Well since I only booked it last Tuesday, probably not a lot.But how much would the standard fare have been when you booked your first class tickets? You're not comparing like for like.
That’s a reasonable price for the upgrade, and one I’d take if I had to make that journey, but it doesn’t take into account that the standard fare isn’t great value to begin with.Well since I only booked it last Tuesday, probably not a lot.
But since you ask, I've just gone on the LNER app and looked at the prices for a week later than we're actually going, to replicate what I was booking last Tuesday.
They're exactly the same price - £68.10 each way standard, £91.60 each way FC.
If you want to try it yourself, the dates we're going are 21st October out, 28th return.
The one I just quoted is 28th October out, 4th November return.
The trains are the 1418 PBO-EDB and 1000 EDB-PBO.
I don't think £68 per person (with railcard admittedly) for a 635 mile return journey is that bad to be honest. We use Peterborough as it's our closest ECML station - if we used Nuneaton and Avanti the prices are stupidly higher.That’s a reasonable price for the upgrade, and one I’d take if I had to make that journey, but it doesn’t take into account that the standard fare isn’t great value to begin with.
I had diet coke last week.last time I traveled 1st with GWR (back in february) they had just removed diet coke from the first class offerings, does anyone know if it has been reinstated? when I emailed them they said they were looking into it. No good for my diabetic girlfriend who is lumped with just water if she doesn't want anything hot
I thought those were one way fares per person!I don't think £68 per person (with railcard admittedly) for a 635 mile return journey is that bad to be honest. We use Peterborough as it's our closest ECML station - if we used Nuneaton and Avanti the prices are stupidly higher.
More to the point, if we drove it would be £80 in fuel plus parking, not to mention the hassle of actually driving 300+ miles in a day.
That's not a chef dish. That's a hot option from the Dish menu.That really is pitiful. If they're going to the effort of an on board chef, why such dolly sized portions?
Try sitting in standard for hours with some lovely individual playing music at full blast whilst the crew just walk past. It's worth paying for first to avoid such people.But how much would the standard fare have been when you booked your first class tickets? You're not comparing like for like. A slightly better seat and a couple of sarnies or tiny bowl of stew or whatever aren't worth the significant uplift in price IMO.
Haha, sorry, that's partly my fault as I didn't say "return" in my original post where I specified two people, and in the second I specified return but not for two people. Yes, the prices quoted are one way for two people with a railcard, and they're the same both ways, which of course works out as £68 return per person standard and £91 FC.I thought those were one way fares per person!
Agree, this is the benefit of First Class (and even then its only mitigation as fare dodgers in First are fairly common on the GWR services I tend to use).Try sitting in standard for hours with some lovely individual playing music at full blast whilst the crew just walk past. It's worth paying for first to avoid such people.
That's not a chef dish. That's a hot option from the Dish menu.
Unfortunately, I find LNER standards are not very consistent and it's very dependent on the chef/crew how the food is served/presented.
Another negative is that you get stuck with the same menu for months on end.
Feel like you can't really moan or complain when you see the situation on GWR though.
That's lovely. You must have been going towards London though, as out of London, it'll be a bacon roll.Second all of this.
At the risk of going off-topic, I was served this lovely breakfast on LNER by way of comparison. It is a certainty that many aspects of the LNER first class offer are weaker than years gone by, but LNER at its worst is far better than GWR at its best. I too love fruit cake, but I'd rather chow down on this than the selection of prepackaged goodies doled out to @TT-ONR-NRN as a goodwill gesture.
But how much would the standard fare have been when you booked your first class tickets? You're not comparing like for like. A slightly better seat and a couple of sarnies or tiny bowl of stew or whatever aren't worth the significant uplift in price IMO.
EMR have cut back their first class service - all the First Class lounges have been closed down and no complimentary refreshments on Sundays. The chef cooked breakfasts are gone and replaced by sandwiches, snack bars and pastries. The rest of day offer is improved in terms of complimentary as sandwiches are included (before it was just tea/coffee/juice/water and biscuits/cakes), however there is no longer a paid for menu of hot food.
First class aside, a lot of long distance train operators seem to be cutting on board service - in some cases this may be just staff shortages at Rail Gourmet of course - however others may be an economy measure, which is sad as to me the on board facilities on a train is a reason to pay more to travel by train compared with a coach (the other reason being the faster journey).
