUT of the Quiet coach

Agree retro.

The other thing to bear in mind is that if the train is gets full up then people will come into the quiet carriage if that's where the only spare seats are. They haven't paid for a quiet coach, nor have they chosen one - the train company has taken their money and they have the right to speak and listen to headphones. Try telling people crowded into a compartment and having to stand for hours that they can't talk because you want 'quiet' - good luck