More Gatwick Express Woes

[rmt4ever]

You pay the premium fare so you don't have to share the train with commuters.

We are known to be bad-tempered, unpleasant and likely to use your lap as a place to put our:

a) Coffee
b) Laptop
c) Folding bicycle
d) Heavy briefcase
e) All of the above

You're better off being segregated onto your own holiday expresses.

TTFN

It is an Airport Express service isn't it, surely it won't be packed with commuters !

 

[tsr]

It is an Airport Express service isn't it, surely it won't be packed with commuters !

I hate to break it to you, but if the commuters find it useful to use a train which also calls or even starts/terminates at Gatwick, they will do so. And given Gatwick is a major commuter interchange and that the Expresses also serve major commuter flows too, you will find everyone on there from annual season holders to the one-off business travellers to tourists to uni students...

 

[rmt4ever]

I hate to break it to you, but if the commuters find it useful to use a train which also calls or even starts/terminates at Gatwick, they will do so. And given Gatwick is a major commuter interchange and that the Expresses also serve major commuter flows too, you will find everyone on there from annual season holders to the one-off business travellers to tourists to uni students...

Don't think many students will be on board given the premium fares, they are more likely to take the easy bus service from Earls Court (which I was tempted to do so after the last service malfunction!!)

 

[berneyarms]

Woah don't have a go at me. GatEx clearly advertise(d) (apparently wrongly) that they have the refreshment service for first class passengers. If it was an oversight, upon my complaint surely they would have told me in reply it was an oversight and corrected it. Instead they said they are sorry that the service was supposed to be provided but wasn't.

This tells me as a consumer that the at seat refreshment service SHOULD still be available !!

Look I'm not having a go at you, but believe it or not big organisations like this often don't know their arm from their elbow, and don't get these things right.

There is no catering on Gatwick Express trains - that is the bottom line.

Their reply to you was wrong, and the FAQ section of the website is still wrong.

That's the situation.

My point is that I tried to explain this to you several times about the two pages, but you didn't seem to notice - that's all I'm trying to explain to you.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And as per your own references and their * references, that would seem that they do not guarantee Large Comfortable seats on these commuter trains, but do guarantee Tables that we can work from, and a copy of the telegraph (it is not clear what the ** reference to that promise refers to).... how can they guarantee the latter two to First Class ticket holders, but not the large comfortable seat ?? That is what makes me believe that the only reason for stipulating these trains with a * is that they are the only ones guaranteed with a large comfortable seat....

What do we pay the 1st premium fare for on the GatEx? If not a large premium comfortable seat ???

Again you're reading far far too much into this.

There should be an asterisk beside the table as well. That's another mistake.

It's nothing to do about whether there is a large comfortable seat or not.

They are saying that as those particular Gatwick Express operated trains operate from Brighton to London (or vice versa), with a stop at Gatwick Airport en route, they are likely to have significant numbers of commuters on board travelling to/from Brighton. These may include 1st Class season ticket holders, and as a result they cannot guarantee that there will be sufficient 1st Class seats for everyone .

They just mean that as the trains double up as a commuter train to Brighton and an express to Gatwick, they are going to be very busy and there may not be enough seats for everyone.

That's all. Nothing more than that.

 

[tsr]

Don't think many students will be on board given the premium fares, they are more likely to take the easy bus service from Earls Court (which I was tempted to do so after the last service malfunction!!)

It was an ad-hoc comment by way of explanation, but as it happens it is a major demographic I find during revenue duties involving most services to/from Brighton.

 

[SPADTrap]

I hate to break it to you, but if the commuters find it useful to use a train which also calls or even starts/terminates at Gatwick, they will do so. And given Gatwick is a major commuter interchange and that the Expresses also serve major commuter flows too, you will find everyone on there from annual season holders to the one-off business travellers to tourists to uni students...

They'll even come on here complaining that their airport express service of choice has long winded airport related announcements played en route! :razz:

 

[43096]

I hate to break it to you, but if the commuters find it useful to use a train which also calls or even starts/terminates at Gatwick, they will do so. And given Gatwick is a major commuter interchange and that the Expresses also serve major commuter flows too, you will find everyone on there from annual season holders to the one-off business travellers to tourists to uni students...

And this is where DfT have got it so badly wrong yet again.

The whole point of the Gatwick Express was to separate out the airport traffic from the commuter flows: that's why BR started the dedicated service back in 1984. If you think about it, the two are pretty incompatible. Airport users have a greater proportion of infrequent travellers, are more lilely to have bulky luggage and value being able to get on the train at its starting point rather than during a 2-min dwell time on an already packed train.

