First Class on Virgin Trains
Discussion
Simple question really, but it's not obvious from their website, is the food and drink complimentary on Virgin Trains when travelling First Class? I can't see any prices advertised and I got slightly jealous seeing people tucking into their breakfast this morning as I walked past the first class carriage.
The route I'd be travelling is Northampton to Euston.
The route I'd be travelling is Northampton to Euston.
I use Manchester to London regularly.
Free food and drink.
Coffee water and juices in the morning
2 x alcohol in the afternoon.
Early breakfast is actually quite nice, late morning less so as it is just a sandwich.
Afternoon and evening food average.
If you ask nicely you get extra booze.
Cheaper to sit in second with take out from the station though and if the train isn't packed it's not so different.
I would imagine the service is less from Northampton due to time constraints. At weekends you just get a doggy bag and can upgrade a standard ticket for 15 quid.
Free food and drink.
Coffee water and juices in the morning
2 x alcohol in the afternoon.
Early breakfast is actually quite nice, late morning less so as it is just a sandwich.
Afternoon and evening food average.
If you ask nicely you get extra booze.
Cheaper to sit in second with take out from the station though and if the train isn't packed it's not so different.
I would imagine the service is less from Northampton due to time constraints. At weekends you just get a doggy bag and can upgrade a standard ticket for 15 quid.
I travel between Manchester and London regularly. About 15-20 years ago it was nice. Not as cramped and better food. However nowadays
Bad things
It feels more cramped than Standard.
The seats seem shabbier.
The food is OK (ish) but portion sizes are small
Drinks cans are titchy
Good things
You get a table seat
Because you get a table seat you can charge your phone/tablet
Bad things
It feels more cramped than Standard.
The seats seem shabbier.
The food is OK (ish) but portion sizes are small
Drinks cans are titchy
Good things
You get a table seat
Because you get a table seat you can charge your phone/tablet
Know someone who did Peterborough to Kings Cross 1st-class Virgin for a few months. They ate breakfast in the morning, fasted all day, and scoffed a meal in the evening -- so they had to buy zero food at home or office Mon to Fri. They reckoned it worked out about the same price as travelling 2nd-class and shopping at Tesco for food at home and buying a daily Starbucks or Subway at the office.
If you can get a first advance ticket sometimes it works out cheaper than standard.
What i have done on the east coast line is paid first class from peterborough to doncaster then doncaster to york standard, that way you get the free breakfast and if you remove the seat reservation and sit still sometimes you can get the remainder of the journey in first.
don't forget you get free wifi too, i only consider first if the tickets are on offer and its a morning train.
What i have done on the east coast line is paid first class from peterborough to doncaster then doncaster to york standard, that way you get the free breakfast and if you remove the seat reservation and sit still sometimes you can get the remainder of the journey in first.
don't forget you get free wifi too, i only consider first if the tickets are on offer and its a morning train.
I've not done 1st often, but the last time was early afternoon from Euston to Macclesfield as it was cheaper than 2nd class. Had about an hour to kill before the train and the access to the lounge at Euston was a bonus that day. The food was OK on the train, it was a light meal, so Jacket spud and had a couple of Guinness cans. Priced it up for a weekend trip we have to London soon and it's now £20 per person to upgrade to 1st at the weekend from Macclesfield and there doesn't seem to be much on offer for that.
Pwig said:
Don't forget 1st has bigger seats with more room between them etc. As well as all the complimentary free bees.
I always travel first if I can.
I know on east cost if the journey is less than 70 mins I think you get a more limited food menu.
What were you going for there, free beers or freebies? Or do you really get complimentary free bees?I always travel first if I can.
I know on east cost if the journey is less than 70 mins I think you get a more limited food menu.
And all the honey you can eat!
I did Euston/Manchester/Euston probably once a fortnight for most of 2015 and could usually travel slightly earlier or later than my 'ideal' time and it would work out cheaper in first class (I remember the first class legs costing around £30 or £40). My company, who had a non first class policy, were okay with this.
It wasn't much more luxurious, but I could usually get a table to myself to get some work done (unlike in standard at the sort of times I was travelling) and the wine on the evening trips occasionally flowed freely
I did Euston/Manchester/Euston probably once a fortnight for most of 2015 and could usually travel slightly earlier or later than my 'ideal' time and it would work out cheaper in first class (I remember the first class legs costing around £30 or £40). My company, who had a non first class policy, were okay with this.
It wasn't much more luxurious, but I could usually get a table to myself to get some work done (unlike in standard at the sort of times I was travelling) and the wine on the evening trips occasionally flowed freely
My wife and I got upgraded once on a Virgin service from Reading to Birmingham if I'm remembering right.
She answered an "anyone with medical knowledge" call from the guard, and helped a poorly passenger on a packed service (in standard class) where we were stood in a corridor, potentially for the entire journey.
Full upgrade then, courtesy of the train manager, including the complimentary food and drink.
As a result, we've booked first class ourselves a few times since, but usually when we're doing it in advance, so can get the cheaper fares that are barely more than travelling standard class. And as people have said, you're guaranteed a seat, and the seating is more generous, and everyone gets a table. I'm not a regular rail traveler with Virgin, though, and after enduring the SWT services from Farnborough to London on a regular basis it doesn't take much to impress me by comparison...
...dependent on previous travel experiences, it might take a fair bit more to impress you -
She answered an "anyone with medical knowledge" call from the guard, and helped a poorly passenger on a packed service (in standard class) where we were stood in a corridor, potentially for the entire journey.
Full upgrade then, courtesy of the train manager, including the complimentary food and drink.
As a result, we've booked first class ourselves a few times since, but usually when we're doing it in advance, so can get the cheaper fares that are barely more than travelling standard class. And as people have said, you're guaranteed a seat, and the seating is more generous, and everyone gets a table. I'm not a regular rail traveler with Virgin, though, and after enduring the SWT services from Farnborough to London on a regular basis it doesn't take much to impress me by comparison...
...dependent on previous travel experiences, it might take a fair bit more to impress you -
ecs said:
Simple question really, but it's not obvious from their website, is the food and drink complimentary on Virgin Trains when travelling First Class? I can't see any prices advertised and I got slightly jealous seeing people tucking into their breakfast this morning as I walked past the first class carriage.
The route I'd be travelling is Northampton to Euston.
Yes it's complimentary with the first class ticket but it's touch and go if you will get any on that particular route (I commuted that route for 3 years). Reason being is that they have often stopped food service by the time the train gets to Northampton so that they have a chance to clear down before the train arrives at Euston. You'll get offered hot drinks but not always food. There's nothing worse than getting on the train to the smell of cooked breakfast and seeing everyone chowing down and just being offered tea or coffee! I now do Milton Keynes to Euston on occasion and the food service has definitely stopped by then, it's only ever hot drinks offered in to Euston from MK. Ironically I've also done MK to Coventry quite a bit which is a slightly shorter journey than MK to London, and always get offered breakfast.The route I'd be travelling is Northampton to Euston.
If you do take a punt and go First Class, can I recommend my Sausage Bap Breakfast Bingo card as a bit of fun
I travelled from Birmingham to Crewe 1st class a few months ago and got nothing. Perhaps not helped on that particular route/service by the crew changover at Wolverhampton. Lovely place to sit though on a pendolino, thought it was nicer than FGW's first that I use regularly.
Always try to travel first off-peak, I think it's a bargain for the extra space and comfort.
Always try to travel first off-peak, I think it's a bargain for the extra space and comfort.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff