What do you want from a premium service?

[Purple Orange]

With the introduction of Standard Premium on Avanti, I am interested to find out what people like about paying extra on top of the price of a standard price ticket. For me it would be additional space (2+1 seating), WiFi and complimentary refreshments. A hot dinner is neither here nor there in my humble opinion.

 

[Llandudno]

Reinstating the full pre Covid timetable from the May timetable change would be good enough for me..

Are you listening TfW and Northern!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

For me, it's mainly the food. The main reason I used to pay for First Class on Virgin Trains was for their fantastic food offering and access to the very nice lounges at the stations. Of course, additional space is also welcomed and appreciated, but personally I don't find Standard Class on the 390s too bad.

I would never pay for an upgrade from standard class solely for a bit more space, with no complimentary food or refreshment service or lounge access.

 

[greatvoyager]

I would expect a drink of some kind, preferably non alcoholic.

 

[PeterC]

I don't mind paying for a full meal if I want one but would expect regular tea and bikkies on a long journey.

 

[Purple Orange]

It’s surprising that 2+1 seating is not quite as popular as free tea & coffee at this point (13 votes for 2+1 seating and 14 votes for tea & coffee. Even 13 votes for light snacks). I’d have thought WiFi would be more popular too.

 

[greatvoyager]

It’s surprising that 2+1 seating is not quite as popular as free tea & coffee at this point (13 votes for 2+1 seating and 14 votes for tea & coffee. Even 13 votes for light snacks). I’d have thought WiFi would be more popular too.

To be honest, I think WiFi should be available for everyone at no extra cost, as cafes and more recently buses have done.

 

[Ianno87]

To be honest, I think WiFi should be available for everyone at no extra cost, as cafes and more recently buses have done.

Which TOCs still charge for WiFi these days?

 

[greatvoyager]

Which TOCs still charge for WiFi these days?

To be honest I don’t know, I was responding to a comment of WiFi not being popular on the votes for this thread for.

 

[py_megapixel]

Which TOCs still charge for WiFi these days?

To be honest I don’t know, I was responding to a comment of WiFi not being popular on the votes for this thread for.

Not aware of any that charge, but most will throttle speed if you exceed a certain amount, and I think that amount is different in First and Standard classes on some TOCs

 

[Jan Mayen]

Wifi is nice to have,but I can use 3G if the train doesn't have it. Personally, I'd like a restaurant car.

 

[D6130]

Personally, I'd like a restaurant car.

Me too!

 

[Purple Orange]

Wifi is nice to have,but I can use 3G if the train doesn't have it. Personally, I'd like a restaurant car.

Which intercity services would that work on?

 

[Bletchleyite]

For me it's primarily 2+1 seating (or more specifically the 1 side, though even the 2 side will be better than Standard as it's wider). I also voted "tea, coffee etc" because the cost of providing it is negligible (a very large number of employers provide it too).

The price I am willing to pay is about 160% of the Standard fare applicable to that train, with the same restrictions. That is in line with First Class fares across Europe. Not, with only very few exceptions, more than that.

For food I would rather be able to order a la carte and pay as per what I order, though it's nice to have it served on proper crockery etc as part of the service. This is what DB do, for what it's worth. I don't want to be paying extra for "freebies". In some cases, e.g. a long distance XC journey or one down to the Westcountry taking in a mealtime I would happily pay well over the odds for a nice 2-course meal, but sometimes I prefer to just take my own.

I will not upgrade to First Class if the seating is 2+2, and I resent having to upgrade to get a seat because inadequate capacity is provided (yes, you, pre-80x TPE), it is supposed to be a free choice to upgrade to a higher quality environment.

I don't agree with the provision of First Class on overcrowded commuter services. It would be better to abolish it and have that space to allow everyone to spread out, as Chiltern mostly did years ago, and Greater Anglia now have.

 

[6Gman]

On the few occasions I've travelled in First Class the plus points have been:

1. Seats that line up with windows
2. More space

If I want to drink, eat or read a paper I'd rather buy what I want rather than take what they choose to offer.

My i-phone seems to work on most trains, wi-fi or not.

 

[NoRoute]

Truly first class would start before you catch the train with a guaranteed space at the station car park to remove any stress and hassle of finding a space, a waiting lounge at the station with wifi and a nice bean to cup coffee machine and selection of drinks.

Train needs to have spacious seats with a fold out table to let you work on your laptop, seats angled to give you some privacy. Drinks on the train would be nice. High bandwidth, uninterrupted wifi.

