RailUK First Class Lounge Guide

[34D]

At stoke on trent station, looking into the empty (but open) lounge. Sign on the door reads:

"Please note that this lounge is for the use of Virgin Trains First Class customers only. Any Virgin Trains standard customers, or customers travelling with any other train company, can use this lounge for a £5 charge. Please pay at the ticket office."

 

[All Line Rover]

At stoke on trent station, looking into the empty (but open) lounge. Sign on the door reads:

"Please note that this lounge is for the use of Virgin Trains First Class customers only. Any Virgin Trains standard customers, or customers travelling with any other train company, can use this lounge for a £5 charge. Please pay at the ticket office."

This is unique to the Stoke lounge. A good offer, in my opinion. One which isn't publicised well enough, as you're unlikely to walk up to the First Class lounge if you are a Standard Class customer!

 

[calc7]

Probably one of the nicest parts of Stoke, too.

 

[Bungle73]

This is unique to the Stoke lounge. A good offer, in my opinion. One which isn't publicised well enough, as you're unlikely to walk up to the First Class lounge if you are a Standard Class customer!

Surely you don't want it publicised too much, otherwise you'd get all and sundry in there.

 

[ainsworth74]

Surely you don't want it publicised too much, otherwise you'd get all and sundry in there.

I believe that EMT run a similar scheme and their lounges aren't taken up by 'riff raff'. Besides there's no reason why if it was getting a bit full staff couldn't turn people away.

 

[All Line Rover]

Surely you don't want it publicised too much, otherwise you'd get all and sundry in there.

If I were VT I would want to advertise it as much as possible so as to maximise the revenue generated by the lounge.

 

[Butts]

Does anyone know if the BHI Lounge is subject to "Seasonal Opening" - I am going to be there after arriving/departing from Edinburgh by Air enroute to SAD by rail.

Sundays 23/30 Dec
Friday 28 Dec
Wed 2 Jan

Hoping to get my £6.80's worth each time - although I seem to recollect a derogatory report about it on another thread.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It should be open everyday there are services (i.e. all year minus Christmas Day and Boxing Day), I've certainly never heard of seasonal opening at any lounge. Further to this, as it's technically unstaffed (access via monitor IIRC), I'd say that strengthens the presumption. I've seen on another thread that the FC service is chiefly between Euston and Coventry, where packing up begins. I don't know how likely you are to get anything between BHI and SAD in that case!

 

[Butts]

It should be open everyday there are services (i.e. all year minus Christmas Day and Boxing Day), I've certainly never heard of seasonal opening at any lounge. Further to this, as it's technically unstaffed (access via monitor IIRC), I'd say that strengthens the presumption. I've seen on another thread that the FC service is chiefly between Euston and Coventry, where packing up begins. I don't know how likely you are to get anything between BHI and SAD in that case!

Thanks for that, I'm not expecting anything on the Train you never do between BHI and SAD.

 

[calc7]

The lounge at BHI is terrible. It was a wide-open "free for all" yesterday.

 

[Brucey]

I used both COV and BHI lounges on Saturday 24th November.

Coventry was empty, I was the only person in there. The only offering was tea/coffee and water from a water cooler. Nothing in the fridge except milk. No crisps or snacks. Was worth it just to be away from the hustle though.

Birmingham International had the above, plus cold juices and a selection of biscuits. Some people were also letting their friends in, who may or may not have First Class tickets.

Neither had fruit, crisps or soft drink cans (like Coca Cola) that you get in the East Coast lounges.

 

[Butts]

The lounge at BHI is terrible. It was a wide-open "free for all" yesterday.

Care to elaborate on that ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I used both COV and BHI lounges on Saturday 24th November.

Coventry was empty, I was the only person in there. The only offering was tea/coffee and water from a water cooler. Nothing in the fridge except milk. No crisps or snacks. Was worth it just to be away from the hustle though.

Birmingham International had the above, plus cold juices and a selection of biscuits. Some people were also letting their friends in, who may or may not have First Class tickets.

Neither had fruit, crisps or soft drink cans (like Coca Cola) that you get in the East Coast lounges.

Sounds like they are removing all the "goodies" at the weekend.

 

[Seacook]

The lounge at BHI is terrible. It was a wide-open "free for all" yesterday.

Does this mean "popular"? In my experience, BHI is better than BHM, COV and WVH, the others I visit regularly.

Admittedly, it could be different at weekends.

 

[Roverman]

Using BHM now and the girl has begrudgingly let me in as 'Stafford is not technically a Virgin destination'. I'd bought a standard day return 'any permitted'. Never had any issue before!

