To think you check you can get home?

[Ayechinnyreckon]

A colleague/ friend came over for Christmas. Arrived Christmas eve and was meant to leave today.

They're a pleasant enough person but we aren't good friends so it's not as relaxing as it might be having them around. Before they arrived we agreed they'd come Christmas eve and leave boxing day - explained we already had plans both 24th and 26th for all day visits with family, all was fine.

They arrived Christmas eve and all has been well however when we discussed returning home, they didn't know what time their train was on boxing day (we were working out the best way to get them to the station). So they looked up train times, apparently for the first time since deciding to join us for Christmas! And lo and behold, there's no trains on boxing day.

I'd have thought it was fairly standard to check both sides of a train journey before departure? Now they're hanging around an empty house they don't know all day! Nothing within walking distance is open today so they literally have nothing to do!

Aibu to think you check you can get home before you set off?

Probably. But I don't know many hotels that let you check in at 9.30am.

Yanbu to expect them to know this, but it's common knowledge to absolutely everyone without a car who doesn't always just sit at home alone all Christmas that there are never any trains on boxing day and never have been.

But as I and others have pointed out on this thread, that simply isn’t true.

It really is.

I live rurally too and appreciate the effort guests make to visit us. I also kind of presume that they're capable of arranging how to get home from a place they've travelled to. We've hosted DHs recently bereaved friend since Sunday. He leaves tomorrow and the only thing I've said is to let us know if he needs a lift anywhere.

What a weird reaction.

I imagine they assumed trains would run today and feel mortified.
They will probably always check trains in future, but not helpful to you today.

They could check-in and sit in the lobby and/or restaurant, even if the room wasn't available until the usual check-in time. At least they would be out of your house and you would be able to have the boxing day that you planned!

I don’t understand why people think it’s worth making this person pay for a last minute hotel during peak season for what was probably a very honest mistake

At least you got a dog sitter.

I absolutely think they are capable and expect them to, however I do always check because it can be tricky at the best of times, let alone on Boxing Day. Trains running in some capacity is understandable presumption to make unless you’ve tried to travel by train on Boxing Day in the past and found out they don’t run at all.

Easier to beg for forgiveness than ask permission. They'll have known that there weren't any trains.

Find a nearby hotel - premier inn or Travelodge type

Absolutely. I’d just suck it up, let them know how the TV works and put it down to experience.

Three hour journey and they didn’t have tickets in advance or check the times? Mad.

Which is what we've done.

They do - it's an open return

Why on earth did you let someone your not that close with impose on your day! Your not being unreasonable in the slightest I’d be looking at coaches etc to get them back! X

Perhaps try and read OP’s posts?

Yeah maybe I should have oops!

That would majorly piss me off.

I have a friend who comes over to my house and the houses of others/goes to the pubs with us but never had any idea as to how she’s going to get home. She’ll want to stay out late, but if someone mentions they’re driving home or getting picked up, she starts loudly saying she doesn’t know how she’s getting home and suddenly a lift is offered to her. If this doesn’t happen, one or 2 of us will order and pay for an Uber as we have no other way of getting home and this has been our planned journey home and she always ends up travelling with one of us and getting dropped off at our expense. She never gives any money towards it or offers to pay for the next one, nor does she give us anything like a bottle of wine for helping. I find it so rude.

I think it is lovely to invite a new friend who is on their own to join in with Christmas, and also think it is very kind of OP to be concerned with that person't comfort while alone and to thrust the person alone in her house. So, OP, I don't think you are strange, but thoughtful and generous. Having this person for an extra day will be ok too, because of your generous spirit! Hope you have a lovely day with family-

My resolution for the new year would be to stop being treated like a mug by this woman.

There should be a rail replacement service.

LOL! It's not a case of works on the line or some issue that rail companies have to compensate for. They have no timetabled trains running today. If you're buying an open return common sense says you check which trains you might get back and at that point your guest would have realised. You either drive, get a coach or stay longer if you go somewhere just for Xmas Day.

I’d have assumed the trains were running. Why wouldn’t they be! I’ve flown on Christmas Day and Boxing Day plenty of times!

It’s pretty weird having an almost total stranger staying over at Christmas though.
How big’s your house?