One key thing, first class carriages need to have no engine or drive unit under it. Some of the worst rail journeys (in standard class) I've had were in modern DMUs where the noise and vibration into the carriage were very intrusive, it was like being on an old bus. The quality was atrocious. Some EMUs aren't brilliant. Most pleasant journeys I've had were, rarely on the routes I travel unfortunately, in MK3 carriages.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Which intercity services would that work on?

I've no idea which (if any) Inter City services a Restaurant Car would work on, but it is is what I'd like on (if not from) a Premium Service.

I accept that Restaurant Cars are probably a thing of the past, but I enjoyed using them and I expect I would enjoy doing so again.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've no idea which (if any) Inter City services a Restaurant Car would work on, but it is is what I'd like on (if not from) a Premium Service.

I accept that Restaurant Cars are probably a thing of the past, but I enjoyed using them and I expect I would enjoy doing so again.

It's difficult to make them pay their way, but I could see them working on GWR Westcountry services, for one. Pre COVID GWR were the only ones who still had it though I forget which trains.

 

[D6130]

Pre COVID GWR were the only ones who still had it though I forget which trains.

.......not forgetting the best restaurant car in recent years by a country mile - that on the TfW WAG express between Holyhead and Cardiff and vice-versa.

 

[Bevan Price]

My view would be to get rid of premium & first class to make more capacity available for the vast majority of travellers - standard class.

 

[Jan Mayen]

.......not forgetting the best restaurant car in recent years by a country mile - that on the TfW WAG express between Holyhead and Cardiff and vice-versa.

A service I went out of my way to use several times. (Traveling London - South Wales - North Wales in instead of direct). Only stopped using it after finding it substituted by a DMU a couple of times.
Getting back on topic, and accepting Restaurant Cars are likely to be found only on Heritage Railway's or Charter Trains in future, I voted for hot food in the poll.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

To me, a premium service should be 1+1 seating, luxury carriage, silver service restaurant food and drink, no kids and no cell phones.

 

[Bletchleyite]

To me, a premium service should be 1+1 seating, luxury carriage, silver service restaurant food and drink, no kids and no cell phones.

Out of interest, what price level (as a percentage of the relevant Standard fare, or as an example for say London to Manchester) would you consider fair for that, and would you pay it? If not, who would you see it as aimed at?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

None of the above! I should like an opening window, failing that a way to control temperature and to get proper fresh air, and natural light through the window, not artificial light.

 

[londonteacher]

I'd like an Emirates first-class suite, please!

 

[Hadders]

My view would be to get rid of premium & first class to make more capacity available for the vast majority of travellers - standard class.

I disagree. There are many reasons why some people want to pay more for a more spacious environment when travelling and we shouldn't level down to the lowest common factor. We don't insist that everyone should drive the same bottom of the range car.

 

[Purple Orange]

To me, a premium service should be 1+1 seating, luxury carriage, silver service restaurant food and drink, no kids and no cell phones.

I’d add I’d like no judgemental snobs looking at me to decide if I’m worthy of occupying the same carriage as them too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2021 ==

I disagree. There are many reasons why some people want to pay more for a more spacious environment when travelling and we shouldn't level down to the lowest common factor. We don't insist that everyone should drive the same bottom of the range car.

Why should we accept that standard class is ‘bottom of the range’? Can’t it be better? 2+2 seating would stay, but if there was more leg room and proper working reliable WiFi and an on-board shop, I’d probably never consider first class as a service worth using.

 

[Hadders]

I’d add I’d like no judgemental snobs looking at me to decide if I’m worthy of occupying the same carriage as them too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2021 ==


Why should we accept that standard class is ‘bottom of the range’? Can’t it be better? 2+2 seating would stay, but if there was more leg room and proper working reliable WiFi and an on-board shop, I’d probably never consider first class as a service worth using.

It also about the ambience which is usually quieter and more conducive for work.

And on the subject of standard class becoming better I refer you to standard class on trains like the 700s or the IETs. It’s more like dumbing down rather than levelling up.

 

[Purple Orange]

It also about the ambience which is usually quieter and more conducive for work.

And on the subject of standard class becoming better I refer you to standard class on trains like the 700s or the IETs. It’s more like dumbing down rather than levelling up.

Oh I rather like the IET standard class. Although I have only been on a TPE service and not had the pleasure of a GWR IET.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oh I rather like the IET standard class. Although I have only been on a TPE service and not had the pleasure of a GWR IET.

Exactly the same but drab grey seats and a manky lime green stripe along the reservation displays.