riceuten
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The tendency for transport companies these days is to charge for stuff that previously was free
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Eurostar Plus is becoming worse
- Thread starter lkoroes
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It's not though, the tendency was previously to charge for WiFi and no has consistently been removed.
jon81uk
Member
Not Wifi though, that is moving towards free, many airlines offer some form of basic free wifi now when it all used to be charged for.
Indeed. Same for CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway, they previously all used to be providers which charged. Many luxury hotels always used to charge too but now generally they do not.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Just get a decent data package (and an Airalo SIM or similar when travelling) and stop worrying. Wifi is like Rabbit phones - it will die out as more things get SIM cards.
Each to their own. I would be so disappointed with "just" a sandwich... although I agree that the option could definitely be there (I'm sure they sell sandwiches at the shop!)
johncrossley
Established Member
The problem with a very restricted choice is that you might not like what they are providing, so they are wasting food. Better cut the fare and allow people to buy what they want from the full menu.
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Up to a point yes. I do a lot on Google and other cloud systems and Wifi is just that bit more stable, faster with lower latency. Sometimes mobile service on a specific carrier is ropey too.
Disagree strongly on a moving train; they can be a bit like a Faraday cage. When I get a train with it working well, Eurostar wifi is a lot better than tethering off my own phone in terms of reliability.
Anyway, we're going somewhat off-topic here.
johncrossley
Established Member
In Switzerland they have gone down the SIM route and don't have on train Wifi. Mobile coverage is excellent, even in tunnels. SBB have an app to allow you to use data for free, but you need to have a Swiss SIM card or eSIM. Something similar for Eurostar would be good, as long as it works with all SIM cards.
jon81uk
Member
I disagree, although I am buying an eSIM when travelling, I take advantage of hotel WiFi where possible to lower the amount of data I need to buy, or in some situations avoid needing the eSIM for parts of a trip.
Also on a train mobile coverage isn't always great, especially at high speed and on plane or cruise ship when satellite coverage is needed then mobile service is prohibitively expensive but WiFi often free.
Mikey C
Established Member
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The standard wifi in Premier Inns is free. You only have to pay for the Premium wifi.
riceuten
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Pure speculation
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Thameslink - which offered you a whopping 50MB - seem to have sacked it off, as have (I presume) Southern and Great Northern
riceuten
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The latter was just one aspect of the journey. I suspect more of the "offer" will disappear with time. I generally only took the Plus tickets when they were €10 more than the standard fare - I could justify that with free coffee alone.
Paying an extra €10 to drink the filthy instant coffee they serve in Plus doesn't sound like a great deal to me
It's worth remembering that when booking Eurostar Plus lunchtime train (1240 from Amsterdam) the food and drink service doesn't start until after departure from Brussels. So I've been on the train for 2 hrs 20 mins and seen noone serving yet....... However there is a buffet car if you can't wait but you have to pay for anything from there, unlike say Avanti, where you flash your first class ticket for free drinks and snacks.
Cricketer8for9
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As the previous comment on 18:40. Food wasn’t bad; but there certainly was a bit of grumbling about the lack of food or drink between Amsterdam and Brussels. Can’t say whether things have got worse. I tend to eat most of what’s presented to me.
Hoping peteb was a parkrunner - Schoterbos for me.
Hoping peteb was a parkrunner - Schoterbos for me.
No running yesterday, too hot!
Standard plus is quite underwhelming now. I don’t think the offering should be compared to other rail services as that’s not Eurostars competition. Air France/BA is and it looks like they are relying on the convenience of city centre to city centre travel to sell the product and not onboard experience. Airlines have to do the opposite. Hopefully, when Virgin start the operation, Eurostar will up the onboard experience.
I think this thread shows that you can't please everybody!
Personally, Eurostar Plus is still probably my favourite first class. Even if the portions have shrunk and you get nothing east of Brussels, I like that it's real food on real plates, and not a sandwich and crisps thrown at you.
I'm actually surprised they offer catering at all in a three-class system. It must be tempting to offer nothing in Plus, and sell it on extra comfort alone. It also feels odd that you get nothing in Plus on the ex-Thalys routes, despite aligning the product names.
Personally, Eurostar Plus is still probably my favourite first class. Even if the portions have shrunk and you get nothing east of Brussels, I like that it's real food on real plates, and not a sandwich and crisps thrown at you.
I'm actually surprised they offer catering at all in a three-class system. It must be tempting to offer nothing in Plus, and sell it on extra comfort alone. It also feels odd that you get nothing in Plus on the ex-Thalys routes, despite aligning the product names.
I had also expected them to align the actual offerings and not just the fares and conditions. They've been at it for a few years now. Surely that must have been enough time.
STINT47
Member
Eurostars offering was poor on the train back to London. Everything on the catering has shrunk.
Small can of coke, smaller bread role and blink the sweet treat could be missed if you blinked.
I'm glad I didn't pay a big upgrade charge having paid only a bit more for an interail reservation.
Small can of coke, smaller bread role and blink the sweet treat could be missed if you blinked.
I'm glad I didn't pay a big upgrade charge having paid only a bit more for an interail reservation.
Gerald Fiennes
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The 'Plus' on the ex-Thalys services of course offers no food and I always assumed that this is where Eurostar-blue was going. The salami-slicing tactics on portions/items in their Plus offer seem really odd as they maintain a considerable crew size to serve this (seems to be about 3-4) across each three car premium seating section on the E320 trains...
Since the fixed costs must be quite high, the cheese-paring on the offer (the chocolate for dessert must surely take the biscuit (?)) seems particularly odd, particularly given the mega-level of Eurostar-blue fares (£240 one way on busy days?)
Since the fixed costs must be quite high, the cheese-paring on the offer (the chocolate for dessert must surely take the biscuit (?)) seems particularly odd, particularly given the mega-level of Eurostar-blue fares (£240 one way on busy days?)
Quite. The chocolate is absurd—you couldn't find a more obvious way of rubbing your customers' noses in the fact that you're cutting costs. It would be better to ditch it entirely (which is no doubt imminent!).
STINT47
Member
At the weekend the chocolate had turned into shortbread. Personally I have bigger buttons on my coat.
The bread role was also a bit pathetic looking as well
The bread role was also a bit pathetic looking as well
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