Avanti Standard Premium

[sansyy]

Hello! I have been travelling to Euston quite a few times from Crewe and was wondering if standard premium is worth the upgrade. I've travelled Standard Class both times and found the experience alright except from last Saturday where I was surrounding by a bunch of drunks returning from the West Ham match as I caught the Lime Street train.

If this is in the wrong place feel free to correct me as I am not sure!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I used to with the old Standard seats, but I like the new ones sufficiently that I don't any more. But if you want a wider seat and more legroom, go for it, the price is in line roughly with Euro-1st i.e. about half on top of the Standard off peak walk up return.

 

[MrJeeves]

It's weird, but I actually prefer the standard seats to the 1st/SP seats!

The fabric used on the "higher class" seats often makes me feel overly warm or uncomfortable at times, and I find the white headrest is so hard that it just makes my neck uncomfortable, a bit like the Azuma 1st headrests which are one thick, solid piece of foam (which I normally take straight off and throw up onto the overhead luggage racks!).

That said, the extra seat width granted by the 2-1 seating makes for a more comfortable journey, as does the leg room and lower loadings in my opinion.

 

[sansyy]

Is there any food offerings or different canteen to purchase from or not?

 

[MrJeeves]

Is there any food offerings or different canteen to purchase from or not?

No, just the on board shop for standard premium, unless you want to upgrade to 1st.

 

[Class 800]

No, just the on board shop for standard premium, unless you want to upgrade to 1st.

This. First class is a LOT more expensive but of course you get a full hot meal with drinks

 

[sh24]

Well worth it in my experience. It's comparatively more peaceful, enough space to spread out and work and single seats to choose from. Add a pair of noise cancelling headphones and you might think you have a private train

Of course it does come down to how much the upgrade fee means to you. If it's a meaningful chunk of your weekly expenses, maybe don't bother. If it's a relative drop in the ocean, why not.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This. First class is a LOT more expensive but of course you get a full hot meal with drinks

It's worth checking Seatfrog as sometimes that offers 1st at the SP price.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's weird, but I actually prefer the standard seats to the 1st/SP seats!

I do now too, specifically because they have fitted a very hard headrest to the 1st seats which sticks out into the back of my shoulders - a truly terrible piece of design which has made what was in my view the best First Class seat the UK rails have ever seen* into a decidedly mediocre one.

That said, there's still some allure of a single seat. But I upgrade far, far less often now I fit all seats rather than only the priority ones.

* I genuinely think Pendolino 1st before refurb was truly excellent - bar turning some of the 2+table seats around to create some single seats I could see basically nothing at all wrong with it and plenty right.

 

[tornado]

For me the primary benefit is avoiding antisocial behaviour. I like to sit at a table to use my laptop, and invariably one of the following 'species' will be close by in Standard:

• Making constant phone calls in which the conversation mostly involves "I'm on a train", swearing, and generally talking about nothing.
• Cracking open can after can of cheap lager, and then trying to engage everyone around in conversation.
• 2 people having a chat mostly involving swearing, and generally talking nothing.
• A big group of people engaged in loud 'banter' which then filters down the whole carriage.

This probably makes me sound like a snob, but there seem to be a large number of low intelligence passengers these days.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

This probably makes me sound like a snob,

Yeah, it does a bit, but I get you...

but there seem to be a large number of low intelligence passengers these days.

... OK, yeah, it definitely does now!

 

[class17]

Standard Premium has always seemed a bit expensive on a NorthWest to Scotland ticket, especially when the ticket costs less than £10 (with railcard) and there is plenty of space available in Standard. I used to travel Advanced 1st, but don't do any more.

 

[MrJeeves]

I used to travel Advanced 1st

Didn't realise it was so complex

 

[class17]

Advanced 1st is much much more expensive than it used to be with Virgin. It was good value and I used it often, but not any more.

 

[tornado]

Yeah, it does a bit, but I get you...


... OK, yeah, it definitely does now!

A lot of conversations I overhear on trains these days sound like a sketch from Little Britain. Perhaps it's just me...

