ALR next week!?

[IanXC]

Bit spur of the moment, but I'm thinking of doing an ALR next week.. not done it before, so I wondered if someone might be able to answer a few questions?

- I'm intending to cover all of the intercity routes, is a first class ALR worth it? Are they generally generous enough for me to manage to eat £220 of food in the week?

- I understand you can use a 16-25 railcard to buy an ALR - does that put any not before 10 restrictions onto the ALR?

- I keep seeing reference to "excluding cost of seat reservations" - how much do they generally cost?

And of course if anyone has any traps for the unwary they'd be most gratefully pointed out!

thanks

Ian

 

[rail-britain]

If you have a First Class ALR, then seat reservations are "free"
All you will need to pay for are any sleeper berth supplements (to which you get a single occupancy berth)

Using a railcard simply discounts the price, no further restriction

Do NOT attempt to put the ticket through an automatic barrier
Always present it to the staff
Take a photocopy of the ticket and receipt, keep them separate from the ticket (that way you can prove you had it should you lose the ticket)

Most intercity services offer at least complimentary tea, coffee, fruit juice, and biscuits
Virgin also include breakfast, snacks at all other times, and an "evening meal" (I use the phrase lightly as it is not what it used to be)
XC also include light snacks
If you want a "real" meal experience, try WSR between London Marylebone and Wrexham, and ATW between Holyhead and Cardiff

If you are travelling on East Coast, then purchase catering vouchers before you travel, these are used towards the final payment due

The advantages of First Class are not just the food and drinks
The coaches are generally quieter
I travel on First Class on most journeys, with just two exceptions (Wrexham - Chester and Fort William - Glasgow)

I would recommend you get reservations for your planned journeys

If you want further info, take a look at my review from last year

 

[tony_mac]

Sadly, you cannot buy a first-class ALR with a 16-25 discount.

The Virgin trains breakfast is decent, but the evening 'meal' isn't much more than a hot snack in my experience.

I don't see how you can get £200+ worth of food, but if you are travelling when it's really busy then it can certainly be worth going in first, just to get a seat and some peace and quiet!

 

[Flying Snail]

I would recommend you get reservations for your planned journeys

I would say don't bother for most journeys in 1st, they simply aren't necessary, particularly if you are travelling alone.

I have never failed to get a seat in 1st yet and have travelled extensively over many years without bothering with reservations (apart from sleepers).

On peak trains to/from London 1st gets busy and you are likely to end up sharing a table, outside peaks you should be able to at least get a bay of 2 to yourself if not a bay of 4.

XC can get busy around the core as well mainly due to the small number of 1st seats available on voyagers.


You are not going to get back the extra cost of 1st in food and drink alone but if you value comfort and quiet then considering you will be spending a large proportion of a week in railway carriages it is worth the extra cost IMO.

 

[mrcheek]

Ive done 3 ALRs in the last 4 years, 2 weeks first class each time.

First class is worth the extra if youre doing lots of long journeys, not because youll get that much free food and drink (although it is nice to be served in your seat!), but because it just makes it easier to get a seat. Plus of course you can choose a single seat, so you wont have to disturb anyone when you want to get up to stretch your legs, go to the toilet, or just reach up to get a book or sandwich from your bag!

 

[transportphoto]

Exactly, thats why my Dad and myself are doing our ALR in October First Class, as I am planning lots of longer distance services.

 

[krus_aragon]

Also, bear in mind that there are no morning restrictions on YP railcards in July and August.

 

[tony_mac]

there are no morning restrictions on YP railcards in July and August

although that isn't relevant to this thread -unless there is an ALR for less than £12 that I don't know about.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

You also have use of First Class lounges and - most importantly - the showers inside!

I'd advise going first. I did standard in February because my wallet wouldn't stretch far enough. FC ALRs are £650 for 7 days or £999 for 14 days

 

[142094]

although that isn't relevant to this thread -unless there is an ALR for less than £12 that I don't know about.

If that existed...

As for the ALR, I did a one week standard class, mostly due to the cost, 1st would have been nice but standard was just good as long as you can find a seat to yourself and have something to eat. Thoroughly enjoyed mine and will be doing it again some point in the near future.

 

[87031]

Defo do the 1st if you can stretch that far, i did a 7 day one but i dont think doing it at a weeks notice is possible because your gonna need to book sleepers and a lot will be booked up now. Give yourself a month to plan and book it its a lot of money to waste if you dnt plan it right, think of where you want to go when or if your gonna go home for a night and what night your doing sleepers and book them in advance and then you can tinker with a few bits in the day.

 

[rail-britain]

There will still be First Class sleepers available, but you probably won't be able to chose your preferences (in my case I prefer cabins in the middle; numbered 11, 09, 13, 07, and 15)