Views on 1st class v standard tickets?

alisont

Hi

Im going to London in the half term and am looking at the Virgin website to book my tickets.

I need to go Stourbridge in West Midlands to Euston via Birmingham

Have got a student railcard going Fri 20th back on the Sat 21st.

Best price Ive found is £9.90 going out and £14.35 back or the outward journey is showing first class ticket at £24.40 on the Friday.

Wondering if Its worth paying the extra to go first class as I think that would include drinks during the journey and access to the first class lounge at both Birmingham and London?

A return with my railcard would only be about £30 but Id like option of reserved seats.

Want to go into Euston as quicker and my hotels nearer there.

Do you think Its worth paying the extra for the First class option? That seems very cheap for First class?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Lorian

I would at that price.

Livingthedream

On Virgin Trains, you get complimentary drink, food, newspaper, headphones and access to the station 1st class lounge for your 1st class ticket. Not bad for an extra £14ish.

alisont

Thanks will book tonight, if Its still there, thought it sounded a good price, I doubt Virgin trains have food I can eat as Im vegan but the drinks option would be nice and the first class lounges.

MylesBetter

Weekday these VIRGIN 1st Advance tickets are very good value. I use them all the time. Remember the tight T&C's attached to the ticket though.

If you sit down and work out what you get for the money as opposed buying it from the onboard shop and purchasing a standard ticket, the cost of the actual seat can work out cheaper, especially adding on the freebies available in the 1st class lounges at the start and end of your journey. At Euston this includes free toilets which on the station concourse costs 30p per visit. Also at Euston their are free showers if you want to freshen up after arriving or before departing from London in the 1st class lounge.

With a rail card and buying using a VIRGIN Credit Card via the Buying Tickets Special Offers on the Virgin Trains WEB site you get your 1st class ticket with a 10% discount making it even more value. So £24.40 reduces to £21:96 which is even excellent value.

chuckley

id book now! yea u get unlimited hot drinks n biscuits on weekends and actual food on weekdays.

on open rtns always pay 1st upgrade on the train as its usually £10 from london to midlands, £15 for london to mancs and £20 for london to further up north.

i find reserved seating pointless as they always give u duff seats(coaches C and D). and i never sit in mine!

chuckley

alisont wrote: »

Thanks will book tonight, if Its still there, thought it sounded a good price, I doubt Virgin trains have food I can eat as Im vegan but the drinks option would be nice and the first class lounges.

check their website on the 1st food, as im sure i read they now do a vegan option.

omelette451

Livingthedream wrote: »

On Virgin Trains, you get complimentary drink, food, newspaper, headphones and access to the station 1st class lounge for your 1st class ticket. Not bad for an extra £14ish.

If you're not going to be eating the food, is £14 for a pee and a beer really worth it? I admit virgin first class is good, but the real answer depends on whether you want to spend the extra money or not. For the OP though, it might be worth telling VT a few days in advance which train you'll be travelling on: that way they can try to provide a suitable meal.

BTW, do ADV tickets definitely allow access to lounges? I seem to remember reading somewhere the cheapest ones don't.

flutterbyuk25

Check with Euston station as to whether they have a 1st class lounge AND whether it is open on a Sat.

My mum booked me 1st class ticket for train home for me, after I had spent 3months in America, and had 15hour journey from US to UK, then faced a 3hour train journey home. Got to Paddington and headed to 1st class lounge to find that it wasn't open on a Saturday! Wasn't amused!

x

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Livingthedream

flutterbyuk25 I'm a bit confused you checked with Euston station to see if their lounge was open on a saturday, then travelled to Paddington station and found it's lounge shut? Why didn't you check with Paddington station instead of Euston station.

Anyway, what you could do is write a letter of complaint to First Great Western, stating how as a 1st class ticket holder you were disappointed to find the lounge close, you might get a good will jesture in the form of rail vouchers. If you still have them inclose the rail tickets aswell, most probably you won't hear from them but if you don't try then you won't get anything.

Customer Services Team
First Great Western
Freepost SWB40576
Plymouth
PL4 6ZZ

Quote

Livingthedream wrote: »

flutterbyuk25 I'm a bit confused you checked with Euston station to see if their lounge was open on a saturday, then travelled to Paddington station and found it's lounge shut? Why didn't you check with Paddington station instead of Euston station.

What on earth are you banging on about?