Govia haven't helped, either, by downgrading the standard of accommodation from the ideal (Class 460) to a commuter unit (387). Doilies on the back of a standard class seat do not a premium first class service make.

 

[bramling]

And this is where DfT have got it so badly wrong yet again.

The whole point of the Gatwick Express was to separate out the airport traffic from the commuter flows: that's why BR started the dedicated service back in 1984. If you think about it, the two are pretty incompatible. Airport users have a greater proportion of infrequent travellers, are more lilely to have bulky luggage and value being able to get on the train at its starting point rather than during a 2-min dwell time on an already packed train.

Govia haven't helped, either, by downgrading the standard of accommodation from the ideal (Class 460) to a commuter unit (387). Doilies on the back of a standard class seat do not a premium first class service make.

It doesn't help that there are "Southern Only" tickets, so you end up with loads of people joining the Southern trains whilst the Gatwick Express is often pretty empty.

Not sure if this practice is supposed to end at some point, however in the meantime I think extending the GE to Brighton doesn't seem a bad idea, if it makes more use of the Gatwick Express trains / paths.

I've had plenty of journeys from Vic to Brighton in the motor car of a cl442 having the carriage to myself for the entire journey.

 

[yorkie]

It doesn't help that there are "Southern Only" tickets, so you end up with loads of people joining the Southern trains whilst the Gatwick Express is often pretty empty.

We really need to spread the word about the validity of those tickets, to help spread the loads a bit more evenly

However I think this is all straying a bit off topic from the original matter....

 

[rmt4ever]

What is the First Class like in the new trains? I am going on holiday with 3 mates later in the year and its only £20 more (£5 each) extra for First Class. With the old trains it would be a no brainer, but if the First Class is crap on the new ones might as well go Standard.

We are only getting singles as we are flying back into LHR (which is easier as closer to home) . It is quite good value as a group works out about £11 each single !

Not too bothered about refreshments on this one as we are flying Business so will be in the BA lounge at LGW enjoying the refreshments

 

[N Levers]

What is the First Class like in the new trains? I am going on holiday with 3 mates later in the year and its only £20 more (£5 each) extra for First Class. With the old trains it would be a no brainer, but if the First Class is crap on the new ones might as well go Standard.

We are only getting singles as we are flying back into LHR (which is easier as closer to home) . It is quite good value as a group works out about £11 each single !

Not too bothered about refreshments on this one as we are flying Business so will be in the BA lounge at LGW enjoying the refreshments

Atm the majority of services are still the older units with nice 2 by 1 first class seating.

On the new units the seating is EXACTLY the same as standard (except for the elasticated 1st class headrest)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Don't think many students will be on board given the premium fares, they are more likely to take the easy bus service from Earls Court (which I was tempted to do so after the last service malfunction!!)

Actually lots of students use the train. Also (can of worms) premium fares don't apply south of Gatwick, and with half of the off-peak Express services continuing to Brighton (large student city) it isn't as simple as students are more likely to take easy bus.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

What is the First Class like in the new trains? I am going on holiday with 3 mates later in the year and its only £20 more (£5 each) extra for First Class. With the old trains it would be a no brainer, but if the First Class is crap on the new ones might as well go Standard.....

There is a video in post 86 of this thread showing the new trains. A post that you have already replied to.

 

[MrB]

What is the First Class like in the new trains? I am going on holiday with 3 mates later in the year and its only £20 more (£5 each) extra for First Class. With the old trains it would be a no brainer, but if the First Class is crap on the new ones might as well go Standard.

We are only getting singles as we are flying back into LHR (which is easier as closer to home) . It is quite good value as a group works out about £11 each single !

Not too bothered about refreshments on this one as we are flying Business so will be in the BA lounge at LGW enjoying the refreshments

If you are travelling on a crowded service the £5 would guarantee each of you a seat - that's about it.

However if you're going to be travelling on an almost empty service it is most definitely not worth it!

 

[rmt4ever]

If you are travelling on a crowded service the £5 would guarantee each of you a seat - that's about it.

However if you're going to be travelling on an almost empty service it is most definitely not worth it!

Thanks. Probably we will be travelling about 9am to Gatwick. Shouldn't imagine too busy. Will stick to standard in that case

 

[sarahj]

Thanks. Probably we will be travelling about 9am to Gatwick. Shouldn't imagine too busy. Will stick to standard in that case

Only hint I can give you is when boarding at Victoria, walk a bit down the platform. Most folks get on the first coach, sometimes by the time you get to about 4-5 coaches down, you might have a coach to yourself.