First class ripoff

[WSrix]

I was wondering what people thought about first class accommodation across the different rail companies. I'm most familiar with Southern and in most cases the only distinction seems to be a thing over the seat's headrest and stickers on the windows. Who would bother? And how is it justified/valued? I know there are stock units where that type of "first class" has been decommissioned.

 

[John R]

I guess you’re not obliged to buy a first class ticket, so if you don’t find it good value then travel in standard.

 

[Iskra]

The thing over the head rest is an antimacassar. The purpose of first class varies by operator and flow. In the South and South East, it's basically just the improved chance of a seat and more peaceful. Presumably some people do pay for it, or it wouldn't be offered.

It is discretional additional spend though, so passengers can each make their own decision on how worthwhile it is, which is a sensible approach when looking at booking first class travel in the UK.

 

[skyhigh]

Who would bother? And how is it justified/valued?

For commuter operators, it was traditionally a way of essentially paying to increase your chances of getting a seat or a bit more space during peak commuting periods.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

For commuter operators, it was traditionally a way of essentially paying to increase your chances of getting a seat or a bit more space during peak commuting periods.

Actually very well used on SWR's Alton and Portsmouth Harbour lines.

 

[hexagon789]

Actually very well used on SWR's Alton and Portsmouth Harbour lines.

By actual First Class ticket holders, the ignorant but lucky or just pure chancers?

 

[Iskra]

By actual First Class ticket holders, the ignorant but lucky or just pure chancers?

Probably lots of rail staff, unless you’re counting them in one of the aforementioned categories

 

[hexagon789]

Probably lots of rail staff, unless you’re counting them in one of the aforementioned categories

No comment

But in all seriousness, the First Class on ScotRail's HSTs in particular seems to be used as an impromptu staff bothy a fair amount.

 

[childwallblues]

I never use first class on Avanti West Coast but I do use Standard Premium.
I am now using first class on TPEs Class 397 and 802 services out of Liverpool. TPE catering has certainly improved in recent times and I an quite partial to the individual seats on those units.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

By actual First Class ticket holders, the ignorant but lucky or just pure chancers?

It depends if you're prejudiced enough to make an assumption from the office suits and laptops almost all of them have.

 

[hexagon789]

It depends if you're prejudiced enough to make an assumption from the office suits and laptops almost all of them have.

Nope

 

[Mainline421]

It depends if you're prejudiced enough to make an assumption from the office suits and laptops almost all of them have.

Quite a few chancers actually match that description in my experience...

 

[Watershed]

First class on operators around London and the southeast is really just a way of guaranteeing a seat (you can apply for a refund of the fare difference if you have to stand), since in many cases it's the same seating arrangement as you get in standard class.

Many commuter operators around London have now abolished first class - particularly post-Covid - on the basis that there isn't sufficient demand to warrant the resultant loss of standard class capacity. Southern are a bit of an outlier both in retaining first class, and in setting the first class fares they price at only 1.5× the equivalent standard fare - whereas most other operators have increased the multiple to 1.6, 1.7 or even 1.8× the standard class fare.

On regional and longer distance services, there is much more of a case for it as you will typically get 1+2 seating, and may get some catering - depending on the service in question and the time of day/day of the week.

 

[Alfonso]

In Dorset we have class 444s in the South with near-identical seating in first and standard and I never travel first, and class 159s in the North with 2+2 seating with no power in standard and 2+1 reclining seats with power sockets and curtains in first and I'll use it on maybe two thirds of my journeys

 

[etr221]

The thing over the head rest is an antimacassar.

... which was to protect the seat from being soiled by macassar oil, which was fashionable for gentlemen to use to keep their hair smooth in Victorian times. The fashion and the oil are long gone, but the protection against it lives on...

I would say the only trains which should still have first class are inter-city expresses, where a premium offer, in terms of suuperior accomodation an features can be provided to jusfy the extra cost. Otherwise its function is to keep the status seekers apart from the hoi-poloi: the cynic in me says it's only retained so the railway can extract penalties from standard class fare payers who occupy it by mistake.

 

[Hadders]

First Class on 'commuter' trains isn't really worth it. I only ever use 1st class services on these sort of trains if it's a connection into a longer journey that is being made by 1st class.

On a long distance train, eg LNER, GWR, Avanti, EMR then I do value the additional space and generally quieter ambience that 1st Class generally gives.