 

[Jimini]

It's absolutely worth the money if you want extra space and a table seat and -- as a general rule -- a more peaceful journey. I commute on the WCML twice a week on average, and always upgrade.

One thing I would say however is that I never pay for an upgrade in advance any more and always pay the train manager if / when they come round. This isn't because I'm trying to avoid paying the £17.50 upgrade fee, but more because it has vexed me a lot when I've paid in advance and then no one came round to collect the upgrade fee. Typically this is 80% of the time on the southern WCML in my experience.

MK commuters are proper chancers. I'm guessing because of the usual full ticket check at Euston a sizeable number of them just plonk themselves down in SP and take their chances. On the off chance of a SP ticket check between Euston and MK, they can clear a third of a carriage easily of an evening departure. On southbound services, there generally is a ticket check / payment sweep between New Street and Coventry or Rugby, but nothing south of MK on services that stop there, so again a lot of chancers.

Now I appreciate that the above two paragraphs may seem contradictory, but to preempt those responses, the difference (not just with me but the other denizens of SP) is anecdotally based on the % of people who move to standard class when there is a revenue check vs. those who stay put and pay the upgrade (as I do).

 

[Birmingham]

On southbound services, there generally is a ticket check / payment sweep between New Street and Coventry or Rugby, but nothing south of MK on services that stop there, so again a lot of chancers.

I would’ve thought they’d do south of Coventry, especially on the services that are fast from there to Euston, else you’re potentially taking small upgrades from Birmingham to Coventry but not full £17.50 upgrades from Coventry to Euston!

 

[Halwynd]

A lot of conversations I overhear on trains these days sound like a sketch from Little Britain. Perhaps it's just me...

No, it's not just you, and you don't sound like a snob - just someone who is fed up with the increasing number of people who don't know - or just don't care about - how to behave in public. I mean, just when did it become acceptable for people to use audio devices without ear or headphones?

Back in the day, I remember now and again travelling to London on an early morning Saturday train which was always the Lancashire Pullman stock. The interiors were classy and the seats were extremely comfortable (they had a lot of chrome tubing, similar to those in the APT) and in those days Weekend First was £3. Always seemed to have a whole carriage to myself and after leaving Crewe - you could usually leave your bags under the table unattended without fear that some desperado would steal them - I would go to the buffet for a coffee and cheese toastie. I can even recall little sachets of branded Pullman cologne in the toilets. These days I think... how many of those little 'joys' of rail travel have we now lost?

Obviously you can't, and shouldn't, expect to have a whole carriage to yourself, but even on busier trains - in both First and Second - people generally knew how to behave themselves without having to be told.

Halcyon days, the likes of which I'm afraid we won't see again.

Premium Standard? - yes, worth every penny.

 

[sh24]

I really do recommend a good pair of noise cancelling headphones. They blot out 98% of the annoying people.

 

[Trackman]

Advanced 1st is much much more expensive than it used to be with Virgin. It was good value and I used it often, but not any more.

Here's an example: please note, I am using the lowest 1st Advance tier at the time. (from my records)
Hither Green > Manchester Piccadilly 1st class (off peak)
2014 - £44
2024 - £156

 

[sansyy]

Here's an example: please note, I am using the lowest 1st Advance tier at the time. (from my records)
Hither Green > Manchester Piccadilly 1st class (off peak)
2014 - £44
2024 - £156

Compared to the standard class fare which was?

 

[Trackman]

Compared to the standard class fare which was?

£21 at the time

 

[Bishopstone]

First Class will be more expensive now, because there are fewer seats to fill: 0.5 or 1.5 coaches, compared to 2.5 or 3.5 before Standard Premium was introduced.

