First Great Western

ron_mac

At Bristol Cardiff and Paddington there are first class lounges
At each on production of a first class ticket you get a really nice place to sit, watch TV, read and take away a newspaper, use a fax, have free hot drinks, cans of fizzy drinks, fruit etc etc (the one at Paddington contains the waiting room used by Queen Victoria!)

So when you buy your cheap fare to anywhere from one of these stations also buy the cheapest single fare to the nearest station and you can fill your boots in the first class lounge rather paying through the nose for plastic sandwiches and drinks that taste nasty from a platform vender, at Cardiff there is a mad lady who will even make the coffee for you!

Ron

David_Perks

Quick word of note ....

Usually on advance purchase fares, your not normally allowed into the first class lounges, it has to be a First Open ticket (IE. Pay on the day.)

I know this is the case on NXEC, but I'm not sure about other TOCs.

dzug1

Hmm first class single Cardiff to say Newport £7.60. You can get a sandwich and coffee for a lot less than that.

A lot of the 'nearest stations' will be served by local trains that have no first class fares - eg Cardiff Queen Street from Cardiff Central.

moonrakerz

David_Perks wrote: »

Quick word of note ....

Usually on advance purchase fares, your not normally allowed into the first class lounges, it has to be a First Open ticket (IE. Pay on the day.)

I know this is the case on NXEC, but I'm not sure about other TOCs.

Not on FGW. I use all sorts of "cheapo" first class tickets and have never been refused access to the Lounge at Paddington.
PS: you get free tea/coffee & bikkies on the train as well !