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How to reserve seats on British trains?

We'll be traveling from London to Edinburgh by train in early November, and I keep hearing about reserving seats on the right side of the train. How do I do that? Looking at eastcoast.co.uk I see where the options for seat reservations are forward or rear facing or at a table, but I don't see an option to request right or left side, or a seat map where I can pick my own seats. Am I missing something? Thanks!

Posted by
44 posts

Answering my own question... I did find the seat map, so all is well. I do have a new question though... looks like the only ticketing option available when using a foreign credit card is to pick up the tickets at a Fastticket machine at the train station. Do USA credit cards work at those, or do they require chip-and-pin cards?

Posted by
3428 posts

If you don't get a reliable reply soon, you might try private messaging Nigel who regularly visits these boards. He works for one of the train companies in the UK.

Posted by
44 posts

Thanks. I ended up calling the train co., where I was told that foreign credit cards with just a magnetic strip would work on the Fastticket machines.

Posted by
740 posts

You can also take your reservation confirmation to any "advance sales" window at any train station to pick up your seat reservations from a human agent. Fast and easy.

Posted by
409 posts

We have picked up tickets this way the past two years at Paddington station. Quick and easy...just ensure you use the card you booked with.