1st Class Glasgow - Edinburgh

[dave87016]

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread, I have booked a first class ticket - from Glasgow Central - Edinburgh on the 10:59am Cross Country service on Tuesday, does anyone know what I will receive in first class?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[ainsworth74]

There is no catering between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central on XC so in terms of freebies nothing which means all you will get is a slightly bigger/comfier seat.

 

[dave87016]

Oh well I think I will use scotrail from Glasgow Queen St, get a cuppa and cake on train

 

[40086]

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread, I have booked a first class ticket - from Glasgow Central - Edinburgh on the 10:59am Cross Country service on Tuesday, does anyone know what I will receive in first class?


Thanks in advance for any help

Given it will be a horrible Voyager on AXC save yourself a few minutes and go Queen St - Edinburgh with a 170! First class you'll get a cup of tea / coffee / biscuits & fruit salad thing or chocolate!

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm not sure what ticket you have but if it's marked XC Only then it won't be valid on any Scotrail services and you will be liable to pay for a brand new ticket.

 

[rail-britain]

go Queen St - Edinburgh with a 170! First class you'll get a cup of tea / coffee / biscuits & fruit salad thing or chocolate!

If the train is busy or a pair of units, then you may not receive the drinks and refreshments

I regularly receive emails from colleagues who have travelled First Class but not seen any catering
I have then found out they sat in the front unit, where there are two units, or it was a single unit and very busy

As above, if it is a Cross Country only ticket then you may be excessed
Personally I think for the silly low fare it is well worth the value for money, even though you don't get any drinks or refreshments
Typically the First Class is very quiet or you can end up being the only person in First Class

 

[AlterEgo]

As above, if it is a Cross Country only ticket then you may be excessed

No - you cannot excess a TOC specific ticket to another TOC fare, or to an interavailable ticket.

A wholly new ticket must be purchased.

 

[dave87016]

Thanks for your replies, but as I have a ticket valid from Blackburn to Edinburgh via glasgow, It says VWC & connections. booked on the 08:15am from Preston and 18:40pm from Glasgow, I have a strong dislike for Voyagers ( hence going via Glasgow) but also just need 5 more of the current class 380's that are in service so the 66 minute Journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh on the Voyager would just about be tolerable , but as said I may do the Scotrail from Queen St - Edinburgh

Thanks once again for your help and advice and btw my ticket is 1st advance single
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Sorry for going slightly off topic but are the 320's still in service? and which is the best place for 158's Glasgow or Edinburgh? thanks in advance

 

[scotsman]

Sorry for going slightly off topic but are the 320's still in service? and which is the best place for 158's Glasgow or Edinburgh? thanks in advance

Yes, 320s are still about. The 322s are gone, however.

I suggest Edinburgh for 158s - services for Perth, Fife, Dunblane and Newcraighall all get 158s (however, only Perth is served by 158s exclusively)

 

[snail]

Thanks for your replies, but as I have a ticket valid from Blackburn to Edinburgh via glasgow, It says VWC & connections. booked on the 08:15am from Preston and 18:40pm from Glasgow.

Are Scotrail likely to ask to see the itinerary or reservation? "& Connections" on 'reservable' trains is a heavily debated topic...

 

[dave87016]

got reservations for the trains mentioned above

 

[rail-britain]

No - you cannot excess a TOC specific ticket to another TOC fare, or to an interavailable ticket.

A wholly new ticket must be purchased.

I agree on both points, however ScotRail TE and Guards are under instructions to excess, presumbly to take the original ticket out of circulation
This is a known issue between Glasgow and Edinburgh, where the "Cross Country only" ticket is purchased, as it appears on machines but the restriction is not very clear or obvious

 

[AlterEgo]

I agree on both points, however ScotRail TE and Guards are under instructions to excess, presumbly to take the original ticket out of circulation
This is a known issue between Glasgow and Edinburgh, where the "Cross Country only" ticket is purchased, as it appears on machines but the restriction is not very clear or obvious

So you mean exceeding the original assuming the original fare paid is nil, and issuing the excess for the full amount of the new ticket?

I can see that might be sensible, but doesn't it deny the passenger the opportunity of a refund on the original ticket, which would be technically used?

 

[rail-britain]

doesn't it deny the passenger the opportunity of a refund on the original ticket, which would be technically used?

If the customer advises they will keep the ticket, then they may do so
Otherwise they are advised there is an excess to pay, the original ticket is then withdrawn
This is due to known fraud with these ticket types
ScotRail are currently waiting on a correction to the software on their ticket machines which will present a message during purchase and provide a list of valid trains for this ticket type

Almost every train is now affected by this, possibly due to rumours of "a cheap Glasgow - Edinburgh ticket", and it comes as quite a shock to the passenger when they are advised there will be an excess to pay
Equally, some passengers have been warned they have purchased such a ticket before and may be considered for prosecution

However, the original tickets are typically between £2 and £12
In many cases there may be no refund or very little due to the £10 admin charge

 

[CarterUSM]

I agree on both points, however ScotRail TE and Guards are under instructions to excess, presumbly to take the original ticket out of circulation
This is a known issue between Glasgow and Edinburgh, where the "Cross Country only" ticket is purchased, as it appears on machines but the restriction is not very clear or obvious

No we're not mate, we're under explicit instruction to sell a new ticket, and I have sold a s**t load since May.

