Cheap Virgin First Class Advances

[extendedpaul]

I travelled to Inverness on the East Coast £25 first class offer earlier in the year and would now like to sample Virgin's service.

I'm looking for a low priced first advance from somewhere in the North West other than Manchester, through to Kent, ideally on a departure where I will get a hot meal. I've found a £46 fare on the 17.56 from Preston during June - can somebody give me an idea what I can expect refreshment-wise on that service ? If there are any better deals than that price - no railcard unfortunately- I'd like to know. Thanks.

 

[All Line Rover]

This is a Pendolino service, one that in my experience is very quiet as it starts at Lancaster.

You will get the full evening meal service, which consists of a decent sized main (either a meat or vegetarian dish), followed by a desert (either a small mousse or cheese and biscuits), along with the usual free drinks (including alcohol), crisps, pretzels and little crispy chocolate things (I'm sorry I don't know how to describe them!).

 

[extendedpaul]

Cheerrs that's just what I was hoping for. I can get a £15 advance from Caerphilly to Liverpool, spend a few hours there, direct bus to Preston and then back to Kent first class for £46 on the 17.56. Excellent value.

 

[dave87016]

possibly the 16:58pm should have cheap 1st class tickets around the same price

 

[Ascot]

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/assets/pdf/global/first-class-food-service.pdf This little link I stumbled across may help. It only gives Glasgow Services.

 

[calc7]

As mentioned by All Line Rover, this is the service that starts at Lancaster at 17.36. I've travelled on it a few times, it is often quiet (though one Tuesday last month it was rammed!) The proper First Class service doesn't usually start until departing from Wigan. The trains starting at Lancaster have a wealth of cheap Advance 1st tickets.

The 18.48 from Liverpool and the 18.35 and 18.55 from Manchester can be done dirt cheap too, even a few days before.

possibly the 16:58pm should have cheap 1st class tickets around the same price

Less so than the 17.56 I've found as it starts from Glasgow, where there is a 2-hour gap in afternoon departures!

 

[All Line Rover]

The 18.48 from Liverpool and the 18.35 and 18.55 from Manchester can be done dirt cheap too, even a few days before.

Those trains are excellent, because even though you've paid far less than those travelling from London, the service is superior as there are very few customers! On frequent occasions I've had Coach K to myself on the 18:48 from Liverpool and the 18:55 from Manchester. A bargain!