£25 flat fare in FIRST CLASS on East Coast

[richardderby]

sale launched on east coast trains to celebrate the new service in 1st Cl.(free hot meals and alcohol...) flat fare of £25 between any two stations for journeys til 8th September. book at eastcoast.co.uk/25reasons (not available on normal web site....)

 

[All Line Rover]

sale launched on east coast trains to celebrate the new service in 1st Cl.(free hot meals and alcohol...) flat fare of £25 between any two stations for journeys til 8th September. book at eastcoast.co.uk/25reasons (not available on normal web site....)

Damn it! That is a FANTASTIC offer but there are no child fares!!!

EDIT: To clarify: I will NOT be travelling from London to Inverness for £12.50, and I will NOT ask East Coast to introduce £12.50 fares - that would be ridiculous. A slight discount - such as £5 - would in my opinion be reasonable.

 

[WestCoast]

Damn it!!!!

That is a FANTASTIC offer - London to Inverness for £25!!! - but there are no child fares!!! I will write a letter of complaint (or maybe an e-mail) to Elaine Holt. I am FURIOUS!

I don't think you can expect them to offer a £12.50 fare for a First Class journey, potentially London to Inverness. If you find a cheaper normal child advance (under £25), you just book that.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Damn it!!!!

That is a FANTASTIC offer - London to Inverness for £25!!! - but there are no child fares!!! I will write a letter of complaint (or maybe an e-mail) to Elaine Holt. I am FURIOUS!

What? £25 for a kid is a bloody bargain for the distances being talked about!

 

[All Line Rover]

I don't think you can expect them to offer a £12.50 fare for a First Class journey, potentially London to Inverness. If you find a cheaper normal child advance (under £25), you just book that.

Could you really imagine a child travelling from London to Inverness though? I wouldn't myself!

£25 is little cheaper than normal First Class child fares between London and York or even Edinburgh. Although £12.50 would be slightly unreal, why not offer a £20 child fare (£5 less)?
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What? £25 for a kid is a bloody bargain for the distances being talked about!

Considering the cheapest "normal" child fare for London to Edinburgh is £23.75 (which is the furthest I would travel), I wouldn't consider £25 to be much of a bargain.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Considering the cheapest "normal" child fare for London to Edinburgh is £23.75 (which is the furthest I would travel), I wouldn't consider £25 to be much of a bargain.

I got KGX-INV for £27 as a child, so it is a saving to me

 

[All Line Rover]

I got KGX-INV for £27 as a child, so it is a saving to me

I wouldn't travel to Inverness as I'd have no time left to return home!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I wouldn't travel to Inverness as I'd have no time left to return home!

I was on holiday. Three days in Europe's fastest growing city (Inverness), doing Wick/Thurso on one day, across to Aberdeen and Kyle on another, then the Strathspey Railway and an hour in Dunkeld on the last. Back down to London on the Cally Sleeper, bouncfed about South London's peak curves a bit, then back home...

The £27 split down to a £2 KGX-INV Child PRIV single and the £25 upgrade fee!

 

[Failed Unit]

Risky, they havent got the new offer sorted out yet. You get "I will give this a try" "oh 2 sandwiches is all I get - I will stick with standard" east coast should get the quality issues sorted before doing this!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Fantastic! Was intending to book a 1st advance to Edinburgh from Kings Cross and back tomorrow so this has come at the right time! Might even book an Inverness while I am at it as I was planning on doing a trip on the Chieftain again soon too.

Just gotta hope the new offering has eithier improved in it's delivery or isn't as truly terrible as the other thread is suggesting.

 

[AlterEgo]

I'll definitely be doing this. Probably KGX-NCL and back from SUN on my old favourite, Grand Central.

Hoping to be impressed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A slight discount - such as £5 - would in my opinion be reasonable.[/B]

They've already heavily discounted the fare (even a child one) by offering it at £25!

What's the problem?

