Standard premium is also crazily expensive for what it is, in my opinion. The Euston to Glasgow/Edinburgh routes always seems to have fairly consistent first class service (Atleast when I use it which isn’t too often, about 5 times this year) I’ve never not had food or drink. I think the trick is to try and get a seat in Coach K as the hosts move through there more often.
That’s what I do most the time! I only really go out of my way to travel first class if it’s a morning services so I can get a cooked breakfast!
Overcrowded and overpriced at the same time? Simple economics would suggest that it can't be both.
People who don’t care about the cost will travel First Class if they’re “entitled” to it. Although of course that‘s less usual nowadays, it was probably about 1990 when it stopped being standard for me.
And people who do won't. That's market forces.
As ever it depends on how one defines crowdedness. Say there are 18 seats in First Class, 12 occupied by First Class ticket holders and 5 by free pass holders. I personally don't refer to that as crowded but I can see why someone might do so.
No, there's no magic trick. It's a premium product priced at a premium. It does tend to be expensive in my view.
It’s over £50 to get to Oxenholme from Carlisle one way! That’s a 40 mins journey… it’s crazy.
Similar distance to St Pancras to Bedford, which is also over £50.00 but without any semblance of good first class at seat service. Numerous other examples of similar pricing are available.
Over an hour away from Carlisle, with Avanti, is essentially a trip to either Lancaster or Motherwell. Lancaster is £55, Motherwell is £82. If you book ahead, first class advances *may* be available.
Yes. Just singles. Returns are either double or almost double. Route "TPE only" (walk up) first class tickets can be slightly cheaper but can't then be upgraded to also travel on Avanti.
Ah, does TPE have a decent or better service than avanti in first class, last time I tried them they had bamboo plates and cutlery.
£150 seems reasonable to me, I didn’t think to check with a railcard!
Have recently used TPE from Edinburgh Waverley (to Manchester Oxford Road) with a £25 Weekend First Upgrade. Happy enough with the service provided. The disposable bamboo plates/cutlery were a bit fiddly, though. Haven't used Avanti in first class anytime recently though, in order to make a fair comparison against TPE.
That is what you will receive.
Many people use the terms interchangeably, hence the confusion.
Thanks, I will start another thread on it as it’s abit off topic!
