TRAIN passengers are being asked to book seats in advance to ensure they are a safe distance from each other.

CrossCountry is asking customers to book a place on a specific train for their journey from now on.

The company already asks passengers to sit at least one row away from others, but as ticket sales pick up again as lockdown eases, it is now telling people to reserve a seat to ensure it can continue.

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Customers will not actually have to sit in specific seats so long as they are at least one row away from others, but the new system aims to ensure a limited overall number of passengers.

Managing director Tom Joyner said: "As more people resume travelling it’s important we maintain a safe environment for their journeys.

"With fewer seats than normally available, we are asking people to book a seat so we can manage the number of people on each train and help everyone keep a safe distance from others."