EMT First Class changes from 7 Oct

[bengolding]

I've been advised by a number of EMT staff of the following changes to First Class, which should be publisised this week:

• Breakfast will be complimentary to all FC ticket holders travelling to St Pancras (except those boarding at Bedford, Luton or Luton Airport Parkway) on the handful of AM peak services with an inboard chef . This was following a trial a few months ago and means the £9.95 charge for a full breakfast will no longer apply.

• A new First Class menu will be launched.

• Complimentary wine will no longer be available on southbound journeys, only northbound between 1600-1900. But alcoholic drinks can be purchased from the First Class trolley.

Their breakfast is far superior to that offered by Virgin or East Coast. Wonder if the quality will remain the same without the charge.

 

[richa2002]

Always be wary of something that becomes complimentary as has been shown on East Coast... Let's hope the menu still has some fairly decent meals like present.

 

[pjnathanail]

I've been advised by a number of EMT staff of the following changes to First Class, which should be publisised this week:

• Breakfast will be complimentary to all FC ticket holders travelling to St Pancras (except those boarding at Bedford, Luton or Luton Airport Parkway) on the handful of AM peak services with an inboard chef . This was following a trial a few months ago and means the £9.95 charge for a full breakfast will no longer apply.

• A new First Class menu will be launched.

• Complimentary wine will no longer be available on southbound journeys, only northbound between 1600-1900. But alcoholic drinks can be purchased from the First Class trolley.

Their breakfast is far superior to that offered by Virgin or East Coast. Wonder if the quality will remain the same without the charge.

I sampled the new first class menu about a month ago at St Pancras, and it was very good. They were trialling it in the first class lounge.

Burger was still there, wedges replaced with chips, also had ploughmans and nachos.

There seemed to be more hot pot style dishes such as lasagne, curry, chilli rice etc but I don't know how many of them made it onto the menu.

Unfortunately a price hike from £4.95 was talked about, almost as a given, but I suppose that's inevitable given that you could pay that just for a sandwich on some trains!

 

[Chapeltom]

When travelling to London, I always try and bag a cheap EMT 1st Class fare as I think its a good 1st class experience and usually cheap.

I don't venture down to London very often, couple of times a year. So unfortunately I've only been able to do it twice, once one way and once both ways, usually able to get a £13-£15 1st class advance with a railcard between Sheffield and St Pancras booking well in advance of course, couldn't do it for my latest trip to London and ended up on one of Branson's dreary, horrible submarine trains for 2 hours

I have eaten on EMT and thought it was very good and worth paying out for, which was for a bacon sandwich. It also helps the Meridian's are good trains to travel on too gonna have to get another trip sorted and some more cheap 1st class advances booked to sample the new menu.

 

[richardderby]

will miss my 'complementary' glass of wine on the way back from the family in Derby, seems a bit tight of EM trains, as the S/B evening train 1st advance tickets are always a bit more expensive anyway. Will probably start using the new £30 London Midland & XC open return to/ from Euston, as it saves having tobook/ tie myself to certain trains. It only takes 1.55 hours which is not bad with the connection at Tamworth.

 

[basfordlad]

Breakfast will prob end up half the size and worse quality

 

[telstarbox]

Will there be a huge thread about the EMT food to rival the East Coast one?

 

[bb21]

Will there be a huge thread about the EMT food to rival the East Coast one?

Considering that we do not have as many EMT fanboys on here as EC ones, I guess not. Also the starting point for EC was the full restaurant car service, so EMT's starting point is quite a distance lower.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Will probably start using the new £30 London Midland & XC open return to/ from Euston, as it saves having tobook/ tie myself to certain trains.

You don't get any complimentary refreshments at all on London Midland.

 

[richardderby]

see the weekend full breakfast trains have now become 'light breakfast' which is a shame. not impressed that they have cut the complimentary glass of wine from evening southbound services either

The only good thing I can see is they are reinstating buffet car service on all weekend trains

http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/travelling-with-us/on-board/first-class-to-london/

 

[Essexman]

All day menu looks good, although a shame that the yorkshire pudding has gone.
And very sensible to sell soft drinks as most of the time the trolley never bothered to come into first class.

 

[gordonthemoron]

and kippers, v.nice

 

[sheff1]

see the weekend full breakfast trains have now become 'light breakfast' which is a shame.

I would use a far stronger word than 'shame'

Fortunately, I do not have any Saturday Breakfast tickets prebooked. If all they are now offering is a bacon roll, I will be calling in at Greggs for the £2 Breakfast Deal before boarding in future.

 

[38Cto15E]

I wonder if any early morning Sheffield passengers will split their journey at Leicester, first brekkie Scrambled Egg and Salmon, followed by a Full English after Leicester, Good Idea???

 

[Martin222002]

Well its very disappointing to see the full breakfasts go on there two Saturday services, as I'm sure many other people will. I also feel this is a very short sighted change, given how popular there weekend breakfast trains were, even so that they would sell far more breakfast on their Saturday services than on any of their weekday ones.

 

[CallySleeper]

EMT customer services have informed me that while the website isn't terribly clear at the moment, the two breakfast services will remain, albeit at the old price of £9.95 for a full breakfast.

 

[Martin222002]

EMT customer services have informed me that while the website isn't terribly clear at the moment, the two breakfast services will remain, albeit at the old price of £9.95 for a full breakfast.

Thank you for being able to clarify this, and its very good to here that the full breakfasts will still be available on a Saturday.

 

[yorksrob]

I haven‘t seen any of their under £30 first class advances to Leeds for a while. Can they bring those back as well please.

 

[Skymonster]

see the weekend full breakfast trains have now become 'light breakfast' which is a shame

Still serving a complimentary full breakfast on London Day Out tickets today, and accepting payment (£9.95) for same from normal first ticket holders.

Andy