People want something for nothing these days. It's a great deal, even given the teething problems they're having with the new catering offer.

 

[All Line Rover]

They've already heavily discounted the fare (even a child one) by offering it at £25!

What's the problem?

People want something for nothing these days. It's a great deal, even given the teething problems they're having with the new catering offer.

I consider something a "special offer" when the fare is lower than the cheapest Advance fare available. It isn't for children. In fact, there is no £25 "child" fare!

 

[AlterEgo]

Why should they offer you any further discount? :roll:

 

[All Line Rover]

Why should they offer you any further discount? :roll:

Because that's what they are offering adults? Most special offers include some sort of child fare.

 

[AlterEgo]

They're not offering adults a discount if you're travelling a short distance, say between York and Newcastle. Or for other longer routes if, like me, you have a railcard.

That's the price. Take it or leave it.

 

[All Line Rover]

They're not offering adults a discount if you're travelling a short distance, say between York and Newcastle. Or for other longer routes if, like me, you have a railcard.

That's the price. Take it or leave it.

If you have a Railcard you only save 1/3, and the £25 flat fare is still a significant saving for long distance journeys.

To be honest I'm not too bothered, because I don't live along the East Coast route. If all they offer is sandwiches, then I'm not wasting £25 on that! (There's a reason why child tickets should be cheaper - NO ALCOHOL! ) I can't take an Evening Meal service because arriving into Edinburgh at around 9pm is too late. Think of what I can do with £25... I can get a First Class return to London with Virgin Trains when they have one of their "seat sales."

 

[Mike395]

Because that's what they are offering adults? Most special offers include some sort of child fare.

....but when the discounted fare is less than even the child fare, it is perhaps not economically viable?

I'm with the others - it is a VERY good offer, child or not, and I don't think complaining will get you very far if I'm totally honest

 

[AlterEgo]

Think of what I can do with £25... I can get a First Class return to London with Virgin Trains when they have one of their "seat sales."

There may be one coming up soon....

 

[All Line Rover]

....but when the discounted fare is less than even the child fare, it is perhaps not economically viable?

I'm with the others - it is a VERY good offer, child or not, and I don't think complaining will get you very far if I'm totally honest

I'm not saying that it's a bad offer - particularly if you live along the East Coast route - but it's not going to tempt me to travel with them. (An ALR offers much better value.)

 

[Furrball]

Fantastic! Was intending to book a 1st advance to Edinburgh from Kings Cross and back tomorrow so this has come at the right time! Might even book an Inverness while I am at it as I was planning on doing a trip on the Chieftain again soon too.

Just gotta hope the new offering has eithier improved in it's delivery or isn't as truly terrible as the other thread is suggesting.

There is no availability South from Inverness . . .

 

[All Line Rover]

There may be one coming up soon....

I'm pretty sure there will be.

Virgin offer child tickets in their seat sale, and rightly so. You may consider £12 to be ridiculous for Manchester > London, but they offer it. Why can't East Coast?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm not saying that it's a bad offer - particularly if you live along the East Coast route - but it's not going to tempt me to travel with them. (An ALR offers much better value.)

Apart from with that you can't, from London directly, get into Edinburgh before 1525 or Glasgow before 1600!

Is it all about tempting you anyway? Just so long as they imspire even a few thousands in profit from this, I doubt they'll care that there's no child rate!

 

[All Line Rover]

Is it all about tempting you anyway? Just so long as they imspire even a few thousands in profit from this, I doubt they'll care that there's no child rate!

No it isn't. It's not all bad though, as I'll spend less!

 

[AlterEgo]

I'm pretty sure there will be.

Virgin offer child tickets in their seat sale, and rightly so. You may consider £12 to be ridiculous for Manchester > London, but they offer it. Why can't East Coast?

I guess East Coast just don't want to.

£12 MAN-EUS is a clear loss-leader, but if it's there, go buy it!

 

[All Line Rover]

Apart from with that you can't, from London directly, get into Edinburgh before 1525 or Glasgow before 1600!

