Virgin first weekend upgrade

[The Snap]

Hi all,

I recently travelled with Cross Country and was unable to upgrade (on a Saturday) to First Class with an advanced ticket. My question is, does this same rule apply on Virgin Trains at weekend? If so, I may well need to book off peaks or First Advanced instead.

Cheers.

 

[bb21]

AFAIK XC and Grand Central are the only ones that do not allow Weekend First upgrades with a Standard Class Advance ticket.

See our Fares & Ticketing Guide.

 

[causton]

AFAIK XC and Grand Central are the only ones that do not allow Weekend First upgrades with a Standard Class Advance ticket.

See our Fares & Ticketing Guide.

Although I once had trouble with an SWT guard who implied that I could not get it - he claimed it was because he had a notice conveniently in his other work blazer at home! SWT never gave me a conclusive reply about that... but then again, they don't really do to most of my complaints!

 

[bb21]

If we are going to enter the territory of people making up rules then I cannot possibly give any answer.

 

[gordonthemoron]

but is a Virgin upgrade worth the money? Most Virgin trains I travel on at weekends aren't very busy (last Sunday's 20:21 from Manchester to Euston being an exception)

 

[bb21]

but is a Virgin upgrade worth the money?

Depend on what you are after. There is not much in terms of freebies and nibbles.

 

[maniacmartin]

Its worth it if every Std. carriage has noisy babies, children or lager lauts.

 

[OwlMan]

If buying an advance for Virgin on a weekend the difference in fare between 1st & standard is usually less than the upgrade, and the 1st class is often cheaper

 

[ATW Alex 101]

So if I held a first class advance, with a standard reservation, having had it changed (it was purchased as a first advance, but changed it to a later train in standard class), when approaching the TM will I have to pay the advertised £5 upgrade, or the difference from my ticket to the first class single?

 

[bb21]

If I understand you correctly, you now have a Standard Class ticket, so upgrade would be processed in the normal way as any other Standard Class ticket holder.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

If I understand you correctly, you now have a Standard Class ticket, so upgrade would be processed in the normal way as any other Standard Class ticket holder.

Basically yes, I have a first class advance, a reservation for standard class and a change of journey fee supplement. It was changed from a first class advance, into what I presume is a standard advance, although nowhere it says in writing it's a standard advance. I am travelling on a weekend.

So yes, I am able to get a £5 upgrade with these tickets? I thought you couldn't do the Virgin weekend upgrade with advance tickets.

 

[bb21]

Virgin Weekend First upgrade is available with any Standard Class ticket.

It is XC who do not allow such an upgrade with a Standard Class Advance ticket.

 

[185143]

So yes, I am able to get a £5 upgrade with these tickets? I thought you couldn't do the Virgin weekend upgrade with advance tickets.

You can, I've done it several times. It's only CrossCountry and a couple of others that don't do it.