VT Weekend Upgrade

[317666]

Hi all,

Does anybody know whether it's possible to get a weekend upgrade on VT if you have an advance ticket?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes - it's £15 for adults and £5 for children, unless you're travelling on the West Midlands route, where it's £10 for adults (still £5 for children).

If you have an Advance ticket you can only purchase them on the train.

 

[junglejames]

I think its possible on any standard ticket. Someone confirm though!

OK, beaten to it.

 

[HST Power]

I think its possible on any standard ticket. Someone confirm though!

OK, beaten to it.

It is!

 

[317666]

Ah good, means I won't have to go from Holyhead to Euston with no window for 4 hours

 

[HST Power]

Ah good, means I won't have to go from Holyhead to Euston with no window for 4 hours

You're lucky then!

 

[AlterEgo]

A lot of the Voyager seats don't line up with windows either, even in First!!

 

[317666]

My train will be a Pendolino drag though, and in Pendolino FC most of the seats align with the windows properly.

 

[AlterEgo]

My train will be a Pendolino drag though, and in Pendolino FC most of the seats align with the windows properly.

Ah - the only one! I suggest sitting in coach G,as H and J are usually quite heavily reserved on weekends.

 

[HST Power]

Anywhere would do fine for me, so long as it's a Pendolino!

 

[junglejames]

Anywhere would do fine for me, so long as it's a Pendolino!

Has to be first class for me to consider long journeys on them.

 

[HST Power]

Has to be first class for me to consider long journeys on them.

I only use them every blue moon when I have to head to Manchester, which isn't as often as it used to be.

 

[All Line Rover]

A lot of the Voyager seats don't line up with windows either, even in First!!

Only two of the First Class seats don't line up with a window on a Super Voyager. That's not that bad!

 

[HST Power]

I'd rather be on the Pendolino, personally!

 

[island]

If you have an Advance ticket you can only purchase them on the train.

That is not correct. I was sold one at the Euston booking office a couple of months ago.

 

[TTI]

Virgin did an "easement" for those with Standard Open Returns to use FC at weekends without the FC upgrade (as a 'reward' for buying a SOR and using it at weekends.)

Cant see this anymore on VT's website, does anyone know if they've "binned" it?

 

[AlterEgo]

That is not correct. I was sold one at the Euston booking office a couple of months ago.

You MAY be sold an Upgrade at the booking office, but VT staff are instructed not to. This is because VT would prefer customers on more expensive flexible tickets to get "first dibs" - and probably because Train Managers would complain about commission being taken from them.

It's the same as "you can't get 16-25 or Senior Railcard discounts on the train" - some people MAY be sold them, but on a discretionary basis.

Basically, don't go to a ticket office expecting them 100% to sell it to you.

 

[Ticket Man]

Virgin did an "easement" for those with Standard Open Returns to use FC at weekends without the FC upgrade (as a 'reward' for buying a SOR and using it at weekends.)

Cant see this anymore on VT's website, does anyone know if they've "binned" it?

if its been changed they haven't told me, AFAIK its still the case

 

[AlterEgo]

Just to clarify, from the Fares Manual:


Ticket Types that can be upgraded prior to travel
Anytime Day, Off-Peak, Off-Peak Day, Super Off-Peak, One Day Travelcard. All other ticket types can be upgraded on-board, subject to availability.

Ticket Code: VWU

 

[premier01]

if its been changed they haven't told me, AFAIK its still the case

I thought the website suggestes that any off-peak tickets for weekend travel now allow travel in 1st Class-perhaps it was a promotional E-mail.

 

[RJ]

if its been changed they haven't told me, AFAIK its still the case

No, it hasn't been changed - SOS/SORs can be used in FC on Virgin services at weekends.