In taxpayer mode rather than passenger mode, loss-leading first class fares never made sense, and I prefer the new set-up where those with big expense accounts can empty their wallets to support the railway financially in First, whilst I relax in SP with a £10 buffet spread from M&S Food.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Until recently I've always upgraded to Standard Premium (especially as I can expense the cost on certain journeys where I am expected to work) but thought I'd try out the refurbished Standard Class on a recent trip from Manchester to London. Subjective, I know but I found the new Standard Class seats very comfortable. Most of my fellow passengers were quietly working away on laptops or sleeping and it was a pleasant journey. I do think Avanti are pushing their luck increasing the upgrade to £30 for Manchester to London - especially as I've 'won' Seatfrog upgrades to First Class for £40 on this route.

On the subject of noise and general behaviour. I did politely but firmly ask a 'gentleman' to kindly use headphones as neither I or the rest of the carriage were particularly interested in listening to his inane Tik-Tok feed out loud. I was expecting a barrage of abuse but surprisingly got mumbled apologies. That was in Standard Premium incidentally.

 

[Class 800]

Always seemed to have a whole carriage to myself and after leaving Crewe - you could usually leave your bags under the table unattended without fear that some desperado would steal them - I would go to the buffet for a coffee and cheese toastie.

Obviously you can't, and shouldn't, expect to have a whole carriage to yourself, but even on busier trains - in both First and Second - people generally knew how to behave themselves without having to be told.

I went on Avanti standard premium last year, and I did indeed get the carriage to myself!

I have also left my bag and gone off to the loo / buffet before - even on TL once when i was in a pinch - and nothing has ever happened to it.
but I guess I’m lucky. People have asked me if I’m insane before when I’ve admitted that to them.

though I think this year when I was in standard and I went to the buffet I did take my laptop with me because it was the only valuable in my backpack.

Come to think of it I might have been able to do at seat order…

 

[sansyy]

Until recently I've always upgraded to Standard Premium (especially as I can expense the cost on certain journeys where I am expected to work) but thought I'd try out the refurbished Standard Class on a recent trip from Manchester to London. Subjective, I know but I found the new Standard Class seats very comfortable. Most of my fellow passengers were quietly working away on laptops or sleeping and it was a pleasant journey. I do think Avanti are pushing their luck increasing the upgrade to £30 for Manchester to London - especially as I've 'won' Seatfrog upgrades to First Class for £40 on this route.

On the subject of noise and general behaviour. I did politely but firmly ask a 'gentleman' to kindly use headphones as neither I or the rest of the carriage were particularly interested in listening to his inane Tik-Tok feed out loud. I was expecting a barrage of abuse but surprisingly got mumbled apologies. That was in Standard Premium incidentally.

How does seatfrog work? I want to give a try but not sure if im gambling a seat on a train or not and don't want to do something silly and end up having to pay more.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

How does seatfrog work? I want to give a try but not sure if im gambling a seat on a train or not and don't want to do something silly and end up having to pay more.

It's pretty straight forward; select the train that you have a ticket for and submit a bid to upgrade. You choose the amount you're prepared to pay and if you 'win' the auction you get upgrade details sent your phone. You can also by-pass the auction and pay a supplement to upgrade immediately, although this will often be a lot more than the opening price in the auction. The opening price for bids on Avanti will always be more than the Standard Premium upgrade.

 

[Class 800]

It's pretty straight forward; select the train that you have a ticket for and submit a bid to upgrade. You choose the amount you're prepared to pay and if you 'win' the auction you get upgrade details sent your phone. You can also by-pass the auction and pay a supplement to upgrade immediately, although this will often be a lot more than the opening price in the auction. The opening price for bids on Avanti will always be more than the Standard Premium upgrade.

Because that will get you straight to First rather than to SP.

 

[Jimini]

Because that will get you straight to First rather than to SP.

There are separate auctions for first and SP on Seatfrog for Avanti services (where SP is available, of course).

 

[sansyy]

It's pretty straight forward; select the train that you have a ticket for and submit a bid to upgrade. You choose the amount you're prepared to pay and if you 'win' the auction you get upgrade details sent your phone. You can also by-pass the auction and pay a supplement to upgrade immediately, although this will often be a lot more than the opening price in the auction. The opening price for bids on Avanti will always be more than the Standard Premium upgrade.

So if you lose the bid // get outbidded you don't pay anything?