Greater Anglia weekend 1st tickets.

[Richard1960]

Hi on the greater Anglia website they offer a weekend 1st ticket that allows you to upgrade ordinary tickets to first class at weekends and bank holidays for £7 between any two stations.

The trouble is a lot of stations do not know how to issue the tickets at Norwich the staff on the ticket counters could not do an upgrade for me ,Roydon staion in Essex said the ticket was not on their system.

And my parents yesterday had 4 staff including the station manager at Harlow Town station try to find it before being told it was not on their system.

Only the staff at Cambridge seem to know what they are doing i have complained to the customer service manager at Norwich but please Greater Anglia up your game.

I wonder if there are any staff on here able to explain "tickets not on the system" but on the website as "being available":-x

 

[John @ home]

a lot of stations do not know how to issue the tickets at Norwich the staff on the ticket counters could not do an upgrade for me ,Roydon staion in Essex said the ticket was not on their system.

And my parents yesterday had 4 staff including the station manager at Harlow Town station try to find it before being told it was not on their system.

Were they trying to issue seat reservation(s) as part of the same transaction? The Manual indicates that this is necessary.

Weekend First - Greater Anglia

Holders of Standard tickets, including Advance tickets, can travel in extra comfort on Greater Anglia services on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in First Class accommodation for the payment of a flat fee.

When issued in advance, Weekend First must include a free reserved seat. If the customer misses the reserved train, the supplement may be used on other services for the same journey on the same date at no extra charge, subject to accommodation being available.

Passengers may also purchase a supplement on the train subject to availability of accommodation.

Greater Anglia Weekend First supplements may not be issued through to services on other TOCs.

Weekend First supplements are:
TOC Greater Anglia (LER)
Between any two stations served by a Greater Anglia reservable mainline service and selected GA stations served by connecting services.
£7.00 per single journey

This entry is managed by: Greater Anglia. last updated on: 03/08/12

 

[Richard1960]

Were they trying to issue seat reservation(s) as part of the same transaction? The Manual indicates that this is necessary.

Thanks no they were not and were not aware this was the case as i said 4 staff at Harlow Town station were on the case yesterday and not one of them seemed to know.

I booked a weekend 1st upgrade to sheringham from Roydon Station in Essex about three weeks ago at Cambridge when i was there, without seat reservations .

The whole thing seems a mess.

 

[TheEdge]

Get on train. Sit in 1st. Guard takes £7 from you and in return gives you a 1st upgrade. Seems simple enough.

 

[Richard1960]

Get on train. Sit in 1st. Guard takes £7 from you and in return gives you a 1st upgrade. Seems simple enough.

The trouble is on the 1st part of the journey Harlow to Cambridge the train does not have a guard just a driver.

Presumably if you were sat in 1st with a standard ticket and inspectors got on you would be in s--t street.

A lot of trains in my area have no guards just the driver so how are you supposed to buy the ticket on the train.

 

[Sleepy]

Not excusing the station staff but there is no reason why you cannot get the upgrade from the guard on the train instead if not requiring reservations (this will also avoid messing about for refund if 1st class is full).

 

[Richard1960]

Not excusing the station staff but there is no reason why you cannot get the upgrade from the guard on the train instead if not requiring reservations (this will also avoid messing about for refund if 1st class is full).

Hmm no guard on the train in this case will the driver sell me a ticket.

 

[Sleepy]

The trouble is on the 1st part of the journey Harlow to Cambridge the train does not have a guard just a driver.

Presumably if you were sat in 1st with a standard ticket and inspectors got on you would be in s--t street.

A lot of trains in my area have no guards just the driver so how are you supposed to buy the ticket on the train.

Weekend 1st class upgrades only available for London - Norwich services (as per John @ home post above) so that would explain the problems at Harlow, you would only be able to excess to normal 1st class ticket.

 

[Richard1960]

Weekend 1st class upgrades only available for London - Norwich services so that would explain the problems at Harlow, you would only be able to excess to normal 1st class ticket.

Thats not true three weeks ago i bought a ticket at Cambridge weekend 1st upgrade from Roydon in essex to sheringham via cambridge no problems ,it cost me £14, £7 from Roydon to cambridge,and £7 Cambridge to norwich,the Norwich to sheringham service has no 1st class seats.

Anyway i got the upgrade even though not going through London.

Greater Anglia only say £7 between any two stations no mention of London Only.

 

[Sleepy]

sounds like you were sold a GXC 1st class upgrade (£14 return with CDY or SVR available every day) which is different to the Weekend 1st class product ?

 

[Richard1960]

sounds like you were sold a GXC 1st class upgrade (£14 return with CDY or SVR available every day) which is different to the Weekend 1st class product ?

Nope the tickets i was sold have specific weekend dates attached to them Ie only available on 13th of july and return on the 27th july only both weekend dates.

The customer service head man at Norwich is looking into this for me.

