| How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by grahame at 10:50, 6th April 2025 |     |
Lisa and I are travelling on a Cross Country train next month - long distance and it's likely to be crowded - so I dropped them. note (with journey details) asking for a reservation.
Hello Graham,
I would like to inform you that we do not deal with the Interrail passes due to which we are unable to reserve the seats.
We as CrossCountry Customer can help with the seat reservation only if the Train tickets are purchased from CrossCountry website or application.
I would like to inform you that we do not deal with the Interrail passes due to which we are unable to reserve the seats.
We as CrossCountry Customer can help with the seat reservation only if the Train tickets are purchased from CrossCountry website or application.
The Interrail people say that reservations are dealt with locally by the train operators - reasonable in many ways as common systems are not set up for all 33 countries and all TOCs within those countries ... but if TOC can't (or won't) reserve you a seat on their trains, who can?
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by ChrisB at 11:22, 6th April 2025 | |
First thought: Buy a Seatfrog upgrade in the week before travel. comes with reservations in 1st.
Second try - their "10minute" text reservation will work from the start of business on the day of travel - no guarantee but better than nothing.
Third: Buy a ticket, reserve seats, refund tickets just before travel. I believe seat reservations don't cancel.
Ask Mark Smith, Man in Seat61 - he'll know & is on Twitter/X
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by IndustryInsider at 11:55, 6th April 2025 | |
First thought: Buy a Seatfrog upgrade in the week before travel. comes with reservations in 1st.
Second try - their "10minute" text reservation will work from the start of business on the day of travel - no guarantee but better than nothing.
Third: Buy a ticket, reserve seats, refund tickets just before travel. I believe seat reservations don't cancel.
Ask Mark Smith, Man in Seat61 - he'll know & is on Twitter/X
Second try - their "10minute" text reservation will work from the start of business on the day of travel - no guarantee but better than nothing.
Third: Buy a ticket, reserve seats, refund tickets just before travel. I believe seat reservations don't cancel.
Ask Mark Smith, Man in Seat61 - he'll know & is on Twitter/X
Or pop in person to a local ticket office? Chippenham? Trowbridge?
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by grahame at 12:01, 6th April 2025 | |
Or pop in person to a local ticket office? Chippenham? Trowbridge?
I was just waiting for XC to suggest to me I pop down and get it done at my local station (which doesn't have a ticket office). Yes - I will probably follow the spirit of your suggestion though at Bath Spa where there's a probability of the ticket office being open at the time I'm there and not rushing for a connection.
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:21, 6th April 2025 | |
Yes - I will probably follow the spirit of your suggestion though at Bath Spa where there's a probability of the ticket office being open at the time I'm there and not rushing for a connection.
Use them or lose them!
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by ray951 at 19:08, 6th April 2025 | |
You can book seats on the GWR website https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/seat-reservations it will ask what ticket you have; but you can select any type and it will reserve a seat at no cost.
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by ChrisB at 21:25, 6th April 2025 | |
On CrossCountry, I think not?
| Re: How do I reserve a seat on a Cross Country train with an Interrail pass? Posted by ray951 at 08:34, 7th April 2025 | |
On CrossCountry, I think not? 
You should try it, I booked a seat on the 07:23 Southampton Airport to Oxford Cross-Country service and I also booked a seat on the 08:41 Edinburgh (EDB) to Glasgow Queen Street, so it isn't just GWR services and you don't have to buy a ticket at the same time.
The steps to reserve a seat are as follows:
1) Select 'Online Booking' option from https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/seat-reservations
2) Login to your account.
3) Go to Bookings - View Bookings
4) Select Make a seat/bike reservation.
5) Enter the details of the service you wish to book seats on
6) When it asks you for ticket type you can select any type.
7) Confirm booking
You have reserved a seat.And the service is free.