You really have to wonder what the catering specification people have for breakfast in their other lives - whoever has cheese and salad sandwiches for breakfast?EMR have cut back their first class service - all the First Class lounges have been closed down and no complimentary refreshments on Sundays. The chef cooked breakfasts are gone and replaced by sandwiches, snack bars and pastries.
On ICE in Germany for example First Class gets you a bigger seat/quieter environment and maybe at-seat service from the on-board restaurant. You still have to pay for the meals and drinks though.Worldwide, though, without sounding a 'snob', doesn't first class often mean a quieter environment and no louts/bogans/miscreants?
It's a non-advertised benefit.
Offerings were so much better under East Coast.
I’m not one for the GNER pay for restaurant car lark, mind. It’s a great option but I’d rather have it as another option to the first class complimentary rather than instead of.
Or its been kept hot too long. Either way it tastes like munge. Tea should me made with fresh boiling water then Left to stand for around 4 minutes. Then the teabag (if you really must use one) is removed and the milk poured in.Tea from a trolley is always horrid anyway because the water isn't hot enough.
That's how I think of Standard, since mist of the louts and miscreants tend to make a bee line for First. Honestly, hanging around in their pinstripe suits hogging the seats on the bestvtrains to London...On ICE in Germany for example First Class gets you a bigger seat/quieter environment and maybe at-seat service from the on-board restaurant. You still have to pay for the meals and drinks though.
On TGV in France you only get the seat.
I have to say that in my personal experience, tea does improve significantly when some sort of teabag is involvedOr its been kept hot too long. Either way it tastes like munge. Tea should me made with fresh boiling water then Left to stand for around 4 minutes. Then the teabag (if you really must use one) is removed and the milk poured in.
Which service was this? I cannot find an exact list of what catering is served on which services apart from the vague and sometimes innacurate deli, dish, dine labellings.Second all of this.
At the risk of going off-topic, I was served this lovely breakfast on LNER by way of comparison. It is a certainty that many aspects of the LNER first class offer are weaker than years gone by, but LNER at its worst is far better than GWR at its best. I too love fruit cake, but I'd rather chow down on this than the selection of prepackaged goodies doled out to @TT-ONR-NRN as a goodwill gesture.
LNER is not exactly an operator associated with ASB.Worldwide, though, without sounding a 'snob', doesn't first class often mean a quieter environment and no louts/bogans/miscreants?
It's a non-advertised benefit.
Especially teabags of the Yorkshire variety [/slurp]I have to say that in my personal experience, tea does improve significantly when some sort of teabag is involved
(Yes I know you meant leaves! )
They do offer complimentary sandwiches in First Monday to Friday but it’s very hit and miss.So.let me get this right...
First Class on GWR has no breakfast, lunch or meal options. Not even a sandwich?
That's shoddy
I agree, and I'm glad you sad that as I don't think that was the first thought that came to my mind when I looked at the GWR website.That's shoddy
That gives a bit of hope.They do offer complimentary sandwiches in First Monday to Friday but it’s very hit and miss.
Haha, sorry, that's partly my fault as I didn't say "return" in my original post where I specified two people, and in the second I specified return but not for two people. Yes, the prices quoted are one way for two people with a railcard, and they're the same both ways, which of course works out as £68 return per person standard and £91 FC.
GWR used to have Tregothnan Tea in the HST era, but like a lot of things it seems to have been downgraded the last time I travelled with them back in May to one of the well known brands. At least the Crisps have switched over from Tyrell’s (Herefordshire) to Burts (Plymouth). From the old era, here’s a picture advertising how proud they were of their locally sourced products for the then “Great Western Larder” aka former Express Cafe. Not much of it remains.I thought GWR had Cornish Tea grown in Cornwall - Yorkshire Tea is grown in India I believe
They are rare as hen’s teeth it must be said and very hit and miss that the First class host have them. Had a choice from three fillings on a train from Paddington to the South West a few weeks back so they are still around.I haven’t seen complimentary sandwiches in first in GWR for a long time. Pre pandemic at least.
I haven’t seen complimentary sandwiches in first in GWR for a long time. Pre pandemic at least.