East Coast Trains - Complimentary Food?

Pete268

Hi,

I am travelling from Northallerton to London KX in mid June. I booked the tickets last month and managed to get what I consider a bargain on East Coast Trains at £28 each way 1st class (with my disabled railcard). I have in the past usually travelled with Grand Central Trains but they could not beat this price.

I have travelled down before in 1st class with East Coast about two years ago and only got free coffee/tea/biscuits but a friend has said East Coast will shortly be giving complimentary food to 1st class passengers. Does this 'free food' apply to 1st class passengers travelling on cheap tickets?.

Also previously with GNER and I tihnk with National Express (pre East Coast) the on-board wi-fi internet access was complimentary but very very slow so I normally used a dongle. To save me paying to top up my dongle, has anyone used the on-board wi-fi recently and is it faster than it was - it used to take forever to load a page?.

Many thanks for any info.

Peter

yorkie2

Grand Central can beat £28 but only in Standard Class, and only on the last train of the day (1730 from Sunderland, so about 1840ish at Northallerton) and that's £15 (available to purchase on board; no pre-booking necessary) details here: http://www.grandcentralrail.co.uk/15poundspecial

Anyway yes you will get free food, however without knowing what train you are getting I cannot say what the food will be. However you may be able to work it out based on reading the info here.

MattE2010 wrote: »

Weekdays:
Before 0930: A hot, full breakfast/vegetarian breakfast including bakery basket, coffee/fruit juice, or toasted bacon bloomer, fruit kebabs or the weekly dish (rotated every four weeks), including Greek yoghurt with fruit compote and granola, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, porridge or scrambled eggs and mushrooms

Mid morning (0930-1130): A lighter version of breakfast.

All-day offer (1130-1900): Choice of hot/cold dishes and sandwiches/crisps, salad or hot dish, slice of cake and fresh fruit.

Afternoon tea (selected services 1500-1600): Sandwiches, fruit scone with jam/cream, cakes or a hot meal (risotto or biryani).

Evening meal (selected services 1700-1905): Choice of two chef-prepared meals on busier trains, tea/coffee, appetiser, dessert or cheese.

Evening offer (quieter services): Similar to all-day offer - choice of sandwich platter or hot dish, cake, fresh fruit.

Weekends:
Breakfast or all-day light menu: Choice of ham, cheese and tomato croissant or breakfast muffin. All-day menu is a choice of sandwich and crisps or cake bar.

NB - Complimentary wines, spirits and beers will be served on weekdays after noon. There are no complimentary alcoholic drinks at weekends, although they will be available for purchase.

NB - For journeys under an hour, a lighter version of the full offer (such as a breakfast muffin) will be available.

thenudeone

I travelled with East Coast two weeks ago at the weekend on "cheap" tickets. the "freebies" were free hot drinks and a handful of biscuits and / or yoghurt/raisin bars every time the steward passed. I understand that the weekend offering on 1st class is much lower than weekdays.

Nothing special but definitely better than the return on Cross Country Trains which was 1 hot drink and 1 pack of two biscuits (on a 3-1/4 hour journey). We were even told that decaf coffee wasn't complimentary. Complaints dept have said it should have been, but didn't offer anything as compensation. I will avoid Cross Country from now on.

Livingthedream

You can get details of East Coast's First Class Train food here and here, but normally it's Complimentary tea, coffee, water and orange juice will be served at your seat at weekends and a meal week days.

yorkie2

thenudeone wrote: »

I travelled with East Coast two weeks ago...

Note that the changes described above occur at the timetable change at the end of May.

(I agree CrossCountry First Class is inferior, and even more so in a months time!)

yorkie2

Livingthedream wrote: »

You can get details of East Coast's First Class Train food here and here, but normally it's Complimentary tea, coffee, water and orange juice will be served at your seat at weekends and a meal week days.

That could cause confusion, as you linked to the restaurant, which is a paid-for service which is being abolished on 22 May.

Livingthedream

yorkie2 wrote: »

That could cause confusion, as you linked to the restaurant, which is a paid-for service which is being abolished on 22 May.

I'm sure the OP would have read the whole webpage and found the link half way down, tell them about the improvements to the First Class on-board dining service.

yorkie2

Livingthedream wrote: »

I'm sure the OP would have read the whole webpage and found the link half way down, tell them about the improvements to the First Class on-board dining service.

The link halfway down links here:

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/Latest-News1/Big-changes-to-your-timetable/

A passenger travelling in June can find no useful information on the Restaurant page as it is not applicable to a journey in June

Livingthedream

yorkie2 wrote: »

The link halfway down links here:

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/Latest-News1/Big-changes-to-your-timetable/

A passenger travelling in June can find no useful information on the Restaurant page as it is not applicable to a journey in June

I thought this is what you meant with your statement?

Quote from the East Coast ;

• An improved First Class including complimentary food and drink served at-seat and quiet coach

So where does it state that restaurant, which is a paid-for service is being abolished on 22 May?

Pete268

yorkie2 wrote: »

Grand Central can beat £28 but only in Standard Class, and only on the last train of the day (1730 from Sunderland, so about 1840ish at Northallerton) and that's £15 (available to purchase on board; no pre-booking necessary) details here: http://www.grandcentralrail.co.uk/15poundspecial

Anyway yes you will get free food, however without knowing what train you are getting I cannot say what the food will be. However you may be able to work it out based on reading the info here.

Thanks all.

I couldn't find that at first on the East Coast website. I was told, like you stated, that the 'paid for' restraunts are being abolishd from the end of May. It thus means standard class passengers will no longer be able to dine on the train and will have to make do with the buffet snacks.

I am travelling down midweek mid afternoon so should get the 'All day offer', returning early morning again midweek so should get the comlimentary breakfast.

I don't think it is too bad for £56 return incl the comlimentary meals. It is better than the previousfree coffee/tea/biscuits.

Peter

Pete268

Just to add, I just found this re the abolishemnt of the previous restaurant cars:

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2011/04/13-east-coast-restaurants-seem-set.html

Peter