If someone has taken your reserved seat and you mention it to onboard staff, is the person fined?

15-12-2022 01:20PM #1

If not, what (if anything) have Irish Rail got in place to deter you from sitting in someone else's seat?

I frequently get on the 10:38 train at Edgeworthstown to Mullingar. Sligo/Dublin service. And some brainless twat is always in my seat. Not being able to grasp the evidently difficult concept of seat reservation is one thing, but I end up having to take someone else's seat as a result.

What is/can be done about this?

end of the road · 17-12-2022 06:26PM

basically nothing unfortunately bar try for a refund.

irish rail don't do enforcement of anything and i believe the terms of travel state a reserved seat won't be guaranteed anyway.

the whole set up is ridiculous but there you go.

Spanish Eyes · 17-12-2022 06:38PM

Have you ever pointed to "twat" that the seat has been reserved by YOU. S/he can move to another seat.

wotzgoingon · 17-12-2022 06:45PM

I got mentally abused one time by several different people for pointing out the seat beside me was booked by pointing up the number on the board. In the end it was empty when we moved and for the remainder of the journey. Was I wrong or were they who knows.

Allinall · 17-12-2022 06:50PM

Just ask them to leave the seat.

Why would you fine someone?

17-12-2022 09:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120007905#Comment_120007905

Baffling

17-12-2022 09:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120007978#Comment_120007978

And what if the person in your seat is unreasonable? What then?

To deter them from sitting in a seat you booked? If there's a name above the seat, and it isn't yours, don't sit in it.

This happening at any time of the year is stupid, but especially now when trains are packed. Why bother your bollocks booking the seat?

EDIT: The seat, not your seat

Allinall · 17-12-2022 10:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008412#Comment_120008412

What’s with the aggression?

how many times have you encountered someone in your seat?

Have you tried the “Excuse me” tactic?

It usually works.

elperello · 17-12-2022 10:32PM

I don't use trains much here but I do in the UK.

Never had a problem there.

If and it's rare it happens you find someone in your booked seat they just move when you point it out.

17-12-2022 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008542#Comment_120008542

Towards you? Certainly wasn't the intention. I apologise if it came across as such.

It's every time without fail. 10:38 at Edgeworthstown, Connolly bound train. When I book the seat, I look to see what carriage has the most seats available, then pick one of them.

I have used the 'excuse me' tactic before. Many times. I've had staff remove people after the 'excuse me' tactic hasn't worked before a handful of times as well. The issue I have with this is that I shouldn't have to, nor should a member of onboard staff. There's an LED screen above the seats with a name (or booking number) above. Both mean the same thing. Don't sit here. Unless of course the LED screen isn't working because Irish Rail fucked it up somehow, but in my experience that doesn't happen especially often.

Jamie2k9 · 17-12-2022 11:32PM

Couple of problems here:

System is still very unreliable.
Irish Rail fail to alert customers that if traveling on a different service the seats are not longer reserved.
No enforcment of booked only online policy they moved to a few years ago.
The lack of enforcment of 2 and 3 above is now leading to significent numbers of empty seats on services and people standing. This is partly casued by move to online ticketing for any users and reduction the avaialble capacity online compared pre Covid. People are booking services for the fares and traveling anytime. Not umcommon for all Intercity capacity sold out actual loadings showing a very different picture because of points 2/3.

All could be resolved if only there was a Customer Experience Manager in place.

Immediate chagnes could be updating the online platform and booking emails, CSO instructed to do work and announce on any services if names/numbers are above seats after departure they can be taken by those standing.

OP if you book a window seat and its occopied and you fail to get another window seat apply for a refund. They might fub you off but be persistent.

whisky_galore · 18-12-2022 09:15PM

It's strange how people who sit in the wrong seat in a plane will 99 times out of 100 will apologise and move but will act the arsehole on a train in the same situation.

wotzgoingon · 18-12-2022 09:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012015#Comment_120012015

Because they are allocated and there is seat for everyone. On the train they see a empty seat and think it's mine now and will not move when asked as there are no other seats. My oul one was on a train and people got into booked seats and they knew it and kept saying I'm not moving to everyone else in the carriage.

Pablo Escobar · 18-12-2022 09:31PM

I use the train a lot but rarely have the issue, mostly due to where I get on there’s not many on at that stage. The more common thing for me is people challenging me in my seat, but they’ve gotten in the wrong carriage. That’s happened multiple times. I also encountered a couple this week who could not seemingly comprehend the alphabet in order to work out the order of the carriages. I’m actually surprised some of these people make it to the train station in the first place.

whisky_galore · 19-12-2022 10:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012045#Comment_120012045

Not being in danger of being flung off a train and/or arrested for acting the maggot is another!

Girl Geraldine · 03-01-2023 02:57PM

Because there is no enforcement of anything in Irish Rail, or in Ireland in general for that matter.

If you're shameless and brazen necked enough, you can get away with almost anything.

05-01-2023 11:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012078#Comment_120012078

I mistakenly moved an elderly couple out of 'my' seat having gotten on the wrong carriage - I assumed A would be the front of the train whereas in this case D was the front. Thankfully they hadn't reserved a seat and after a little grumbling moved on. I was very embarrassed when I realised my mistake.

Dr Bob · 05-01-2023 11:47AM

The problem with the booking system is that

A/ a lot of times the reservations dont appear until a few minutes before the train is due to depart .

B/ The trains also act as local commuter trains , for example the Sligo/Dublin train also serves Drumcondra/Leixlip/Maynooth. If you're using a leap card etc you have no way of booking a seat .

So quite often a passenger will get on the train in Connolly , get a seat , the train fills up , driver starts the engine and the names appear over seats.So its random if they'll have to stand for their journey despite the fact they arrived early(and if they're a local commuter they have no option to book a seat anyway).

Dr Bob · 05-01-2023 11:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012045#Comment_120012045

Like I mention above , the fact that a lot of these trains double as local commuter trains on their way out of /into Dublin means there quite often isn't a seat for everyone.

If someone has taken your reserved seat and you mention it to onboard staff, is the person fined?

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