LNER Weekend Upgrades

[Steddenm]

The "weekend first" upgrade on LNER seems to be excessively priced.

Travelling from Doncaster to Newcastle I was told it was £35 which seems to be very over the top for a journey of around 90 minutes.

To go a bit further is £45 apparently?

 

[Kite159]

Yet people will still pay it so there is no reason for LNER to review the charges for those shorter hops.

Although knowing LNER they will use such a review to increase the weekend first price for someone travelling from stations north of Edinburgh to London, considering the increased journey times on those services from north of Edinburgh due to calling at Granny's front door rather than being fast

 

[JonathanH]

This is an example of something the railway will price at a level the market supports. It isn't just a fee for a bigger seat.

 

[ivorytoast28]

It does seem a bit odd that people do still buy it given they could have just got a first class advance in the first place for a far smaller difference in price and less hassle

 

[Sealink]

The "weekend first" upgrade on LNER seems to be excessively priced.

Travelling from Doncaster to Newcastle I was told it was £35 which seems to be very over the top for a journey of around 90 minutes.

To go a bit further is £45 apparently?

Depending on the train and date, SeatFrog is offering upgrades from £8

 

[Watershed]

The weekend upgrades are zonally priced, £35 for 'short' journeys and £45 for longer ones. The high price will be because people are willing to pay it, and because there are far more passengers travelling all the way to/from London than other intermediate stations. So upgrading from Doncaster to Newcastle for £35 takes a seat that could be sold for £45 to someone travelling from London to York/Darlington for example. Sure, someone might have upgraded to it from London to Doncaster but York, Darlington and Newcastle will be the biggest drivers of traffic on the route (other than Edinburgh).

 

[Halwynd]

Perhaps market forces of a different kind? I wonder how many LNER passengers, who might normally be content in Standard, are just escaping the ironing boards or the anti-social - no headphones - music/video twerps?

 

[Haywain]

the anti-social - no headphones - music/video twerps?

There are plenty of these people who travel in first class.

 

[Hadders]

There are plenty of these people who travel in first class.

Not to mention stag and hen parties and families with screaming kids.

 

[Halwynd]

There are plenty of these people who travel in first class.

Really? It's been a while since I've travelled First, or very long distance... didn't realise things had become so bad.

Not to mention stag and hen parties and families with screaming kids.

Blimey... there's no escape!

 

[Hadders]

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that 1st class on LNER at weekends is conveying fresh air - it's not. 1st can be just as busy as standard.

 

[ChilliSauce]

Pre COVID on a Sunday I would just rock along to Kings Cross get in 1st class on LNER and there would be loads of spare seats ... More often than not I would be on my own, round a table of 4 ..news paper spread out on the table.

Post COVID on a Sunday things now appear to be very different. These days in 1st Class I make sure I have a reservation and I have seen people standing ..

So either people have more money available or the fares have been reduced to make 1st Class a very attractive proposition at weekends ..or some are paying more money because they need to travel at that time and Std is sold out

 

[Jan Mayen]

Travelled on the 1627 York to Kings Cross yesterday, Sat 3 Jan. Had 1st Class (well, my half coach at the front, anyway) to myself throughout.

 

[soccermad]

in my experience Sundays is much busier between Doncaster and Kings Cross (in 1st Class particularly) compared to a Saturday

 

[greyman42]

in my experience Sundays is much busier between Doncaster and Kings Cross (in 1st Class particularly) compared to a Saturday

Sunday now seems to be the busiest day of the week on LNER.