Kings X First Class Lounge

[rmt4ever]

Hello All

Travelling from Kings X tomorrow lunchtime. Usually goto a pub and have a couple of pints, but was thinking of trying the lounge instead.

Just wondered if we could access the lounge with First Advance Tickets (travelling East Coast) ?

Also do they have a ticket desk in the lounge (need to buy a PlusBus add on for destination) ?

And most importantly, is there a licensed bar in there? And is it complementary?

If not what sort of product range is there and what sort of prices?

Thanks a lot.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hello All

Travelling from Kings X tomorrow lunchtime. Usually goto a pub and have a couple of pints, but was thinking of trying the lounge instead.

Just wondered if we could access the lounge with First Advance Tickets (travelling East Coast) ?

Also do they have a ticket desk in the lounge (need to buy a PlusBus add on for destination) ?

And most importantly, is there a licensed bar in there? And is it complementary?

If not what sort of product range is there and what sort of prices?

Thanks a lot.

No bar, but everything in the lounge is free. No ticket desk there. You can get in with First Advances, but I prefer the Parcel Yard.

If you like a drink, I wouldn't bother with the lounge.

 

[Starmill]

There is not a physical bar, but there is a bar service at the King's Cross First Class Lounge. Unless it has been removed in the past few weeks...

 

[yorkie]

Hello All

Travelling from Kings X tomorrow lunchtime. Usually goto a pub and have a couple of pints, but was thinking of trying the lounge instead.

Just wondered if we could access the lounge with First Advance Tickets (travelling East Coast) ?

Also do they have a ticket desk in the lounge (need to buy a PlusBus add on for destination) ?

And most importantly, is there a licensed bar in there? And is it complementary?

If not what sort of product range is there and what sort of prices?

Thanks a lot.

1. Yes you certainly can!
2. Sorry; you need to visit a ticket office (a Guard may be willing to sell it)
3. I don't think alcoholic drinks are available on the lounge

You can get hot drinks (tea, coffee, hot chocolate) and cold drinks (orange / Apple juice, water), and biscuits. Possibly fruit. I don't believe there are any chargeable items sold within the lounge; only complimentary items.

 

[Chrism20]

The alcohol fridge at the entrance was still there at 4pm this afternoon. Actually now I think about it I don't think I have ever seen anyone make a purchase from it.

 

[trainophile]

Have they scrapped the £5 charge for Advance ticket holders then?

 

[ys123]

Have they scrapped the £5 charge for Advance ticket holders then?

If the advance ticket cost more than £10, it's free to access the lounge. Enjoy it.
https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/the-east-coast-experience/first-class/first-class-lounges/

 

[47271]

Definitely there, I passed through earlier this evening. There's a large display fridge with all of the booze locked up. You state your business to the man in the kitchen who then passes the goods to the man on the till just outside the door. You then go and consume it in a weird bright green chair with Magic Radio blaring in the background. I don't know what they're thinking about, just run it like Euston for goodness sake, the overall space available can't be much less.

It makes you feel a bit guilty for asking for a drink. Next time I'll be going straight to the Parcel Yard.

 

[Starmill]

They haven't actually been charging that £5 entry fee for ages, more than a year. But the reference to it on the website has only recently been removed.

 

[trainophile]

They haven't actually been charging that £5 entry fee for ages, more than a year. But the reference to it on the website has only recently been removed.

Oh great, that's good to know. I'll have to try this Parcel Yard too next time I'm down that way .

 

[Chrism20]

Definitely there, I passed through earlier this evening. There's a large display fridge with all of the booze locked up. You state your business to the man in the kitchen who then passes the goods to the man on the till just outside the door. You then go and consume it in a weird bright green chair with Magic Radio blaring in the background. I don't know what they're thinking about, just run it like Euston for goodness sake, the overall space available can't be much less.

It makes you feel a bit guilty for asking for a drink. Next time I'll be going straight to the Parcel Yard.

Yes, I got up and left after about fifteen minutes this afternoon as the music was starting to grate and there was a woman having a Skype call that she wanted everyone to hear. Funnily enough it was the Parcel Yard I retreated to.

 

[ainsworth74]

Wow it's always been nice and quiet whenever I've been in!

 

[Chrism20]

Wow it's always been nice and quiet whenever I've been in!

I think that is the first time I have been in there and there has been music, it's possibly just for Christmas.

There were less suits in there today and more leisure passengers but the look of it, plus the 1730 was very quiet in comparison to normal.

 

[ainsworth74]

Bah humbug!

 

[Chrism20]

Bah humbug!

Busted!

I'm not the most festive I will admit I'll be quite glad when it's January 4th when it's all over and done with and I'm away on holiday.

 

[rmt4ever]

I love my Ale but I hate what Fullers are doing to their pubs! Trying to ponce them up beyond belief, which is why I was thinking of a change to the Parcel Yard. Wish there was a Euston Tap, at Kings X

If I didn't have luggage I'd go to the Rocket just five minutes away first. Reasonable prices and very good Ale usually... but I digress.

 

[rmt4ever]

Well, the lounge is very poor I think.

Plastic cups for tea/coffee, not proper crockery. Snacks a very poor selection. Decor / furnature looks out of place and a mish mash. The old GNER lounge in Kings X ( the last time I used a lounge there ) was massively better, I think they did hot food too!

The bar service is a joke. The guy taking the money hardly knew how to use the iPad cash register, and didnt have a clue how to process card payments, so had to use cash instead. Then it took him ages to dissapear into the kitchen count the change out and bring it to me. He was however very plesent courteous and friendly, I think it is an equipment/set-up failure rather than staff.

If Virgin want to try and compete with the airlines domestic travel, they should be offering lounges to match BAs galleries experience.

 

[rmt4ever]

PS. Wifi is terrible. Gave up after ten minutes and switched back to iPads 4G. Onboard internet is better!!

Also that swish hoop chair thing in the middle looks ridiculous.

 

[ainsworth74]

The cup thing is a recent change and I had hoped when I came across it just a temporary issue (you know down to something silly like the dishwasher was broken that day and they'd run out of clean cups) but perhaps not!

The furniture/decor clash can be laid firmly at Virgin's feet seeing as they decided to apply a corporate refresh to a lounge that had just been built about twelve months previously!

 

[trainophile]

How did hungry make two consecutive posts without getting that annoying "double post prevention" message, and them both appearing as one single post?

 

[robbeech]

I often rely on that double post thing (naughty i guess i should hit edit but sometimes its easier to rely on that especially when i'm on a phone) but i seem to recall it didn't work for me the other day too.

Back to the topic, the lounge only seems to play music around this time of year, i was in there for 20 minutes or so on Thursday before heading north on the 1508, it was fairly busy and they were on disposable cups but i think they just do that when it has been busy and its not a permanent thing i've known it before but then go back to real cups the next day.