VT Weekend First Class

[ChrisTheRef]

Hi all, catching a flight from Heathrow in a few months which means a trip down to London from Liverpool.

I know the full first class service isn't available for weekends or bank hols, so could someone tell me the difference, what you get at the weekend and whether it's worth it?

Tickets unbookable yet as it's:
OUT
Sat 12/09/08

RTN
Mon 21/09/08

 

[me123]

You pay for the seat, and for complimentary goodies (drinks and biscuits I think) at the seat. You won't get a meal service.

 

[glynn80]

At the moment, VT First Class lounges are now trialling weekend opening.

So the OP will also be allowed access to the FC lounges along the route of his journey.

Liverpool unfortunately does not have an FC lounge, closest is Runcorn, but on the return he can certainly use the lounge at Euston before his return journey.

 

[First class]

Liverpool DOES now have a FC lounge. Opened 2 weeks ago. The whole Virgin area was refurbished, new VT office, loads of FastTicket machines, inside and out.

As for FC service on a weekend, I have been offered egg+cress sandwiches, drinks and a snack box...

 

[glynn80]

Liverpool DOES now have a FC lounge. Opened 2 weeks ago. The whole Virgin area was refurbished, new VT office, loads of FastTicket machines, inside and out.

As for FC service on a weekend, I have been offered egg+cress sandwiches, drinks and a snack box...

I stand corrected!!

Bloody VT website not being updated.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Cheers guys, and although the FC lounge is open, it does still look like a building site

 

[voyagerdude220]

Liverpool DOES now have a FC lounge. Opened 2 weeks ago. The whole Virgin area was refurbished, new VT office, loads of FastTicket machines, inside and out.

As for FC service on a weekend, I have been offered egg+cress sandwiches, drinks and a snack box...

I never knew about Liverpool having a FC lounge.. many thanks for the info!

Just a side note- I'm assuming your comment about weekend service is based on a rather old journey, as the snack box's were phased out of VT quite a while ago.

Now, Virgin offer an at-seat service of hot and cold soft drinks, along with fruit and crisps (unusually no gorgeous muffins) at weekends/bank holidays.

Weekend first upgrades don't allow use of FC lounges, but you don't have to pay a premium for holding a FC AP single in order to use a FC lounge- take note NXEC!!

(I know EMT charge as well, but think that the EMT system is alot fairer, as i personally think that EMT AP FC singles are far cheaper than NXEC's like-for-like fares)

 

[yorkie]

..I have been offered egg+cress sandwiches...

Probably 'cos no-one will buy them, yet they still produce tons of them.

M&S have finally acknowledged that people don't like egg sandwiches as all their multipacks of 3 different type of sandwich used to include egg. Wanting the other 2 for variety I would ask if anyone else liked egg. No-one has ever taken up on the offer, as no-one likes egg sandwiches.

When I last went FC on NXEC the only food on offer was a single egg sandwich. It was eventually sold.

 

[tony_mac]

No-one has ever taken up on the offer, as no-one likes egg sandwiches.

My mum always takes egg sandwiches with her on train journeys.
The first thing she does when she sits down is to open them up on the table, and it stops anyone else sitting there!

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Anyone know how much the Weekend First upgrade is between LIV and EUS these days? Still £15?

I've only ever been FC on a weekday, it was curry night! No egg sandwiches to be seen!

 

[clagmonster]

Still £15 single for any journey on Virmin trains. Any ticket type can be upgraded on board, but only walk up tickets can be upgraded in advance.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I've only ever been FC on a weekday, it was curry night! No egg sandwiches to be seen!

Thanks for the info.. off the top of my head, i think that's the rotation 1 menu, meaning that there are 3 different menus IIRC?

 

[Geezertronic]

Virmin trains

Don't think there's any need for that is there?

 

[87015]

Don't think there's any need for that is there?

Who are you, Branson junior? Don't see you kicking up an objection when its ATW or NXEc or anyone else getting a slight insult. Not everyone falls for Virgins PR rubbish...

 

[Geezertronic]

Who are you, Branson junior? Don't see you kicking up an objection when its ATW or NXEc or anyone else getting a slight insult. Not everyone falls for Virgins PR rubbish...

I think Virmin is such a disguisting word that there's no need for it. Whilst other TOCs have "nicknames" if you like, I don't see any quite as bad.

And as for falling for their PR "rubbish", you're way of the mark. I am a frequent user of Virgin Trains between Birmingham and Euston and aside from the seat alignment issues of the Pendolino's, I have had no issues with them -First Class or Standard Class.

Whether anyone likes them or not, they have done a good job on the WCML and most of the whinges I hear about them are actually very minor rather than proper issues.