From what I've heard about East Coast's new First Class service, I doubt that I'll be travelling with them much anyway. Virgin Trains and Arriva's Premier Service all the way!
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I guess East Coast just don't want to.

£12 MAN-EUS is a clear loss-leader, but if it's there, go buy it!

I wouldn't call £12 a "loss-leader" - it's only available on the Off-Peak trains so all they have to do is provide a sandwich and some drinks. It's a Pendolino, which has plenty of available seats anyway. It's also worth remembering that offering such cheap fares encourages people to try the service out, which will hopefully result in repeat custom.

I actually traveled between Crewe and London on a Super Voyager. It was PACKED (I got the last seat in Coach E). I was surprised they offered the cheap tickets on that service!

I've also just realized that it's only £5 cheaper than the cheapest "normal" FC Advance fare available (£17), so they can't be loosing bucket-loads of cash!

 

[DarloRich]

FFS - £25 first class travel London to Edinburgh is a great deal! If you dont like it stick with your Virgin plastic rubbish. I will travel on a proper train that doesnt smell of pooh, has nicer seats, doesnt resemble a metal tube, and has windows you can see out of and absorb the wonderful scenery!

FFS some people are never happy!

 

[AlterEgo]

From what I've heard about East Coast's new First Class service, I doubt that I'll be travelling with them much anyway. Virgin Trains and Arriva's Premier Service all the way!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I wouldn't call £12 a "loss-leader" - it's only available on the Off-Peak trains so all they have to do is provide a sandwich and some drinks. It's a Pendolino, which has plenty of available seats anyway. It's also worth remembering that offering such cheap fares encourages people to try the service out, which will hopefully result in repeat custom.

That's the definiton of a loss-leader....A loss leader or leader is a product sold at a low price (at cost or below cost) to stimulate other profitable sales.

Virgin carry 26 million passengers a year. Last year they made £80 million profit.

Virgin, on average, therefore make around £3 profit per passenger per journey.

They will be making a huge loss on that ticket.

 

[All Line Rover]

£25 first class travel London to Edinburgh is a great deal! If you dont like it stick with your Virgin plastic rubbish. I will travel on a proper train that doesnt smell of pooh, has nicer seats, doesnt resemble a metal tube, and has windows you can see out of and absorb the wonderful scenery!

Virgin charged just £19.50 for London to Glasgow child tickets in their last seat sale - even better value!

I quite like Pendolinos thank you very much. The First Class service is excellent, the carraiges don't smell of poo, the First Class seats are just as good as on East Coast, there are plenty of windows in First Class, and I quite like the "space ship" feel. The food is also excellent. Each to their own is what I say...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's the definiton of a loss-leader....A loss leader or leader is a product sold at a low price (at cost or below cost) to stimulate other profitable sales.

Virgin carry 26 million passengers a year. Last year they made £80 million profit.

Virgin, on average, therefore make around £3 profit per passenger per journey.

They will be making a huge loss on that ticket.

I don't trust figures. If they make £3 profit per journey, and sell First Class tickets at £399 (which people do buy) then surely they'd be losing money on a £17 First Class ticket (which they are more than happy to sell)!

I wonder where all that cash goes?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Virgin charged just £19.50 for London to Glasgow child tickets in their last seat sale - even better value!

And what did they charge for an adult?

I quite like Pendolinos thank you very much. The First Class service is excellent, the carraiges don't smell of poo, the First Class seats are just as good as on East Coast, there are plenty of windows in First Class, and I quite like the "space ship" feel. The food is also excellent. Each to their own is what I say...

Except on weekends, when the service is awful. Strange how you can build a train for millions of pounds a set, yet not even make an attempt to align seats to windows, put trolley storage shelters opposite tables, meaning people have to look at a massive lump of metal for the whole journey, and make windows about three inches tall!

 

[AlterEgo]

and what did they charge for an adult?

£39.00.