GWR upgrade policy

[Catherine1234]

Hello, I have browsed but cannot see anything on my specific question, so hopefully someone can confirm for me.

What is the policy of GWR on upgrading to first class on weekday trains in peak times? Their policy document says that upgrades must be purchased prior to boarding or be subject to a penalty. In practice this doesn’t appear to be the case as in my experience of travelling to Paddington each week it seems as though casual upgrades on the train are allowed and commonplace.

Given that 50% of the time nobody even bothers to check the tickets it would seem that plonking oneself in first and only paying a fixed upgrade fee if challenged is a no brainer if risk free.

I’m not suggesting I’d do this, but am getting more than a bit irritated by the complete failure to clamp down on the chancers and the Reading mob along with the delays, cancellations, short trains and general terrible service while I pay a fortune to travel in first as I can’t risk having to stand.

 

[Alex C.]

This sounds like it might be similar to South Western Railway on my commuting route from Portsmouth - occasionally I will pay for a 1st advance if the price is particularly good but almost no-one getting on at Woking or Guildford will have a first class ticket. The train is so busy that there is no way of effectively policing this and I have never seen anyone checked between those stations whilst in first class. Much more likely to be checked early on in the journey.

If a revenue protection employee does carry out a check then they can be either penalty fared, reported for investigation (which can result in a prosecution), or asked to pay the full difference in fare between the ticket they hold and an anytime first ticket. In practice, I can't imagine that there are many of these checks carried out on peak time services between Reading and London.

Normal guards do not have the ability to issue penalty fares, so they will either report for investigation or much more likely just sell an excess to the first class fare.

You could try complaining to GWR customer services but unless there is any formal declassification, it's really just a matter between them and the other passengers how they deal with ticket irregularities.

edit: as pointed out below, GWR do offer weekday first upgrades so this was complete rubbish!

 

[AlterEgo]

If a revenue protection employee does carry out a check then they can be either penalty fared, reported for investigation (which can result in a prosecution), or asked to pay the full difference in fare between the ticket they hold and an anytime first ticket.

GWR does weekday upgrades which are buy on board only. You may sit in first class and ask to upgrade.

Great Western Railway First Class Upgrades

It's just been brought to my attention that GWR have simplified their Weekday First Class upgrades as part of their September fares revision. Whereas there were previously five Weekday products (dependent on the ticket originally held and time of day) they've simplified it to just one...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Catherine1234]

GWR does weekday upgrades which are buy on board only. You may sit in first class and ask to upgrade.

Is it possible to access rules applicable to this anywhere? I read that thread and there’s limited information which prompted me to post. If it’s fine to sit and ask to upgrade when approached, which is what I am observing, I can’t see why anyone would actually bother to buy a ticket up front given the lax approach to ticket checks. And their policy document still says purchase before boarding on pain of penalty and google doesn’t throw any light.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm on a GWR train now and the guard has just invited anyone wishing to upgrade to take a seat in 1st.

 

[Catherine1234]

I'm on a GWR train now and the guard has just invited anyone wishing to upgrade to take a seat in 1st.

Was that a polite way of saying pay up or get out of the lobby?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Was that a polite way of saying pay up or get out of the lobby?

No, it was specifically worded as an invitation to move there and upgrade.

 

[Catherine1234]

So that’s fair enough and a legitimate way to upgrade on board in compliance with policy.

My question relates to a lack of clarity in the policy. In practice people sit and wait to be checked, then ask and pay for an upgrade. This happens every time I travel and tickets are checked. It’s unlikely that there’s no one holding a standard class ticket sitting in first on the many occasions that the tickets aren’t checked. Does ‘ask to be upgraded’ mean at the point the ticket is checked, or does it actually mean go and find someone to ask before sitting. If so, would someone who made no effort to do so be penalised for fare evasion. Would the fact that nobody had come to check the ticket be a defence?

 

[John R]

It's also confusing when on other rail companies, if you sit in First with a Standard ticket, you will get your name taken, and are likely to face a hefty out of court settlement or prosecution (as we have seen on this board). Sometimes you can't blame passengers for being confused.

As a GWR First Class season ticket holder for 8 years (in the past) I share your frustration @Catherine1234 if on many occasions people are sitting in Standard and not being invited to upgrade.

 

[LarryRailer]

I am still confused (and frustrated) by lack of clarity about how much I should expect to pay, on a weekday, for an onboard upgrade from standard to first class.

Experts will probably find it easier to explain if I give a real example:

Route: London Paddington (PAD) to Cheltenham Spa (CNM).

DayTime: Wednesday, departing at 1936.

Original ticket held: Super Off-Peak Single, via Stroud, with railcard discount, so paid £27.60 (discounted from £41.50).

