Euston - Milton Keynes, London Midland, first class

[Essexman]

I'm looking to book an off peak First Class (day?) return from Euston to Milton keynes.

Previously I've found cheaper London Midland only fares on the West Coast main line but London Midland's website offers only two returns: £72.40 anytime day return and £48 Virgin only day return.

http://tickets.londonmidland.com/lm/en/JourneyPlanning/MixingDeck

I'm travelling on 17th April, the day before Easter, so want to go First Class as the trains will be busy, and don't know return time so can't buy advances.

Is there not a London Midland only flexible first class return?

 

[Urban Gateline]

I'm looking to book an off peak First Class (day?) return from Euston to Milton keynes.

Previously I've found cheaper London Midland only fares on the West Coast main line but London Midland's website offers only two returns: £72.40 anytime day return and £48 Virgin only day return.

http://tickets.londonmidland.com/lm/en/JourneyPlanning/MixingDeck

I'm travelling on 17th April, the day before Easter, so want to go First Class as the trains will be busy, and don't know return time so can't buy advances.

Is there not a London Midland only flexible first class return?

Unfortunately there doesn't seem any viable option of doing this Journey in First Class on LM if you can't commit to specific trains using Advance fares! I checked fares to Wolverton and Northampton and they are the same and more respectively. Why don't you travel on VT instead? Especially as you'll actually get something complimentary (Tea/Coffee)!

 

[Essexman]

Thanks.
I'm happy to go on Virgin but wont be in a hurry and assumed Midland would be cheaper.
Seems strange that it isn't.

 

[Marionaki]

The journey is only about 30 minutes and I would book a standard anytime return on Virgin for £37, even if I had to stand up. In first class you probably only get tea or coffee anyway. For such a short trip I would not bother booking first class.

 

[andythebrave]

For a same day return you may use London to Bedford 1st off peak day return at £33.50 (finishing and starting short at Bletchley) and Anytime singles between Bletchley and Milton Keynes at £4.20 each way for a total of £41.90. This would not be valid on the hourly non stop LM service, as this combination requires the train to call at Bletchley, but the semi fasts are still reasonably quick.

As Bletchley to MK is only 4 minutes you could reasonably cut the cost by £4.60 by usng a Standard class off peak day return for that portion.

Just stay on at Bletchley - no need to change.

 

[IanD]

The journey is only about 30 minutes and I would book a standard anytime return on Virgin for £37, even if I had to stand up. In first class you probably only get tea or coffee anyway. For such a short trip I would not bother booking first class.

Or the £14.50 off peak day return VT only.

 

[Squaddie]

The journey is only about 30 minutes and I would book a standard anytime return on Virgin for £37, even if I had to stand up. In first class you probably only get tea or coffee anyway. For such a short trip I would not bother booking first class.

One of the reasons for booking first class is that you don't have to stand for the journey. Not everyone is interested in the "free" refreshments.

 

[IanD]

If you can stick to booked trains, you can, for example, travel on the 11.49 ex Euston for a fiver. If you then returned on the 20.06 from MKC, that one comes up at 7.50 - £12.50 total. Worth travelling standard class to save that kinda dosh.

Hardly worth being tied to 2 trains for the sake of saving the £2 extra for the LM only ticket though. (Or the VT only ticket as previously mentioned for the same price).

 

[Marionaki]

Or the £14.50 off peak day return VT only.

Yes, that's a better deal, but I didn't see it on the website for the 17th of April.

 

[PermitToTravel]

It's available for all dates and you don't need to book in advance but can just buy it from ticket offices/machines

 

[Marionaki]

One of the reasons for booking first class is that you don't have to stand for the journey. Not everyone is interested in the "free" refreshments.

Standing up for half an hour in standard class might be worth saving some money. For some it's painful, for some it's not.

 

[aylesbury2]

I'm writing this from a LM Class 321 EMU, with no first class - going to MKC. This really is off-peak, there are only about 4 others on the whole train and no wonder why they aren't using the 350s, and I didn't even think LM still had any of these! they really do look out of place compared to all the modern Pendolinos and 350s

 

[gordonthemoron]

isn't the first class in 321's in a different place to 350's? Next to the driver rather than in the middle?

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'm writing this from a LM Class 321 EMU, with no first class - going to MKC

The 321 has first class, it's 2/3rds of the driving car, usually at the "country end" of the unit.

 

[aylesbury2]

I can assure you mine didn't, I went through the entire train and there definitely wasn't, it was standard class throughout.

 

[91103eastcoast]

Was there not an area of the train that looked like this?

 

[DarloRich]

Why bother? All you get for the extra money is:

a) An antimacassar
b) A sliding door to screen the scum off
c) A plug (which even us second class drones will enjoy on the 350/4 trains!)
d) Some tiny (broken?) tilt and pitch controls on your seat

Oh how the first class affcionados on this board must detest LM. No free wifi, no free food not even a shorter walk to the exit at the terminus. Terrible!

Save the cash and get a second class ticket
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I can assure you mine didn't, I went through the entire train and there definitely wasn't, it was standard class throughout.

No - I assure you there is FC on a London Midland 321! You just might not notice it!

 

[gordonthemoron]

first class isn't particularly noticeable on 350/2s either

 

[DarloRich]

first class isn't particularly noticeable on 350/2s either

It is still in a screened off area separated by glazed doors marked first class that only operate when you hammer a tiny button though

 

[Tetchytyke]

I can assure you mine didn't, I went through the entire train and there definitely wasn't, it was standard class throughout.

They all have first class at the end of one driving car, which is usually the at the northern end of the unit. It's not very noticeable, being pretty much the same as standard class, but it is there.

I don't see the point of first class on any of the commuter TOCs, and they really ought to do what Chiltern had the good sense to do. It's literally a waste of space which carries round fresh air even in the peaks; given how few people use it then the income must be negligible too.

 

[aylesbury2]

They all have first class at the end of one driving car, which is usually the at the northern end of the unit. It's not very noticeable, being pretty much the same as standard class, but it is there.

I don't see the point of first class on any of the commuter TOCs, and they really ought to do what Chiltern had the good sense to do. It's literally a waste of space which carries round fresh air even in the peaks; given how few people use it then the income must be negligible too.

Ok then, maybe my mind is playing tricks on me - perhaps it really wasn't noticeable!

I'm fairly sure the only difference between first and standard class on LM is a napkin on the back of the seat that has "first class" embossed on it and perhaps a power socket if I remember rightly?

 

[cjmillsnun]

first class isn't particularly noticeable on 350/2s either

Err yes it is.

Standard class on 350/2s is 3+2, and first class is 2+2, meaning wider seats.

 

[Tetchytyke]

On the 350/2s the seats around the first class compartment are 2+2. The standard class and first class seats are the same lime-green colour.

Although the great big glass door with "first class" stamped on it does give some clues

 

[plastictaffy]

I don't see the point of first class on any of the commuter TOCs, and they really ought to do what Chiltern had the good sense to do. It's literally a waste of space which carries round fresh air even in the peaks; given how few people use it then the income must be negligible too.

The point of first class is for the Oyster card travellers to sit in between Euston and Watford, silly.........
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Although the great big glass door with "first class" stamped on it does give some clues

So you'd think, but I've lost count of the amount of times people have told me, after I've pointed out it's first class "oh, is it, I didn't realise........"