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Avanti West Coast Upgrade, Standard Premier to First
- Thread starter 38Cto15E
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R
RailUK Forums
£44 as per BR Fares. It has gone up quite a lot since first introduced!
Not for an onboard upgrade. You do if you buy a Standard Premium Advance though - these are priced a fixed £44 (for this journey) above the Standard class Advance so can present decent value in some cases.
TrainTraveler
Member
I might try Seatfrog for this.
I don't think Seatfrog will take the existing ticket being Standard Premium into account however, so Seatfrog might not be good value (having said that Seatfrog costs are highly variable between "reasonable" to "I wouldn't pay that").
I don't think Seatfrog will take the existing ticket being Standard Premium into account however, so Seatfrog might not be good value (having said that Seatfrog costs are highly variable between "reasonable" to "I wouldn't pay that").
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The poster wants to upgrade from SP to 1st, this reads like Standard to SP?
Indeed. A post where you need to read the subject line and the initial query!
That's exactly what it is.
I wouldn't have thought there's any first class "upgrade" as such, and it'd be a case of amending / exchanging a ticket prior to travel for a first class advance if available, or excessing to an anytime first - in which case the answer is a lot.
Avanti's First Class product has deteriorated significantly in the past few years, to the point where I now choose Standard Premium for my monthly trips to Edinburgh. Bring a Pret on board, and you'll probably have as good an experience as those in the First Class carriages. Possibly even better, because in my experience Standard Premium is often less busy than First Class.
auction_1966
Member
Thought £44 sounded cheap!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I think my advice would be to upgrade by going to M&S (even half the fare difference would get you quite a spread) and getting a nice banquet, and sticking with sitting in SP.
voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 4,246
I strongly agree. I always avoid coach K where possible. (likewise I've not travelled SP/First since Avanti took over.)
Not only do I find coach K cramped, I find the ride quality is very bad in my opinion, I believe due to how the tilting system works on the two driving vehicles on Pendolinos.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It has no vehicle in front to predict the degree of tilt from, so it tends to be considerably rougher, but only southbound (when it's at the front). Northbound it's A that has that issue.
As an aside, the APT didn't predict tilt from leading vehicles at all, each vehicle worked it out itself, which is one reason it made some people feel queasy. I find the front coach of a Pendo does to me if it's dark so I can't see the horizon.
That's not how TASS works, TASS sends signals to the Train Tilting Processor which sends instructions to each individual vehicle's tilting processor about when to tilt and by how much. They aren't "predicting the lead carriage".
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
This is why I always try and sit in Coach A going north. I love it!
Couldn't agree with this more. An upgrade, either on the train or otherwise, will be extortionate for the meagre food and beverage offerings you get from Avanti......and you've already got the seat with your SP.
If I'm trying to work, or do a teams call, I find the staff in first to be a bloody nuisance as well.
It's Coach H for me everytime.
It's generally less busy but it does have a bit less overhead space......but then there's loads of space between the seat backs instead. I don't mind the occasional panto clunk either.
Indeed, SeatFrog only sells upgrades to 1st irrespective of the original class of ticket purchased, so it's the same price on SeatFrog going standard -> first as standard premium -> first.
I suspect that, outside of Club Avanti free SP ticket holders, the number of people originally buying SP then wanting to upgrade to first is small, and they could just do it on the train.
AS OP, thank you members for all of your helpful replies. I am taking a free SP Avanti Club return from Euston to Glasgow and I was just inquisitive with my original question.
I also have free Lounge access at Euston so I can get a bit from there and buy some goodies from M&S or whoever.
It would be nice if Avanti supplied complimentary drining water to SP guests.
I also have free Lounge access at Euston so I can get a bit from there and buy some goodies from M&S or whoever.
It would be nice if Avanti supplied complimentary drining water to SP guests.
HamworthyGoods
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2019
- Messages
- 4,465
Assume you mean complimentary drinking water?
This is provided complimentary to all passengers in all classes on Avanti.
Free water refill points rolled out onboard Avanti West Coast services | Avanti West Coast News
Avanti West Coast introduce Water Refill Points onboard its Pendolino and Evero trains.
newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
As I understand it, APT went for perfect tilt whereas Pendo is deliberately slightly deficient so that the brain still gets the ‘I am tilting’ feeling to match the visuals and avoid motion sickness.
OnTheBuffers
Member
In my experience, broadly repeating as above...
No official upgrade offer but some conductors will juggle prices around to charge you a fare difference. May be harder if you don't have an easy to read 'fare so far'. Some seem to find it too hard. If I sit in First before being able to complete upgrade I let staff know when they approach to offer drinks. Some say they'll come back later. Some suggest taking a drink anyway - presumably simplifies their to-ing and fro-ing.
Seat Frog good if holding a Standard ticket and expecting busy Standard + Premium. Disappointing if First also then ends up quite busy.
But food and drinks in First seem to have deteriorate in the c. 3 years I've been using it, so now generally happy to join train with Standard ticket plus station supplied meal of choice, check that Premium is reasonably empty to make it worthwhile and then pay onboard upgrade.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Personally I just go with Standard now. I find the seats more comfortable, as I don't like the hard headrest they've added to the once-excellent first class seats that pushes into my shoulders.
Standard plus a decent M&S banquet and I'm still quids in compared to first.
It's all about taking a cheese board on for me. Long distance train journey with Stilton, brie, cheddar, Edam, couple of chutneys or jams, figs, grapes, and a bottle of wine.
Far less to buy all that than the cost of a first class upgrade usually.
A lot of my first class upgrades are if I want to get work done with some extra peace and space really.