I presume he knows what he is doing.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Get on train. Sit in 1st. Guard takes £7 from you and in return gives you a 1st upgrade. Seems simple enough.

Hi still awaiting your advice for a train with no guard on board still its simple enough.

 

[OwlMan]

There are two types of First upgrade on GA
Off peak - which is only avaialable from booking offices
and the Weekend Upgrade which is only available on the London - Norwich route and is available in advance or on board

Off-Peak First Class Offers

Treat yourself to First Class travel for a supplement of only £10 on an Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak Day Return and £14 on an Off-Peak Return. The £14 ticket applies to longer-distance journeys such as Ipswich or Norwich to London; the £10 supplement applies to shorter journeys such as Colchester to London. You can upgrade almost any Greater Anglia journey to First Class with this supplement apart from short local journeys - it doesn't have to be on the Norwich to London route.
First Class seating is provided on trains from London to Southend Victoria, Clacton-on-Sea, Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Braintree, Colchester Town and Ipswich, plus the branch lines to Walton-on-the Naze and Harwich Town and the Ipswich to Peterborough and Norwich to Cambridge lines. Certain services on the Ipswich to Lowestoft and Cambridge lines convey First Class - please check the timetable for details. First Class accommodation is not provided on the London suburban lines to Enfield Town, Cheshunt, Chingford, Hertford East, Gidea Park and Shenfield; nor on the Norwich to Sheringham, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth lines.
This supplement is only available at booking offices and must be bought before the start of the first leg of your journey. It is not possible to upgrade on the train or on the return leg of a journey with this ticket. Time restrictions are the same as the Standard Class Off-Peak ticket being upgraded.
There is also a First Class Off-Peak Day Return which is available to and from London Liverpool Street. This is available online and from ticket machines as well as from the booking office.
Weekend First Class Upgrade

You could upgrade from Standard to First Class for as little as £7 with a Weekend First Class upgrade on Intercity mainline services between Norwich and London Liverpool Street. A Weekend First ticket is available on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays and is valid in one direction only. Simply take a First Class seat and the conductor will sell you the upgrade. This ticket is also available at stations and any valid Standard Class ticket can be upgraded.

 

[TheEdge]

I think the suggestion you got the £14 upgrade rather than a weekend first to be more likely.

You could upgrade from Standard to First Class for as little as £7 with a Weekend First Class upgrade on Intercity mainline services between Norwich and London Liverpool Street.

From the GA website which would suggest the £7 can only be purchased on the Mainline service, all of which have guards.

 

[OwlMan]

Hi still awaiting your advice for a train with no guard on board still its simple enough.

The weekend ticket is only available on the London - Norwich services so there will be aguard on board.

 

[Richard1960]

There are two types of First upgrade on GA
Off peak - which is only avaialable from booking offices
and the Weekend Upgrade which is only available on the London - Norwich route and is available in advance or on board

I have in my possession a weekend 1st upgrade to sheringham via cambridge £7 between each station three weeks ago no trouble buying it either as a weekend upgrade, they sold it to me there i stated at the time i did not want to travel via London..

The booking office at Harlow town though was next to useless with even the manager having no idea i am now awaiting a call from the head of Greater Anglia customer services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The weekend ticket is only available on the London - Norwich services so there will be aguard on board.

Thanks but see my post 15.

 

[TheEdge]

I have in my possession a weekend 1st upgrade to sheringham via cambridge £7 between each station three weeks ago no trouble buying it either as a weekend upgrade, they sold it to me there i stated at the time i did not want to travel via London..

The booking office at Harlow town though was next to useless with even the manager having no idea i am now awaiting a call from the head of Greater Anglia customer services.

I suspect you have been sold an incorrect ticket at Cambridge, the £7 fare appears on Avantix for all routes but is only used London-Norwich.

Hence why Harlow Town have no idea what you are on about, they don't sell that ticket.

 

[Richard1960]

I suspect you have been sold an incorrect ticket at Cambridge, the £7 fare appears on Avantix for all routes but is only used London-Norwich.

Hence why Harlow Town have no idea what you are on about, they don't sell that ticket.

Ok thanks that might be the answer but i sopke to the head of customer service for greater Anglia yesterday even he did not seem to know.

I am grateful to you for posting the probable answer.

You should work for Greater Anglia if you do not already.

PS i am stil lgoing to use my 1st Class upgrade via Cambridge next month as its already been issued.LOL.

 

[TheEdge]

You should work for Greater Anglia if you do not already.

I do.

 

[Richard1960]

I do.

A quick question then please. I got this from the greater anglia website.

Treat yourself to First Class travel for a supplement of only £10 on an Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak Day Return and £14 on an Off-Peak Return. The £14 ticket applies to longer-distance journeys such as Ipswich or Norwich to London; the £10 supplement applies to shorter journeys such as Colchester to London. You can upgrade almost any Greater Anglia journey to First Class with this supplement apart from short local journeys - it doesn't have to be on the Norwich to London route.


