So I’m stuck.

[jon@gruene.social]

The train manager was friendly. So I’m on my #CrossBorderRail to Liège. In the bar for now…

[f09fa681@digitalcourage.social]

@jon But you're right, having to rely on the courtesy of train staff is a terrible position to be in. That's what makes people take their car instead.

[uc@mastodon.scot]

@jon

Sometimes in the bar is the best place to be, only beaten by having service direct to your seat.

[ednl@mastodon.social]

@jon Great outcome. Or will they throw you out if you don't order every 15 minutes? Pace yourself!

[jon@gruene.social]

Also I increased the chances of this working by knowing what type of Eurostar - Thalys runs the Köln service, and waiting right beside it before the platform was announced. That meant I was the first to see the train manager. That ought not be necessary! #CrossBorderRail

[quixoticgeek@social.v.st]

@jon this is why I say we should never book a train ticket, but buy a train ticket.

[jon@gruene.social]

I tried the ticket office for Eurostar first. But there were 3 desks open and a crazy queue. That would not have worked. #CrossBorderRail

[webhat@infosec.exchange]

@jon I was told at the ticket desk in Paris that I would need to talk to the train manager, after waiting for 15 minutes

[jon@gruene.social]

@webhat the problem is you can’t always get to the train manager! But yes, if you can it’s the best - for Eurostar. They have more power than SNCF ones.

[bentorfs@mastodon.social]

@jon So you wait before the closed barriers, waiting for attendants to show up, and then you ask them to get the train manager for you? I don't suppose you had a valid ticket to actually get next to the train before that

[jon@gruene.social]

@bentorfs Correct. I showed my ticket for the 09:46 at the barrier, and asked to go see the train manager. And am on the 11:51.

[hub@cosocial.ca]

@jon I'm taking this Sunday evening.

[hub@cosocial.ca]

@footils @jon I used to tell them "at least you have trains, or at least an attempt to run them" and then I get to explain trains in Canada.

[hub@cosocial.ca]

@uc @jon Some route still don't have bar service... unless you BYOB.

[bentorfs@mastodon.social]

@jon That's good to know for the inevitable day that I'll be in that situation. I usually book with very large transfer times to avoid just that

[uc@mastodon.scot]

@hub @jon

Upgrade, you know you want to....

[hub@cosocial.ca]

@jon it can be late 2:30 hours and I'll be winning. (long connection for the ICE in Cologne)

[jon@gruene.social]

@bentorfs I had a decent amount of time to transfer. But I was 2 hours 30 mins late into Paris! I didn’t give myself that much

[peterbrown@mastodon.scot]

@Katti @jon compulsory reservations collapse at the first contact with disruption, because you face an almost empty train with no possibility of filling the seats as the passengers are all held up by the disruption.
And then when the delayed passengers do appear, you refuse to carry them because they don’t have a reservation for that departure.

[webhat@infosec.exchange]

@bentorfs @jon in one case for me I had a first class ticket and the attendants told me to go to and enter the bistro car and wait for the train manager there