Virgin First Class lounges

[Edvid]

I'm sitting in one of Euston's two First Class lounges right now (the bigger one), and it is impressive. Although not the first time I've used a Virgin lounge, I only discovered today that Virgin permit access to any lounge regardless (it seems in this case anyway) of your associated journey on the day; I'm travelling from Liverpool Lime Street to Stafford in FC today.

I was heading for the smaller lounge when a member of staff kindly informed me both of the lounge and the ticket's validity in it. Must board my train to Liverpool now!

 

[deltic]

I only discovered today that Virgin permit access to any lounge regardless (it seems in this case anyway) of your associated journey on the day; I'm travelling from Liverpool Lime Street to Stafford in FC today.

I was heading for the smaller lounge when a member of staff kindly informed me both of the lounge and the ticket's validity in it. Must board my train to Liverpool now!

I never understand when you can use first class lounges - some seem to allow 1st advance ticket holders in but I was refused access to Edinburgh's on such a ticket

is there an easy guide to whose you can use and on what ticket

 

[MCR247]

It depends who runs them

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Virgin allow access if you have ANY ticket which allows you to complete ALL OR PART of your journey in first class on a Virgin Trains service.

Not many allow advance ticket holders in, with most offering an "upgrade" from your advance ticket so you're allowed in.

 

[oliverj8]

The staff at Euston have been very nice to me when I have been, they seem to be okay with you going in with the weekend upgrade.

I haven't been in their 'Coffee Lounge' (the small one) there yet, anyone tell me what its like?

I think Virgin has done very well with the refurbishment of their First Class Lounges, are the East Coast Lounges similar?

 

[Chris-P]

Virgin allow access if you have ANY ticket which allows you to complete ALL OR PART of your journey in first class on a Virgin Trains service.

Not many allow advance ticket holders in, with most offering an "upgrade" from your advance ticket so you're allowed in.

FGW let you in with an AP ticket, very nice it is too

 

[voyagerdude220]

I haven't been in their 'Coffee Lounge' (the small one) there yet, anyone tell me what its like?

The coffee lounge is fine if you're only stopping for say 5-10 mins, but I don't think it's as good as any of the main Virgin First Class lounges.

I prefer to go there when the main one is busy in the evening.

My personal VT favourite is the Crewe First Class lounge, although i've not been there for a while.

 

[oliverj8]

The coffee lounge is fine if you're only stopping for say 5-10 mins, but I don't think it's as good as any of the main Virgin First Class lounges.

I prefer to go there when the main one is busy in the evening.

My personal VT favourite is the Crewe First Class lounge, although i've not been there for a while.

Thanks

I would also like to go inside the Crewe Lounge, it sounds pretty cool, do you think they would let me use it if I have already used the First Class service on the train and I am just waiting for my onward connection?

Thanks in advance,

 

[71B]

Thanks

I would also like to go inside the Crewe Lounge, it sounds pretty cool, do you think they would let me use it if I have already used the First Class service on the train and I am just waiting for my onward connection?

Thanks in advance,

Probably not.

 

[rail-britain]

Virgin Trains used to be quite strict on NOT letting in holders of First Advance tickets, especially at weekends

East Coast (last year NXEC) were very strict on NOT letting in holders of First Advance tickets
However, I have now noted that there is a £10 supplement for Advance ticket holders, if they wish access to one First Class lounge
I would have used them with my ALR last year, but it was always closed when I was at Edinburgh Waverley!

EMT did not allow me to use any of their First Class lounges with my ALR last year
However, at Leicester I was advised a £5 fee applied (the other stations simply refused)

 

[Edvid]

That was a bit cheeky of EMT, especially since their supplements (since January anyway) can be combined with their Standard Class tickets as well. Mind you, it is sometimes cheaper to buy a First Anytime (Day) Single rather than a supplement (e.g. Nottingham - Beeston).

It seems that Virgin have a relatively abundant supply of FC lounges, and I read somewhere that Warrington Bank Quay will get one too (don't quote me on that though). Since my initial post I paid two more visits - one to the Liverpool lounge (built in a very convenient spot right on platform 7) and another to the Euston lounge.

 

[Mojo]

Virgin have quite a few First class lounges, even unstaffed ones at places like Birmingham Intl! I think they only allow Virgin customers in though.

FGW have them at Paddington and Cardiff Central; there used to be one at Temple Meads but it was out of the way and closed a while back now. I know the one at Temple Meads allowed any customer to go in, presumably the same still applies (although at Paddington you don't really have much choice as HEx is normally waiting for you).

Do any TOCs apply minimum fares, as at places like Paddington couldn't you buy a return to Acton Main Line/Ealing Bdy?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I have on occasion been directed to the VT lounge at Euston while waiting to board the Sleeper; not sure if this was as a result of an ongoing agreement with Scotrail or if it was some other reason.

 

[rail-britain]

That was a bit cheeky of EMT, especially since their supplements (since January anyway) can be combined with their Standard Class tickets as well. Mind you, it is sometimes cheaper to buy a First Anytime (Day) Single rather than a supplement (e.g. Nottingham - Beeston)

I was already aware of the EMT policy, which has always been on their website, but just wanted to see if they would waive it
I was only using First Class lounges where I had a wait of at least thirty minutes and/or my laptop needed charging (which it did at Leicester as the HSTs had no power points)
Thankfully the weather was warm, so I just sat on the platform and enjoyed that instead!

 

[attics26]

East Coast supplement now £5 not £10

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Virgin have quite a few First class lounges, even unstaffed ones at places like Birmingham Intl! I think they only allow Virgin customers in though.

