Transport User Voice October 2024 – The curious case of the ‘sold out’ train

07 October 2024

Transport Focus helps resolve the issue  

We are all familiar with the frustrations of the delayed or cancelled train, but for some passengers, even booking a journey has been proving challenging – as we discovered earlier this year.

Passengers at Kenilworth drew our attention to ‘sold out’ or ‘not available’ appearing against almost all journey options between their station and Birmingham, particularly if looking to buy on the day of travel. Transport Focus took this up with Avanti West Coast, as we suspected it had something to do with its trains being down as compulsory reservation on ticketing systems.

On investigating, it turned out that Avanti was allocating a certain number of places on each train that could be used to sell Advance tickets, and a separate number for sale of other ticket types – including ‘walk up’ tickets of the sort needed for journeys between Kenilworth and Birmingham.

The problem was that once the non-Advance places were used up on the Avanti leg of the journey, ‘sold out’ or ‘not available’ showed for any journey involving a ‘walk up’ ticket type, even if Advance tickets were still available to other stations on the same train.

Noting Avanti’s wish to serve primarily longer distance passengers, Transport Focus put the following to the company. First, that the consequences of its approach were unacceptable: passengers could not buy a ticket online for certain journeys on which ‘walk up’ tickets were valid.

And second, that showing ‘sold out’ or ‘not available’ on a particular train depending on where a passenger wanted to travel was not in the spirit or practice of an inclusive, ‘walk up’ national railway. Avanti reflected on our objections and agreed to modify its approach.

Transport Focus has ensured that tickets are once again available to buy for Kenilworth to Birmingham and similar journeys in most circumstances.

Back to the newsletter

Like what you read? Please click below to share on social media.