It says ytou can upgrade almost any greater anglia ticket off peak i take it this applies Harlow to Sheringham at weekends as it says it does not have to be the London-Norwich route,what ticket would you need to ask for to get that just an off peak upgrade i am guessing.

 

[TheEdge]

Yes, just as for the off peak and the upgrade. I'm assuming you know 1st class doesn't happen up the Sheringham line often, only when a 170 is there and those are *normally* last minute things.

 

[Richard1960]

Yes, just as for the off peak and the upgrade. I'm assuming you know 1st class doesn't happen up the Sheringham line often, only when a 170 is there and those are *normally* last minute things.

Yes thanks for that,the only time i have seen a 170 on the route is when Norwich City football club was tipping out,and you had to be in the front two carriages at a couple of stations to get off as it had more them the usual two cars.

Very grateful for your advice i should have tried on here first.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Get on train. Sit in 1st. Guard takes £7 from you and in return gives you a 1st upgrade. Seems simple enough.

Wouldn't you get a penalty fare

 

[ramitamimi]

What trains are used on London-Cambridge services?

 

[Richard1960]

What trains are used on London-Cambridge services?

At weekends and occcasionally in off peak times they use the stanstead express trains on the service.

In the rush hour To London Liverpool St they use Class 317, Class 379 or occasionally Class 315 electric multiple units.

 

[TheEdge]

Wouldn't you get a penalty fare

No, missed a step. Buy a standard class ticket before boarding then follow previous instructions.

 

[CockneySparrow]

The weekend ticket is only available on the London - Norwich services so there will be aguard on board.

Sure they do this on the orwich to Cambridge as well
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No, missed a step. Buy a standard class ticket before boarding then follow previous instructions.

if that is the case its a very open situation for someone to buy a standard ticket sit in 1st class with the £7 in their pocket (just in case) then leave the train and station
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Yes, just as for the off peak and the upgrade. I'm assuming you know 1st class doesn't happen up the Sheringham line often, only when a 170 is there and those are *normally* last minute things.

They have been using 170s at weekends regular over the last year spread out over the Lowestoft, Yarmouth and Sherringham services

These have been taken from the Norwich - Cambridge route during the resignalling of the Breckland line, now they have spare stock from the Ipswich - Cambridge/Peterborough route every weekend

They have been running either a 153 between Ely and Peterborough or most recently a 156

 

[ramitamimi]

Thanks Richard

So London-Cambridge upgrade would allways be £10 ,one way including weekends?

Am I right,that if you buy weekend upgrade ,you are entitled to use the first class lounge in Livepool street?

 

[CockneySparrow]

At weekends and occcasionally in off peak times they use the stanstead express trains on the service.

In the rush hour To London Liverpool St they use Class 317, Class 379 or occasionally Class 315 electric multiple units.

The timetable leaflet tells you what class train it will be, they normally stick to it, the 07:48 from Cambridge is a 12 car 379, the following train 07:51 that stops at all stations is 8 car 317

 

[TheEdge]

if that is the case its a very open situation for someone to buy a standard ticket sit in 1st class with the £7 in their pocket (just in case) then leave the train and station

That is the system, people might do that but frankly most people sit in first and will ask for the upgrade before you even notice they are holding a STD ticket.

They have been using 170s at weekends regular over the last year spread out over the Lowestoft, Yarmouth and Sherringham services

These have been taken from the Norwich - Cambridge route during the resignalling of the Breckland line, now they have spare stock from the Ipswich - Cambridge/Peterborough route every weekend

No. 170s are used every day on the Yarmouth and Lowestoft lines, especially Lowestoft where they then head down the East Suffolk. They are fairly rare on Sheringham, hence why there are no 1st class trains advertised up there, they are not booked although they do occasionally present.

As to trains being taken from the Breckland Line, again, just no. The re-signalling of the Breckland line was finished months ago. The Breckland line is always 170s except when a 156 (or 153(!)) presents to cover for a 170.

 

[Richard1960]

Thanks Richard

So London-Cambridge upgrade would allways be £10 ,one way including weekends?

Am I right,that if you buy weekend upgrade ,you are entitled to use the first class lounge in Livepool street?

The upgrade is off peak or super off peak travel and its either £10 or £14 according to distance.

Treat yourself to First Class travel for a supplement of only £10 on an Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak Day Return and £14 on an Off-Peak Return. The £14 ticket applies to longer-distance journeys such as Ipswich or Norwich to London; the £10 supplement applies to shorter journeys such as Colchester to London. You can upgrade almost any Greater Anglia journey to First Class with this supplement apart from short local journeys - it doesn't have to be on the Norwich to London route.

Yes i think you can use the 1st class lounge at Liverpool St provided you have a 1st class ticket including an off peak one.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Recieved a call from Norwich contact centre today they are investigating why stations such as er Norwich,Harlow Town and Roydon all greater anglia stations do not know or its not on "their system" to issue 1st class upgrades.