 

[ukrob]

I think Virmin is such a disguisting word that there's no need for it. Whilst other TOCs have "nicknames" if you like, I don't see any quite as bad.

And as for falling for their PR "rubbish", you're way of the mark. I am a frequent user of Virgin Trains between Birmingham and Euston and aside from the seat alignment issues of the Pendolino's, I have had no issues with them -First Class or Standard Class.

Whether anyone likes them or not, they have done a good job on the WCML and most of the whinges I hear about them are actually very minor rather than proper issues.

And almost always from enthuaists who are still bitter about it not being loco+coaches after all these years

 

[tony_mac]

Liverpool DOES now have a FC lounge. Opened 2 weeks ago. The whole Virgin area was refurbished, new VT office, loads of FastTicket machines, inside and out.

I was down there today, there was a sign out saying it was 'opening soon' - and certainly no access to anything other than the VT office.

 

[ukrob]

I was down there today, there was a sign out saying it was 'opening soon' - and certainly no access to anything other than the VT office.

I agree - it is NOT open and there is no access to it, however the new Virgin office is open and has been for a couple of weeks (max). The lounge is still being fitted out.

 

[Krispo]

If I were to buy this in advance, then when I got on the train, there wasn't any room, would I be entitled to a refund?

 

[Geezertronic]

And almost always from enthuaists who are still bitter about it not being loco+coaches after all these years

Ah well, the Gods were smiling on the enthusiasts as Virgin Trains have been forced to temporarily use the loco hauled service between Euston and Birmingham, despite the fact that it always runs late due to not being able to keep to the Pendolino's timings

 

[martyn29]

I like egg sandwiches

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I like egg sandwiches

Someone ban him!

 

[Geezertronic]

Someone ban him!

Yes, he'll be saying he likes Virgin Cola next

 

[First class]

If I were to buy this in advance, then when I got on the train, there wasn't any room, would I be entitled to a refund?

Depends what you mean by advance.

If you buy an unrestricted ticket- like an Anytime Return or Off Peak Return without getting a free seat reservation then no, your not entitled to a refund. If you do get a seat reservation and it is not honoured you will be entitled to some compensation. If you decide not to travel because your seat reservation won't be honoured, you can go to the ticket office you purchased your ticket from, and if they are in a position to do so, they will refund your complete ticket costs without any admin fees.

If you buy a restricted ticket, e.g. an Advance ticket, where you can travel only on your booked train, you can claim compensation if they fail to honour the reservation you were given. However, not all journey legs may have a reservation, particularly on local services, so in that case, you could only ever claim compensation if you had a seat reserved on a specific service, and it could not be honoured.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I think Krispo is referring to buying the weekend upgrade in advance, in conjunction with a valid SC ticket.

If this is the case, I personally think that you would be entitled to compensation against the upgrade price, because the advance upgrade should automatically get you a reservation for a FC seat.

However, if you don't have a reservation for a FC seat, I don't think you would be entitled to a refund.

 

[Krispo]

I think Krispo is referring to buying the weekend upgrade in advance, in conjunction with a valid SC ticket.

If this is the case, I personally think that you would be entitled to compensation against the upgrade price, because the advance upgrade should automatically get you a reservation for a FC seat.

However, if you don't have a reservation for a FC seat, I don't think you would be entitled to a refund.

I thought the Weekend First upgrade was only valid on a specific train, I didn't realise it was flexible.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Yeah it is on VT when bought with a standard walk-up ticket (i.e. anything other than advance singles) , but i'm not 100% sure about other TOCs.

FGW may have just changed the flexibility of their weekend first, but i'm sure someone else can correct me/confirm whether it has or not.

 

[martyn29]

Yes, he'll be saying he likes Virgin Cola next

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[yorkie]

I thought the Weekend First upgrade was only valid on a specific train, I didn't realise it was flexible.

My understanding of Weekend 1st is that if you book a seat on a specific train and get another train, you can still use it but if there are no seats available you will have to go back to standard and you can claim a refund of the weekend 1st. That definitely was the situation on NXEC back in Summer 2008 when I did it occasionally to be next to a Valenta. I am not sure that the rules are "simplified" across all TOCs though and Virgin may have their own rules!

 

[Krispo]

My understanding of Weekend 1st is that if you book a seat on a specific train and get another train, you can still use it but if there are no seats available you will have to go back to standard and you can claim a refund of the weekend 1st. That definitely was the situation on NXEC back in Summer 2008 when I did it occasionally to be next to a Valenta. I am not sure that the rules are "simplified" across all TOCs though and Virgin may have their own rules!

Righto, thanks.