Purchasing a meal in Virgin 1st class on a std class ticket

[jrh2254]

I bought a cheap advance ticket on virgin trains to London and wonder if I can sit in 1st class and purchase a full breakfast. is this possible and if so how much would it cost?
Thanks.

 

[Wallsendmag]

East or West? It may well be cheaper to X/S your ticket to first class


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[Starmill]

This is typically not possible without excessing your ticket to First Class. If you have a cheap standard class ticket, upgrading onboard will almost certainly be a 3 figure sum. At the weekend decent breakfast food is never served anyway.

However, Virgin Trains East Coast did try selling the hot meals from First Class at quite a high price from their Food Bar. I wonder if they still do that when the kitchen has capacity? Your train will have a shop though which can sell hot drinks, sandwiches and snacks.

 

[cf111]

Not as far as I am aware, the first class offer is complimentary on both east and west coast and the only way to partake in it is to buy a first class ticket.

 

[jrh2254]

ok thanks. I bought a £22 advance std ticket from Tamworth (0715) to London and thought it might be possible. I seem to recall it was many years ago ?
I have never seen a fare as low as £22 on a week day, but it is a Friday.
Cant think why EastMidlands trains from Derby to London get any passengers when Virgin are offering such low fares from Lichfield TV and Tamworth and its about the same journey time to London.

 

[Starmill]

Probably because there are hardly any of their trains from Lichfield, and they are rarely only £22 The shop can sell you porridge as a hot breakfast.

 

[yorkie]

ok thanks. I bought a £22 advance std ticket from Tamworth (0715) to London and thought it might be possible. I seem to recall it was many years ago ?
I have never seen a fare as low as £22 on a week day, but it is a Friday.
Cant think why EastMidlands trains from Derby to London get any passengers when Virgin are offering such low fares from Lichfield TV and Tamworth and its about the same journey time to London.

It is possible to upgrade, to get the complimentary breakfast:
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=TAM&dest=EUS&grpd=1072&tkt=FOS
£121.50 - £22 = £99.50

 

[bb21]

Cant think why EastMidlands trains from Derby to London get any passengers when Virgin are offering such low fares from Lichfield TV and Tamworth and its about the same journey time to London.

Direct train, faster journey, much better First Class offerings especially on selected trains...

 

[mirodo]

ok thanks. I bought a £22 advance std ticket from Tamworth (0715) to London and thought it might be possible. I seem to recall it was many years ago ?

Many years ago, in the good ol' days of the dining car, it was possible to (my real life example) buy a £13* London - Alnmouth Standard Advance, plonk oneself down in the dining car and purchase a £14* breakfast and sit in what was, in effect, first class surroundings. In my case, I was allowed to remain there nursing the dregs of my coffee until I was asked to vacate my seat and return to standard class just after departure from Newcastle.

*prices are approximate, within £1-2... it was a long time ago!

 

[MrGrumpy]

Many years ago, in the good ol' days of the dining car, it was possible to (my real life example) buy a £13* London - Alnmouth Standard Advance, plonk oneself down in the dining car and purchase a £14* breakfast and sit in what was, in effect, first class surroundings. In my case, I was allowed to remain there nursing the dregs of my coffee until I was asked to vacate my seat and return to standard class just after departure from Newcastle.

*prices are approximate, within £1-2... it was a long time ago!

Ah yes, I did that many times on GNER from Kings Cross to York. Standard class Priv return for about £20, have a slap-up cooked brekkie for £14 (with endless tea and OJ) going and £20 for dinner coming back, in essentially a first class carriage. Happy days.

 

[extendedpaul]

ok thanks. I bought a £22 advance std ticket from Tamworth (0715) to London and thought it might be possible. I seem to recall it was many years ago ?
I have never seen a fare as low as £22 on a week day, but it is a Friday.
Cant think why EastMidlands trains from Derby to London get any passengers when Virgin are offering such low fares from Lichfield TV and Tamworth and its about the same journey time to London.

£22 isn't the lowest fare on that journey - they start at £15.50, eg Friday 21 April. London Midland can get you to London even earlier and cheaper - £12 advance on the 06.15 on the same date. Excellent value for early weekday travel.

 

[island]

It is possible to upgrade, to get the complimentary breakfast:
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=TAM&dest=EUS&grpd=1072&tkt=FOS
£121.50 - £22 = £99.50

Plus £10 admin fee for amending an Advance.