 

[rail-britain]

No we're not mate, we're under explicit instruction to sell a new ticket, and I have sold a s**t load since May.

I've seen it several times over the last few weeks, only via Falkirk High
When I enquired I was advised that was the current procedure until the software was updated on the ticket machines (Glasgow QS and Edinburgh)
Equally, it only seems to have been a recent issue

I've not been on a service via Shotts so don't know what the policy on this route is
However I believe there is not such an issue with the ticket machines at Glasgow Central

I think as you have noted and pointed out before, the destination is printed as Glasgow Central for these tickets, and not the normal Glasgow Cen/QST

 

[CarterUSM]

I've seen it several times over the last few weeks, only via Falkirk High
When I enquired I was advised that was the current procedure until the software was updated on the ticket machines (Glasgow QS and Edinburgh)
Equally, it only seems to have been a recent issue

I've not been on a service via Shotts so don't know what the policy on this route is
However I believe there is not such an issue with the ticket machines at Glasgow Central

I think as you have noted and pointed out before, the destination is printed as Glasgow Central for these tickets, and not the normal Glasgow Cen/QST

Yes, that's right, though there are also a heap of XC only tickets on the 380 services, especially to/from Motherwell/Edinburgh, the 1950 excepted. One morning on the 0703 GLC-NBW there were 14 passengers with the above ticket. I find less per train on the Shotts services, though of course they trickle on all day. I'm now finding more and more passengers being reluctant to actually hand tickets across for inspection, and one notable incident where a chap was covering the 'route' of the ticket with their thumb, though he was instantly apologetic upon my closer inspection of it and happy to purchase a single on request. That said, I find my conscience is tested when coming across those who have purchased from a TVM, especially tourists, and a bit of come and go does no harm for those genuine mistakes, typically when the XC departure is close to the ScotRail one. With regards to excessing these tickets, the briefing team have been very vociferous telling us that these are not to be excessed over the past few months, and I haven't seen any commercial notice to the contrary either, but i'll certainly keep my eyes and ears open.

 

[rail-britain]

I find my conscience is tested when coming across those who have purchased from a TVM

I am still at a loss as to why the software is different on the ticket machines at Glasgow QS / Edinburgh and Glasgow Central
I first suspected it was due to Cross Country actually serving Glasgow Central, however I later realised Cross Country also served Edinburgh
Historically passengers have travelled from either Glasgow station and more so recently

Personally, I think it is an issue which will never be resolved, why would ScotRail want to fix this, when they can finally put the "sorry you have the wrong type of ticket, you will need a new one" policy into place
I know there was some adverse publicity earlier this year about it (hence why ticketing staff via Falkirk High were advised to be more flexible about it)
[Hint, senior press executives using this route on a daily basis]

 

[jetice]

I always give an announcement leaving a major station advising if certain tickets are not valid so that if a passenger with e.g. an xc only ticket stays onboard they really have no excuse to be surprised at being charged again! It is basically theft because if a passenger is using a ticket valid on one TOC only and is on another TOC's train then that TOC is not being paid for that journey.....I explain it to passengers by saying it is like paying Sainsburys for shopping you took from Asda. I am happy for them to keep the incorrect ticket to enable them to get a refund if feasable. I would certainly never excess them!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I am still at a loss as to why the software is different on the ticket machines at Glasgow QS / Edinburgh and Glasgow Central
I first suspected it was due to Cross Country actually serving Glasgow Central, however I later realised Cross Country also served Edinburgh
Historically passengers have travelled from either Glasgow station and more so recently

Personally, I think it is an issue which will never be resolved, why would ScotRail want to fix this, when they can finally put the "sorry you have the wrong type of ticket, you will need a new one" policy into place
I know there was some adverse publicity earlier this year about it (hence why ticketing staff via Falkirk High were advised to be more flexible about it)
[Hint, senior press executives using this route on a daily basis]

Some passengers are just buying the cheapest ticket without taking the time to look at restrictions. I am sure no TOC is deliberately making decisions to make paassengers buy the wrong ticket in order for them to have to buy a new one! I personally would be more than happy to be able to go through a train and find everyone has a ticket and the correct one for their journey. Please if you do not know the restrictions on a ticket either ask if purchasing at a BO or look at restrictions on a machine or the internet...if the ticket is not the most expensive option available then there will be restrictions!

 

[rail-britain]

Some passengers are just buying the cheapest ticket without taking the time to look at restrictions

A request has been made to change the information that appears on the ticket machines
At present all it says is "Valid on Cross Country"
The change is to have the above, a list of valid trains (which will be printed with the ticket), and a warning screen "You accept that this ticket is only valid on the listed trains"
As with all things the request needs to jump through hoops, then eventually installed (estimated at up to 18 months)