Eurostar - questions on seat assignments and online tickets
May 13, 2013, 9:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,918
Eurostar - questions on seat assignments and online tickets
Two questions on the Eurostar.
1) How do seat assignments work? Very often I try to change seats online, I only see a few seats available, and then the carriage is half empty. This morning I had the entire carriage to myself, after the online seat map last night showed me exactly two seats to choose from. Surely not all of these seats are no shows? Could it be that there are contingencies for different countries of purchase, i.e. people buying in France only have access to certain seats and people buying in the UK have access to other seats?
Also, do Carte Blanche cardholders get preferred seating for instance for the solo seats?
2) Is there any way around that (in my mind quite silly) restriction that tickets booked less than 48 hours before departure have to be picked up at the station? Why is that anyway?
1) How do seat assignments work? Very often I try to change seats online, I only see a few seats available, and then the carriage is half empty. This morning I had the entire carriage to myself, after the online seat map last night showed me exactly two seats to choose from. Surely not all of these seats are no shows? Could it be that there are contingencies for different countries of purchase, i.e. people buying in France only have access to certain seats and people buying in the UK have access to other seats?
Also, do Carte Blanche cardholders get preferred seating for instance for the solo seats?
2) Is there any way around that (in my mind quite silly) restriction that tickets booked less than 48 hours before departure have to be picked up at the station? Why is that anyway?
May 14, 2013, 1:28 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Grandee (Upgraded), BA Silver, AZ MilleMiglia
Posts: 3,107
1) in Standard Premier this has always been a bit of a mystery to me as well. I was told that the allocation depends on how many there are in your group when booking, but that doesn't help me as I almost always travel alone and rarely get a solo seat unless I book 2-3 weeks out. And I have a Carte Blanche. That could explain why the "family" seats at the end of the coach (73-78?) are often not booked - perhaps they are held back for groups and not offered to solo travellers?
There is a surprising number of no-shows, though. Many times I've changed my booking at the last minute at the station and been given a "standby"-type ticket (= access to the train but a tip-up seat in the worst case scenario), and in all cases there has been a seat free. But I'd hazard a guess that no-shows are only ever around 10%.
In Standard they still seem to fill up the coach from seat 1 upwards, so if you book seat 88 you're almost certain to have the seat next to you free, unless someone has proactively chosen it (and it isn't popular since it's next to the luggage racks and the toilets).
2) I haven't encountered that one. I've often booked online at the last minute and printed the ticket at home or downloaded it to my mobile. Are you sure? It may be a legacy piece of software from the days where the choice was to have the ticket posted to you (which you couldn't do too close to the date) or collect it at the station. Either way, you should always be able to retrieve the booking at eurostar.com and print it at home.
There is a surprising number of no-shows, though. Many times I've changed my booking at the last minute at the station and been given a "standby"-type ticket (= access to the train but a tip-up seat in the worst case scenario), and in all cases there has been a seat free. But I'd hazard a guess that no-shows are only ever around 10%.
In Standard they still seem to fill up the coach from seat 1 upwards, so if you book seat 88 you're almost certain to have the seat next to you free, unless someone has proactively chosen it (and it isn't popular since it's next to the luggage racks and the toilets).
2) I haven't encountered that one. I've often booked online at the last minute and printed the ticket at home or downloaded it to my mobile. Are you sure? It may be a legacy piece of software from the days where the choice was to have the ticket posted to you (which you couldn't do too close to the date) or collect it at the station. Either way, you should always be able to retrieve the booking at eurostar.com and print it at home.
May 14, 2013, 2:39 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,918
1) in Standard Premier this has always been a bit of a mystery to me as well. I was told that the allocation depends on how many there are in your group when booking, but that doesn't help me as I almost always travel alone and rarely get a solo seat unless I book 2-3 weeks out. And I have a Carte Blanche. That could explain why the "family" seats at the end of the coach (73-78?) are often not booked - perhaps they are held back for groups and not offered to solo travellers?
There is a surprising number of no-shows, though. Many times I've changed my booking at the last minute at the station and been given a "standby"-type ticket (= access to the train but a tip-up seat in the worst case scenario), and in all cases there has been a seat free. But I'd hazard a guess that no-shows are only ever around 10%.
In Standard they still seem to fill up the coach from seat 1 upwards, so if you book seat 88 you're almost certain to have the seat next to you free, unless someone has proactively chosen it (and it isn't popular since it's next to the luggage racks and the toilets).
2) I haven't encountered that one. I've often booked online at the last minute and printed the ticket at home or downloaded it to my mobile. Are you sure? It may be a legacy piece of software from the days where the choice was to have the ticket posted to you (which you couldn't do too close to the date) or collect it at the station. Either way, you should always be able to retrieve the booking at eurostar.com and print it at home.
There is a surprising number of no-shows, though. Many times I've changed my booking at the last minute at the station and been given a "standby"-type ticket (= access to the train but a tip-up seat in the worst case scenario), and in all cases there has been a seat free. But I'd hazard a guess that no-shows are only ever around 10%.