Having failed to win a Seatfrog auction, I asked to upgrade onboard, and was charged £55.00.

Rather oddly, the upgrade ticket printed and handed to me was headed “1ST UPGRADE STD PEAK TO 1ST PEAK” - even though I was travelling on what was clearly an off-peak train (hence my original Super Off-Peak Standard ticket).

As it worked out, I was glad to have lost the Seatfrog auction (my losing bid was £60!).

I’m a total novice at using “brfares.com”, but having read previous threads I gave it a go.

The only relevant entry for route (that I could find) read as follows:

1U1 GWR WEEKDAY UPG​

​

◊​

1ST SINGLE​

No fares available​

So, none the wiser on whether I paid the correct price for my upgrade.

Any info/advice appreciated.

 

[MrJeeves]

I’m a total novice at using “brfares.com”, but having read previous threads I gave it ago.

The only relevant entry for route (that I could find) read as follows:

Did you apply a Railcard when searching on BRFares? The upgrades aren't discounted by Railcards, so it'll show no fare.

If you just search for Paddington to Cheltenham Spa: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PAD&dest=CNM&period=20250907

You'll see GWR WEEKEND UPG and GWR WEEKDAY UPG, with the latter costing £55 which matches what you were charged.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2025 ==

Rather oddly, the upgrade ticket printed and handed to me was headed “1ST UPGRADE STD PEAK TO 1ST PEAK” - even though I was travelling on what was clearly an off-peak train (hence my original Super Off-Peak Standard ticket).

I think this is just an oversight by GWR when they changed their upgrade offering to be one product no matter what time of day it is.

The name was updated in one data source, but not another.

 

[LarryRailer]

Did you apply a Railcard when searching on BRFares? The upgrades aren't discounted by Railcards, so it'll show no fare.

If you just search for Paddington to Cheltenham Spa: https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PAD&dest=CNM&period=20250907

You'll see GWR WEEKEND UPG and GWR WEEKDAY UPG, with the latter costing £55 which matches what you were charged.

View attachment 192912

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2025 ==


I think this is just an oversight by GWR when they changed their upgrade offering to be one product no matter what time of day it is.

The name was updated in one data source, but not another.

Thanks, @MrJeeves, that’s the explanation. I DID try to apply a railcard when searching on BRFares. Removing it, as you suggested, shows the £55 that I was actually charged.

Useful to know that I can now do the same for any route. I will use the info to select an appropriate maximum bid on Seatfrog, and revert to an onboard upgrade if I “lose” in the auction.

 

[Mark J]

I am still confused (and frustrated) by lack of clarity about how much I should expect to pay, on a weekday, for an onboard upgrade from standard to first class.

Experts will probably find it easier to explain if I give a real example:

Route: London Paddington (PAD) to Cheltenham Spa (CNM).

DayTime: Wednesday, departing at 1936.

Original ticket held: Super Off-Peak Single, via Stroud, with railcard discount, so paid £27.60 (discounted from £41.50).

Having failed to win a Seatfrog auction, I asked to upgrade onboard, and was charged £55.00.

Rather oddly, the upgrade ticket printed and handed to me was headed “1ST UPGRADE STD PEAK TO 1ST PEAK” - even though I was travelling on what was clearly an off-peak train (hence my original Super Off-Peak Standard ticket).

As it worked out, I was glad to have lost the Seatfrog auction (my losing bid was £60!).

I’m a total novice at using “brfares.com”, but having read previous threads I gave it a go.

The only relevant entry for route (that I could find) read as follows:

1U1 GWR WEEKDAY UPG​

​

◊​

1ST SINGLE​

No fares available​

So, none the wiser on whether I paid the correct price for my upgrade.

Any info/advice appreciated.

I am looking at going to Gloucester, or Cheltenham, this coming Saturday.

The on board 'Weekend First' upgrade price is £15.

Yet on Seatfrog bids are now starting at £17, with the £3 'platform fee' on top.

So at least £20.

Do people not bother to do some research as to how much a First Class upgrade costs.

Seatfrog seem to be relying on people whom are clueless, and are happy to pay over the odds for an upgrade.

 

[Haywain]

I am looking at going to Gloucester, or Cheltenham, this coming Saturday.

The on board 'Weekend First' upgrade price is £15.

Yet on Seatfrog bids are now starting at £17, with the £3 'platform fee' on top.

So at least £20.

Do people not bother to do some research as to how much a First Class upgrade costs.

Seatfrog seem to be relying on people whom are clueless, and are happy to pay over the odds for an upgrade.

An upgrade bought through Seatfrog guarantees a seat in first class, whereas the on board upgrade is subject to space being available. Some people prefer certainty.