UK train reservations

I’m making a flying visit to the UK over Christmas and in an attempt to see lots of people very quickly I’m getting a Rail Pass that covers the time I’m over there. Sounds easy….
2 questions really, when should I reserve seats by for trains over Christmas/New Year?
How do you reserve a seat without a ticket?

then finally I’m assuming an Evoc bike bag can just be wheeled on and put somewhere – I’m not going to have it with me for all the journeys or the ones in and out of London just before christmas thankfully.

Not sure about the reservations but the tickets are released about 12 weeks in advance.

If you go on the train tickets websites they generally have an option to receive an email alert when tickets for a particular journey become available.

All the ones I’ve checked are available, just not sure how to book a seat without actually buying a ticket (the pass is a ticket for 1 month)

Not sure about other lines but you certainly can on eastcoast, my daughter does it.
Your searches may be more fruitful if you used the term ‘season ticket’ rather than ‘pass’

EDIT: here
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/rail-travel/your-ticket/train-ticket-options/season-tickets/

Assuming you can drive, wouldn’t it be easier & cheaper to hire a car ? 😕
I went car free for a few years, but used to hire cars for the festive period / summer hol as it was just easier.

1 month unlimited 1st class rail travel is £550, standard is £227
For 15 days travel in 2 months it’s £475 1st or £230

Considering I’ll be covering the Lakes, Northumberland, SE and midlands it should be a lot cheaper and easier and I don’t have to worry about jet lag and when to stop the free G&T’s on the plane.

Those prices are not available to residents though.

edit# If you know of any point to point car hire in the UK that will do 10-15 days cheaper than that it would be good but I assume fuel still hasn’t got any cheaper since I left.

Driving won’t be cheaper for a single traveller, 2 up would make it a better deal

@mike most trains into London (commuter type ones) don’t have seat booking. You get booked seats typically on the longer services. First class generally quite quiet (ie not sold old) although on super busy services first class can be declared a free for all by train staff. Not all UK trains have luggage storage areas big enough for bikes, again it depends on the route / train type.

Most car rental companies do point to point with a surcharge which can be pretty huge though !

thanks for that, I’ll book what I can, the car hire price will be ridiculous for what I’m doing especially as in most cases stations will be closer than car hire depot’s too. I’ll try and avoid the commuter specials and just wander in with the bike bag. The plan is not to take it anywhere near london and the south – no point really 🙂

There may be a flaw in your scheme.
Over the last couple of years, Network Rail has shut half the lines in the UK completely over the Xmas period, for engineering works.

You may find that the services you need, will not exist during that week. Check before you buy your pass.

EDIT: a search on the Networkrail.co.uk site for Christmas brought up this and more:
The West Coast main line will be closed between London Euston and Hemel Hempstead after the last trains on Christmas Eve until Monday 29 December 2014. It will also be closed between Stafford and Crewe after the last trains on Christmas Eve until Sunday 28 December 2014.

Between Christmas Day and 2 January 2014, three upgrades at London Victoria, Gatwick Airport and a major junction between Redhill and Purley will take place which will impact Southern, First Capital Connect and First Great Western services in the area.

We did Manchester to London and back at the weekend. Each carriage had space for a few large suitcases, don’t think you’d have got a bike bag on easily. In fact the local commuter trains were better space wise.

Those prices are not available to residents though.

Fu**in typical – sounds an ace idea to go and see our own country – AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

@andyfla: similar prices are available for Europe, so you could go and see the whole of France or Italy instead.

For getting a bike bag on virgin trains: try to find out in advance if and where there is a disabled carriage, and stick your bike bag in that part cos there’s loads of empty space. In 3 years of back and forth to Uni I saw one disabled person on a train, and there would have to be at least two for all the space to be taken.

Also, never ever admit there’s a bike in there, or they’ll at best want a tenner, at worst refuse entry to the train because you haven’t booked a bike on.