As the thread is speculative…
changes i’d like is :
earlier boarding times at the end points…at least an hour earlier, perhaps 2 ..
1. negates need for lounges at the starting stations.
2. Gives a more “hotel” experience to going to your room
3. oppourtunity for room service / restaurant access.
4. own branded tat to sell.. its a niche train used by tourists.. sell them this stuff.
5. Upgrade the breakfast to a real breakfast, inc opening the kitchen early.
6. Slightly later deboarding at the terminus stations.. not everyone wants out at 7am at Euston.. 830 would be nice, the stock hangs around anyway.
7. onboard entertainment.. rent a film to people to stream etc…
8. Offer Pre/Post services.. taxi/car transfers, baggage transfer, showering services and hotel link ups.. make it more seemless.
9. create a Frequent traveller program and tie into Airline / Hotel promotion cards.
My experience from Inverness was having dinner at the pub after arriving from Wick… killing a few hours…whilst the CS stock was locked up in the platform.
That could have been an earlier “check in” and dinner on the train before departure.
The dining car had largely sold out of food anyway, as those luxury Scottish dishes, were apparently loaded up 24 hours earlier in London, and after a busy northbound everything had gone.
Similarly breakfast was a pot noodle type thing with some salty porridge in it.. i’d have paid for a full breakfast as room service or the dining car.. had the option had been there.
Still I cant complain, the train was 2.5 hours late so I got a 100% refund on that fantastic nights sleep and what is a very nice train, that is worth much more than what I paid… and more than I paid at the Holiday Inn, Inverness.
The train could have fleeced us two an extra £100 than it did in extras, on what we felt was a cheap night in a decent hotel, that just happened to move.
The full refund was disproportionate.. we still got a nights sleep..
it imo needs to be managed more like a 4/5 star Hotel and less like a Train.