Assigned seats for the Ocean?

[NeoArashi]

Just book my trip for my vacations (7th trip to halifax, lol) and I noticed that this time, I actually got a assigned seats, usually, even when I hit ''window'' as prefered seat, I don't get a seat (so I basicallt get to choose my own seat).

Since when did you get assigned seats for the Ocean? I took the Ocean 4 times in 2018 (2 round trips, in march, and in may/june) and I didn't get assigned seats.

[marquisofmississauga]

I don't know the exact date, but when we were on the Ocean in mid-October the SM was saying assigned seating started a very short time before that.

[NeoArashi]

Yeah, I asked to change some seats before I got in the #35 this morning, it's leaving as I type this)

I asked the lady and she said they started to assing seats somewhere in fall of this year.

[timberley]

Assigned seating has been in place on the Ocean since October 10, 2018 (in place on both #14 and 15 departing that day). With the assigned seating line numbering for coaches is now consistently in place, and is consistent with the numbering for Corridor trains - since there is only Economy class, the first coach is numbered as 03 and they work back from there (no 01 as that is used for Business class, and 02 is never used - not sure why, but second Business cars get numbered 91 instead of 02).

I know some people have mixed feelings about assigned seating, but I'm definitely a fan. It means there's no longer a need to line up well in advance of the train with the hope that you can get a seat you want, especially in the Rens where single seats are very desirable for solo passengers. It also means that those boarding at intermediate stops can reliably count on having a seat they would like, rather than being faced with whatever happens to be left (and sometimes no seats together, for those travelling as a pair or group). The only thing missing is the ability to actually select seats online - something VIA has been talking about for years, but will not happen until they launch their new reservations system (still some time off from the sound of it...). Of course assignments can easily be changed by calling VIA or dropping by a station.