Train ticket/seat question

[WeirdlyKind]

Booked a trip on the Grand Central train from Hartlepool to York, at the end of Feb. Four of us are travelling, two children (3 & 5) and two adults.

We've all been seated individually which isn't suitable for obvious reasons. It's the first time I've travelled on the train in absolutely ages, and the last time we didn't pre book so I'm not sure the best way to sort it - if I contact them, can they do anything or are we stuck with the seats we've got?

(They're not even remotely close together, unfortunately!)

Yes give them a call, maybe the train is full and that’s what’s left, but otherwise they can change them. If not there’s usually unreserved seats you can sit in, in pairs at least

The journey is only an hour long so if you can't convince anyone to switch seats, just take the dcs for a wander up and down the carriages, 3yp can sit on a knee for a bit, 5yo and a grown up can sit and play cards in the gap between the carriages.

If it was a long journey maybe worth changing but surely not for 1 hour?

There is an unreserved carriage but it may not be empty (I get on the first stop at both ends). However, it only really gets busy from London to york so you might be ok.

Thank you! I might just give them a ring and see if anything can be done. Neither of them will sit alone and I'm not comfortable with the idea anyway.

That's bonkers, not normal

Very bizarre that they have done that. I would definitely call them. But failing that, most people will offer to swap if you start trying to seat a lone child next to them 😁

Did you book their tickets as child tickets?

I'm sure trainline only does child tickets for 5+, and expects under 5s to sit on a knee.

Yep, child tickets. Booked directly through Grand Central.

I've heard of it happening on planes, where families are spread out. Didn't think it would happen on a train.