Windupradio Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 Hi. I'll be driving to the festival with friends early Thursday morning, but my wife needs to work and won't be able to get a train out of London until about 5pm on Thursday. There seem to be a few trains per hour from Paddington /Waterloo with the Paddington train being faster. 1. If I book a ticket for a specific train, with crowds is it likely that they will be able to get in that train, if not, can it be used on the next train with availabile space (ie are usual conditions of carriage for specified train bookings ignored due to the volume of people going to the festival?) 2. First class is not significantly more for the trains she is thinking of taking. Anyone got experience of a 1St ticket to Castle Cary for the festival? Will it be a reserved seat, thus guaranteeing her a place on the specified train, or if big crowds will she be waving the train goodbye from the platform and squeezing in to standard in the next available train. Therefore the additional cost for 1St having been wasted. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Sir Robin Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 Haven't been on the train for a few years now but I reckon if she gets there in good time (say 10 mins before departure) and has a reserved seat, she will get that seat, especially if it's in 1st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalifire Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 Departing from Waterloo would see her travelling with South Western Railway. It’ll be cheaper, but their reputation is poor and first class isn’t all that. Departing from Paddington would see her on a Great Western Railway train. The journey will be slightly shorter, trains more reliable and first class is actually a decent upgrade in terms of space and ambience (not food though). Tickets are slightly more expensive. Personally I’d take the second option and relish a bit of luxury before losing it until Monday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyseven Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 You're best off checking with the train companies re their policies about tickets for specific trains, i'd have thought you'd be ok for 1st class though - unless they have a mass influx of 1st class ticket holders. When I last took the train from Paddington they didn't seem to be too bothered what train I got (I had a ticket with a specific time), I think they just wanted to get people there and not have big crowds forming at Paddington. The train I got wasn't particularly full either, but this was Wednesday morning not evening. I would assume that they put on special trains for the festival so have adequate capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo999 Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 I’d suggest: 1st Class and booked seat from Paddington. If there is a holding pen at Padd for festival goers, DO NOT join the pen. Instead go to the Booked train, and if challenged show ticket and seat reservation. (the holding pen is for non published festival specials, I.e. not the train you’ve booked, and no seat reservations or 1st class choices are honoured. They just fill the train and send it off.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Size9 Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 I took the train from Paddington in 2015 and with any pre booked ticket you got a reserved seat. They’ll be cheaper too so unless this had changed just do that and if the train is packed you can hoik anyone out of your reserved seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo999 Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 You can probably ignore my point about avoiding the pen at Paddington. Seems like the days of unadvertised festival specials are a thing of the past. From what I can see, all the extra trains are fully bookable, accept seat reservations, have 1st class. So no need for them to run a pen feed any more. (As a side note... returns on the Monday do indeed still include unadvertised specials... they’ll take anyone with a valid ticket... regardless of whether the ticket has a specified time) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_coholic Posted June 13, 2019 Report Share Posted June 13, 2019 If you book an Advance ticket you have to take that train unless there are specific instructions from the operating company that tickets are valid on any train. If you book an advance first class ticket with seat reservation I cannot see any reason why you wouldn't get that seat unless the train is so busy that they have to de-regulate first class. So there is a slight risk but in general she should be ok. I would go to Paddington. The new HSTs from there are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barneym Posted June 13, 2019 Report Share Posted June 13, 2019 If they don’t let you on a booked train because it’s too full you will be able to get on any later trains but if you have a booking you should get your seat and be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windupradio Posted June 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 Thanks all. 1st class ticket booked. She is going to expense it anyway as if it wasn't for being called in to London for this inconvenient meeting then she would have been in the car with me and a few friends earlier in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithy Posted June 17, 2019 Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 This reminds me I need to book my ticket home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumbles Posted June 17, 2019 Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 Also if you are going from Paddington and arrive in good time then make full use of the first class lounge. Free tea, coffee, cold drinks, fruit, cakes and biscuits. Also have a shower there if you were coming back 1st class you would be able to use FOC on the day of your ticket back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumbles Posted June 17, 2019 Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) DP Edited June 17, 2019 by tumbles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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