Seatfrog Secret Fare

prettyandfluffy

I was also surprised at the significant uplift in cost if we wanted to travel first class and the very low uplift in service offering that we'd get for the excessive amount of money.

@Grumpy_chap, now that you've bought your ticket go back onto Seatfrog and bid for an upgrade.  It works like an EBay auction, I got an upgrade to 1st class for £7 which included sandwiches and drinks (wine if I'd wanted it) so it was well worth it.  I didn't get notification of having won the upgrade until I was on the platform waiting for the train but if you're unsuccessful it costs you nothing.

Grumpy_chap

prettyandfluffy said:

@Grumpy_chap, now that you've bought your ticket go back onto Seatfrog and bid for an upgrade. 

I did look at that but am minded not to bother.

Our total journey is 2.5 hours (including change times).  That is the local train for one stop to join the "semi-fast" service to Reading (standard class throughout).  Then change at Reading to the intercity service, for which the journey is only 1 hour to Bath.

For that 1-hour journey, we (Mrs G_C and I) have reserved seats together and forward facing.  AIUI, the Seatfrog upgrade, if successful, might not secure seats together, or forward facing. 
Plus, the outward journey is a Sunday and GWR description of first class is "aim to offer a complimentary drink and biscuit during the week, but not guaranteed" so, going we'd get nothing but on the return (Wednesday early  evening) we might get a free coffee...  If GWR decide to.
Oh, the seat is a bit bigger.  It might be a quieter cabin.

When we booked, the cost for standard class was <£100 and the cost for First Class showed as £400.  
That was what amazed me really - how much extra was potentially charged and how little was offered for the money, with no guarantee that the "extra" will actually be offered.
It seemed a bit poor value to me and a demonstration of poor management on the railways.  If I fly somewhere and chose to travel Business Class, then I get what it says I will get.  To not receive the meal would be extraordinary in the case of a premium ticket flight.  On the train, it seems you are taking a chance.  Far from being worth an extra £150 each, it hardly seems worth the extra £7 each that a Seatfrog upgrade might cost.

Have I mis-understood the GWR First Class offering?
https://www.gwr.com/travelling-with-us/first-class

prettyandfluffy

@Grumpy_chap you're in prime commuter land, where those travelling 1st class will often pay it because they can reclaim it on expenses.  That would be my explanation for the staggering difference in fares.

Nonesuch_xx

With most businesses or government departments, only VVIP would be allowed first class on expenses (or some other exceptional circumstance e.g. broken leg in a cast, or literally last seat on train on a long journey that is urgent and time constrained). 

Fare simplification: be careful what you wish for; as the cheapest prices may go up under any simplification (which may not eliminate pricing quirks anyway). Yes currently the higher prices are a tax on people who cannot or will not plan in advance and play the game;  there needs to be a middle ground on pricing for journeys which cannot be planned in advance, with capacity management pricing for the most popular long distance  services to avoid popular services becoming standing only or a "doctor's appointment" lottery. 

Rolling out seatfrog to all non-commuter services in England for consistency would be equitable in the short term