Night Riviera

[TomJ93]

FGW seem to have a very confusing price structure, so could somebody please provide me with a price for this journey aboard the Night Riviera.

I would like a twin berth room for two of us travelling from Penzance to London Paddington on Sunday 1st May 2011 (arriving Monday 2nd) single.

Also are you allowed to use the lounge car as you please on the service?

 

[wintonian]

Penzance to Paddington super off-peak single £51 each plus £30 each supplement for sharing a twin cabin.

Advance fares with sole occupation of a berth start at £49, however they will not be available for May yet. These are released approx. 12 weeks in advance and single berths have a TV in them.

The lounge car is only for the use of passengers using the berths and you will also receive breakfast in the morning, a bacon sandwich being one of the options.

Further information available here

 

[bnm]

£30 per person for a twin bedded berth. £45 for solo occupancy. These are supplements in addition to your train ticket.

A Super Off Peak Single from Penzance to Paddington is £51. So a total of £81 per person in a twin berth.

Advance Purchase Sleeper tickets inclusive of berth and travel are also available from Penzance priced at £49.00, £74.00 and £99.00. These however, will not be available for purchase until, at most, 12 weeks before your date of travel.

Access to the Lounge Car is available for all Sleeper passengers, with at-seat service of complementary refreshments (Tea, Coffee, Water, Biscuits, Crisps/Nuts) from a Customer Host throughout the journey. Additional food items and alcoholic beverages from the buffet may also be purchased from the Host. Seated passengers do not have access to this Lounge Car. All Sleeper berth customers can have a morning wake up call with complimentary breakfast.

On arrival at Paddington, all Sleeper passengers have access to the First Class lounge.

 

[TomJ93]

Advance tickets seem the way to go, supplements work out quite expensive.

 

[TEW]

For a twin berth Advance fares start at £69 per berth, that is the price for both of you. Can increase to £109, £149, £169 although in practice the £69 fares are easily available if you book far enough in advance.
The £49, £74 and £99 fares are for one person for solo occupancy. If you want a berth each you'd need two of those fares. If there are no £69 twin berth fares available it might be worth checking solo fares as two solo fares could be cheaper than a shared berth.
I've never actually received an at seat service in the lounge car but complimentary refreshments are available by presenting your ticket at the buffet and you can eat/drink them in the lounge car.

 

[wintonian]

When I did it a few weeks ago I didn't receive an at seat service either, instead it was the present your ticket at the buffet job.

 

[bnm]

And conversely, when I last used the Night Riviera a couple of months back, I was served at seat. This is still what is advertised on the FGW website.

Advance tickets seem the way to go, supplements work out quite expensive.

£81 all in for a journey of 326½ miles including a bed for the night is too expensive? With complementary refreshments, toiletries, breakfast, access to a Lounge Car and the First Class Lounge at Paddington. I call that extremely good value.

 

[TomJ93]

I have to be honest I thought i'd get dirt cheap tickets like Euston to inverness bargain berth £39.00!

 

[TEW]

You get a lot more for your money on the FGW sleeper and you never have to share with someone you don't know.

 

[RPI]

There's even a "dark" seated coach where there is very minimal lighting if you cant get a berth.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

But also a nice loud "BING BONG!" sound everytime you approach a station

 

[TEW]

Most guards don't do that overnight though, mainly just through Cornwall when there is lots of local passengers onboard.

 

[SWT_USER]

Is it possible to travel on this service from Exeter to London on a standard single and just stay in the seated coach, or do you always have to pay a suppliment?

 

[142094]

Is it possible to travel on this service from Exeter to London on a standard single and just stay in the seated coach, or do you always have to pay a suppliment?

That should be fine, you'd only need to pay a supplement for a berth.

 

[SWT_USER]

That should be fine, you'd only need to pay a supplement for a berth.

Thanks, just to confirm I don't need a seat reservation either, just turn up and go?

 

[142094]

Thanks, just to confirm I don't need a seat reservation either, just turn up and go?

Hopefully someone else can confirm what the loadings are like in the seating carriage but I would have thought that there would be seats free.

 

[devon_metro]

The sleeper is busiest on Sunday nights (towards London) and Friday evenings (towards Cornwall. You should be fine for getting a seat unless travelling in the summer months.

 

[SWT_USER]

Thanks guys, lastly am I correct in assuming that there are no discounted/ cheap advance tickets in the seats, only the standard single. I have tried but can't find any. Looking at the evening of the 8th Feb.

 

[TEW]

There are but recently they have become impossible to buy online. You can however now buy berths online. Search in a Webtis system to get a price for an advance single and phone up or go to a station to book it. In theory seated advanced fares start at £12. Otherwise the Exeter-London super off-peak single is £40.

 

[SWT_USER]

Thanks all, I managed to buy a £17.80 (YP) single in the seated carriage online after a bit of fiddling around with it. Hope the football makes it worthwhile..