In Standard they still seem to fill up the coach from seat 1 upwards, so if you book seat 88 you're almost certain to have the seat next to you free, unless someone has proactively chosen it (and it isn't popular since it's next to the luggage racks and the toilets).
2) I haven't encountered that one. I've often booked online at the last minute and printed the ticket at home or downloaded it to my mobile. Are you sure? It may be a legacy piece of software from the days where the choice was to have the ticket posted to you (which you couldn't do too close to the date) or collect it at the station. Either way, you should always be able to retrieve the booking at eurostar.com and print it at home.
May 14, 2013, 9:57 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TLS/London
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 442
On 2) Yes, definitely the case. Neither can you book online for a printout at home or book through the mobile app when departure is less than 48 hours. You might be able to print out a ticket that has been booked more than 48 hours before departure. But if you book <48 hours then print at home is no longer possible. Pickup at the station is the only option, despite the little link button in the confirmation mail.
Also can't work out seat allocation though! Have had a few occasions where I've not been able to pick/change a seat and got on to find the whole carriage empty!
May 14, 2013, 10:47 am
#5
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Posts: 7,918
May 14, 2013, 11:19 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TLS/London
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 442
May 14, 2013, 6:11 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 9,029
Just a thought -- seat allocation on trains is a bit different than on planes, as you have to take into account that there are people who will be getting on/off at intermediate stations, so a seat might be blocked, but only for a part of the journey. If your journey overlaps with that person's journey you will not be able to choose his/her seat.
If it's a non-stop service, then there's some other black magic going on.
If it's a non-stop service, then there's some other black magic going on.
May 15, 2013, 1:47 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Grandee (Upgraded), BA Silver, AZ MilleMiglia
Posts: 3,107
Also in some cases (since the new website this year) it offers you seat selection but says it can't guarantee direction of travel. I don't understand how this can work as if you choose a numbered seat, its direction is known in advance, so maybe they reserve the right to change it.
The Man in Seat 61 (link) has this to say on the subject:
Note that the 'choose your exact seat' facility at www.eurostar.com is 'clever'. If you are travelling alone, it will show all bays of 4 seats around a table (and in 1st class, all bays of 2 seats) as already taken, even if those seats are in fact available. It only shows them as available if you are a group of 2, 3 or 4 people travelling together. If you're travelling alone and want a seat facing another seat across a table (one without a seat back in your face!), you will need to book by phone. If I'm travelling solo I have to book seat 61 by phone rather than online (it's one of two around a table), and I usually do a dummy online booking for 2 people first to prove that the seat is free.
CORRECT WINDOW LOCATIONS: Eurostar revamped their website in 2013, and when you click to choose your exact seat when booking online, the graphic seat numbering plan which appears shows the windows in an incorrect position relative to the seats. The detailed seating plan here is accurate, so if window location is important to you, choose your seat numbers using this accurate plan, then book those seat numbers on the Eurostar website, disregarding the window locations shown on eurostar.com.
... so there is probably more to this than meets the eye.
The Man in Seat 61 (link) has this to say on the subject:
Originally Posted by The Man in Seat 61
Note that the 'choose your exact seat' facility at www.eurostar.com is 'clever'. If you are travelling alone, it will show all bays of 4 seats around a table (and in 1st class, all bays of 2 seats) as already taken, even if those seats are in fact available. It only shows them as available if you are a group of 2, 3 or 4 people travelling together. If you're travelling alone and want a seat facing another seat across a table (one without a seat back in your face!), you will need to book by phone. If I'm travelling solo I have to book seat 61 by phone rather than online (it's one of two around a table), and I usually do a dummy online booking for 2 people first to prove that the seat is free.
CORRECT WINDOW LOCATIONS: Eurostar revamped their website in 2013, and when you click to choose your exact seat when booking online, the graphic seat numbering plan which appears shows the windows in an incorrect position relative to the seats. The detailed seating plan here is accurate, so if window location is important to you, choose your seat numbers using this accurate plan, then book those seat numbers on the Eurostar website, disregarding the window locations shown on eurostar.com.
May 15, 2013, 3:37 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Posts: 1,251
Some of the London-Paris services are non-stop, but all London-Brussels services stop at Lille. And there are usually lots of passengers getting on/off there!
May 15, 2013, 4:24 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TLS/London
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 442
Key word is essentially.... Basically if you get on in London you can get a feel for how full the cabin is... There are only 2 possible stops where people get on when you depart London (and no where near all trains stop at either), Ebbsfleet and Ashford for which you can take a chance leaving London whether people will get on at the other 2 stops (worst case, you move back to your original seat). Lille is a red herring leaving London as nobody gets on there when heading for Brussels, people only leave. Coming the other way treat Brussels as for Ebbsfleet nd Ashford, ie if someone gets on and is assigned the seat you over to, worst case scenario is your original seat!
May 16, 2013, 5:13 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,596
People certainly do board Eurostars at Lille on the way to Brussels - and sometimes there can be quite significant numbers, too.
More than once I've had two different seat-mates on a London - Brussels journey: London - Lille and Lille - Brussels.
More than once I've had two different seat-mates on a London - Brussels journey: London - Lille and Lille - Brussels.