Which begs the question, why don't Preston or Glasgow have one?

 

[voyagerdude220]

I would personally use it a heck of a lot of times at Preston if VT open one there, as well as Glasgow.

At Crewe, i've simply had to press the intercom button & show my ticket to the CCTV camera, in order to allow a member of VT staff see my ticket from wherever they are in the station. Perhaps there's a similar set up at International?

I once used the NXEC (may have still been GNER at the time) FC lounge at Edinburgh, by simply purchasing a FDS to Haymarket, as i had a while to wait for my connection. I remember being very disapointed with the poor quality though.

I used to really like the FC lounge at Bristol Temple M, i'm very sad that it's no longer open.

 

[Mojo]

Glasgow Ctl used to have a First class lounge, but it was closed for some reason.

 

[rail-britain]

Glasgow Ctl used to have a First class lounge, but it was closed for some reason

Virgin Trains didn't want to pay for it, as they don't operate the majority of services
Railtrack (as it was then) also wanted Virgin Trains to have it staffed from 06:00 to 23:30 (basically so that it could be used by sleeper passengers as well)
Virgin Trains also argued that when it was open it was also being used by customers from GNER (as it was then), but they weren't receiving any revenue
It really was doomed from day one!

 

[jon0844]

Why doesn't Network Rail, as it is now, simply create its own lounge and then charge all TOCs who allow customers in to use it? Surely everyone would be happy?

 

[Aictos]

I'm sure Birmingham International is staffed as there were jobs advertised last year for dispatchers and also a station announcer.

 

[Mojo]

I'm sure Birmingham International is staffed as there were jobs advertised last year for dispatchers and also a station announcer.

I was talking about First class lounge staffing; the station is staffed, but the First class lounge is not.

 

[Aictos]

Ah, simple error! Still, I do hope Peterborough gets a 1st Class lounge with the rebuilt especially as it's one of the important stations on the route along with Kings Cross, Doncaster, Leeds, Newcastle, York and Edinburgh.

 

[jamesontheroad]

I have on occasion been directed to the VT lounge at Euston while waiting to board the Sleeper; not sure if this was as a result of an ongoing agreement with Scotrail or if it was some other reason.

Virgin & ScotRail do indeed have an agreement. I've used the Euston lounge a few times when travelling first class on the sleeper. It's very very handy indeed to have the nice showers there too - I used them upon arrival not long after they opened, and it's the perfect way to refresh after an overnight journey.

 

[fireincairo]

The last few times i've travelled between Manchester & London i've used the 1st class lounges at both ends on Advance Tickets with no problem (I wasn't aware there was one at some places?).

The Manchester Lounge is exceptionally useful for a station where seating is limited to the upstairs bar areas and is generally full! I quite like sitting by the window with a cup of tea and watching the world go by below.

London Euston's lounge is bizarre, Virgin have decked it out in backless sofas and a rather confusing layout where you have to dart in-between seats to find your way out (or so I thought).

 

[Lampshade]

Which begs the question, why don't Preston or Glasgow have one?

Preston soon will have one as part of the improvements although quite where they're going to put it is anyone's guess. They can't build a new one as it's a listed building and I don't know what could be converted :?

 

[bnm]

Preston soon will have one as part of the improvements although quite where they're going to put it is anyone's guess. They can't build a new one as it's a listed building and I don't know what could be converted :?

Network Rail can build a new one without going through the tortuous local authority planning process. Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 railways are listed as 'Statutory Undertakers' and as such they can grant themselves planning permission on their operational land. They can, if they wish have sensitive applications ruled on by the Secretary of State for Transport who will also consider appeals from third parties.

If planning decisions on operational railway land were decided by local authorites we'd never have seen the knitting strung up through many listed stations!

So building a First Class Lounge on Preston Station should be fairly straight forward, plenty of platform space.

 

[maddeningcrowds]

Where is the lounge at Liverpool Lime street? Is it in the bizarre silver Virgin building on platform 7?

 

[Failed Unit]

Virgin Trains didn't want to pay for it, as they don't operate the majority of services
Railtrack (as it was then) also wanted Virgin Trains to have it staffed from 06:00 to 23:30 (basically so that it could be used by sleeper passengers as well)
Virgin Trains also argued that when it was open it was also being used by customers from GNER (as it was then), but they weren't receiving any revenue
It really was doomed from day one!

The you look over at Edinburgh that used to have 3x first class lounges, GNER (East Coast), Virgin (haven't paid any attention who runs this now, it was really a lounge for Cross Country passengers when Virgin held the franchise), Scotrail on platform 14. so you have 3x 1st class lounges in one station and none of them are well used. Surely it would be cheaper for all the operators to club together and just have 1!

East Coast's lounges are variable in quality, Darlington and Wakefield are nothing exciting. Amazingly York doesn't have a lounge at all.

Glasgow Central not having one is not very nice if you are waiting for the sleeper to be honest.

I don't think I would ever pay to access a lounge, when Kings Cross is completed you can pay £2 for a hot drink and then sit down and drink it from where you bought it from. They may even offer free wi-fi. I guess St Pancras is the better why pay station? Free wi-fi and lots of places buy a drink a lot closer to where the trains really depart!

 

[Pumbaa]

Where is the lounge at Liverpool Lime street? Is it in the bizarre silver Virgin building on platform 7?

Yup!

Stupid really. If they had their heads screwed on, P7 could be shifted slightly to put in an extra platform. P7 goes where the columns currently are, P8 is the old P7, and then P9 and P10. Would work wonders during the rush hour to create additional capacity in the station!