 

[Starmill]

Plus £10 admin fee for amending an Advance.

Which only applies on CrossCountry if one remains on the same train but upgrades their ticket to First Class.

2) Where the customer joins the correct train and wishes to upgrade to First Class on
board, or wishes to upgrade at a station beforehand between Standard and First Class
on the correct train on which their Advance ticket has been reserved, this is not classed
as a change of travel plans

Weekdays: All TOCs allow upgrade to First Class in the above circumstances. As with
other ticket types, charge the difference between the fare already paid and the
appropriate First Single (dedicated or inter-available) fare for the journey. No £10 fee
should be charged for doing this (except on XC trains)

 

[bengolding]

£22 isn't the lowest fare on that journey - they start at £15.50, eg Friday 22 April. London Midland can get you to London even earlier and cheaper - £12 advance on the 06.15 on the same date. Excellent value for early weekday travel.

On Fri 21 April, a 1st Advance on the 0715 is only £32.
EMT 1st Class is notoriously expensive at peak times with little or no 1st Advance quotas available on some trains such as the 0801. Breakfast only available on 4 trains although it's very good.

 

[All Line Rover]

VTWC has dramatically cut Advance fares (std and 1st) across the board, for those booking sufficiently far ahead. For many years VTWC was nowhere near this cheap (more so, that being said, on the Manchester route than the Liverpool route).

 

[Merseysider]

VTWC has dramatically cut Advance fares (std and 1st) across the board, for those booking sufficiently far ahead. For many years VTWC was nowhere near this cheap (more so, that being said, on the Manchester route than the Liverpool route).

Perhaps the removal of the railcard easement, increase in weekend 1st upgrade prices, almost doubling of the price of a weekend travelcard, and four hour evening peak period had priced people off?

 

[All Line Rover]

Perhaps the removal of the railcard easement, increase in weekend 1st upgrade prices, almost doubling of the price of a weekend travelcard, and four hour evening peak period had priced people off?

It surprises me how, even with these excellent value fares, only a handful of seats tend to be booked more than a few weeks ahead. Most seats seem to get reserved around a fortnight ahead, by which point Advance fares have substantially increased in price.

 

[MKB]

Perhaps the removal of the railcard easement, increase in weekend 1st upgrade prices, almost doubling of the price of a weekend travelcard, and four hour evening peak period had priced people off?

..and the tripling of their station car park charges.

 

[Darandio]

It surprises me how, even with these excellent value fares, only a handful of seats tend to be booked more than a few weeks ahead. Most seats seem to get reserved around a fortnight ahead, by which point Advance fares have substantially increased in price.

How do you know when they are booked/reserved? Genuine question.

 

[All Line Rover]

VTWC website seat selector.

 

[tgsh2011]

During the BR InterCity days it was possible (on some services) to join the restaurant car for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You got to stay in first class as long as you were consuming your meal. The timetable would indicate whether the restaurant car was open to all, or restricted to first class ticket holders only. For example the daily 07:11 LIV/EUS was always first class ticket holders only, but the 08:11 LIV/EUS was open to all (with first class getting priority). This was 1991-1994 and the meals were delicious (if expensive). A full breakfast, which was absolutely fantastic would set you back about £13 in early 1990s money.

 

[34D]

Ah yes, I did that many times on GNER from Kings Cross to York. Standard class Priv return for about £20, have a slap-up cooked brekkie for £14 (with endless tea and OJ) going and £20 for dinner coming back, in essentially a first class carriage. Happy days.

Likewise.

Is there anywhere in the UK where its poasible to sit in a dining car when one purchases food?

I suspect none.

 

[theageofthetra]

Likewise.

Is there anywhere in the UK where its poasible to sit in a dining car when one purchases food?

I suspect none.

Pullman service on GW.

 

[Castle Cary]

Likewise.

Is there anywhere in the UK where its poasible to sit in a dining car when one purchases food?

I suspect none.

Quite a few Heritage Lines offer this facility.

 

[30907]

Pullman service on GW.

And the Holyhead-Cardiff, aka Gerallt aka WAG Express, though technically you are purchasing an upgrade not food.

 

[alistairlees]

Likewise.

Is there anywhere in the UK where its possible to sit in a dining car when one purchases food?

I suspect none.

Caledonian Sleeper too, of course! The food is microwaved now, but I usually have the haggis, neeps and tatties, which is fine. The beer and whisky are very good too, and not expensive.