 

[bb21]

Using BHM now and the girl has begrudgingly let me in as 'Stafford is not technically a Virgin destination'. I'd bought a standard day return 'any permitted'. Never had any issue before!

Standard? hock: No wonder she is not letting you in.

 

[Butts]

Standard? hock: No wonder she is not letting you in.

Don't worry she will probably search him on the way out for "surplus" crisps, biscuits and pop (probably she tx from East Coast 1st Class Catering)

 

[Seacook]

The last couple of times I have been in the BHM lounge the crisps were concealed behind the desk, presumably so that the dragons can snack on them. I only saw them as I was leaving. The biscuits were very nice and in plain sight.

 

[calc7]

Care to elaborate on that ?

The door was wide open with nobody checking tickets for entry!

 

[Seacook]

The door was wide open with nobody checking tickets for entry!

If first class carriages can be declassified why not lounges?

 

[Roverman]

Apologies I meant First Day Return, not advance or off peak, a full price ticket. Weirdly about 5 minutes later she was booted out (told to go and do some work) and an older lady took over.

 

[Qwerty133]

It should be open everyday there are services (i.e. all year minus Christmas Day and Boxing Day), I've certainly never heard of seasonal opening at any lounge. Further to this, as it's technically unstaffed (access via monitor IIRC), I'd say that strengthens the presumption. I've seen on another thread that the FC service is chiefly between Euston and Coventry, where packing up begins. I don't know how likely you are to get anything between BHI and SAD in that case!

the sign on the EMT lounge at derby says excluding bank holidays in brackets underneath the opening hours

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I was referring to VT specifically, sorry if that wasn't clear. I know it will vary by TOC.

 

[All Line Rover]

I may be wrong, but Runcorn doesn't appear to have any toilets. All other VT lounges have toilets - MAN, LIV, BHM, WVH, BHI, COV, EUS, SOT and CRE - all of which are usually very clean with the exception of EUS.

 

[bengolding]

The EMT Lounge at St Pancras should now have moved nearer to the gateline in the old Camden Food place. Was told before Xmas that it is much larger and finally has toilets.

Lets hope next week I don't encounter the attendant who insists on marking tickets upon entry. On the previous 2 occasions this occurred, I had trouble convincing the TM that I hadn't already used the ticket. EMT did later advise this practice was unacceptable by non train staff.

 

[calc7]

The EMT Lounge at St Pancras should now have moved nearer to the gateline in the old Camden Food place. Was told before Xmas that it is much larger and finally has toilets.

Lets hope next week I don't encounter the attendant who insists on marking tickets upon entry. On the previous 2 occasions this occurred, I had trouble convincing the TM that I hadn't already used the ticket. EMT did later advise this practice was unacceptable by non train staff.

Ridiculous! They could even invest in a bespoke "STP lounge" stamper if they're that draconian.

 

[pjnathanail]

Ridiculous! They could even invest in a bespoke "STP lounge" stamper if they're that draconian.

I seem to remember the EC lounge at Leeds doing the same thing.

 

[Bungle73]

What is it about FC Lounge hosts that they think they can make up their own rules? First we have the hosts at KGX demanding Lounge Passes off people, and getting uppity because someone dared to use the lounge when they're not travelling with EC, and now we have hosts marking tickets when they have no right to........

 

[Brucey]

I currently hold a standard class Bedhampton to London Zones 1-6 Travelcard. I'd like to use the Paddington lounge in a few weeks time. Is it possible to buy an excess (rather than a new ticket) to allow a 1st class journey between Paddington and Acton Main Line and therefore use the lounge?

 

[bengolding]

Used the FC Lounge at Crewe this week after arriving from Manchester Airport and going to Euston. Nice that the Lounge is now open later in the evening - I used it at 9pm. As an aside, good that VT have now improved their on board drinks - they now offer proper gin (Gordons). These minatures alone cost £4 on most TOCs!

Yesterday, the dragon at the VT New St Lounge refused to allow me entry on a First Anytime ticket to Manchester. I was planning to get the xx20 VT Scotland service and change there for the VT Manchester. Were they right in not allowing me entry?

With the new concourse opening at New St in April, let's hope XC plan on opening their own dedicated FC Lounge. Surely it can't be that difficult for them to get some retail space, given that they have more services than VT? But then, we're talking about XC here....

 

[Seacook]

Yesterday, the dragon at the VT New St Lounge refused to allow me entry on a First Anytime ticket to Manchester. I was planning to get the xx20 VT Scotland service and change there for the VT Manchester. Were they right in not allowing me entry?

This seems to be completely wrong. The Virgin website says "to enter the First Class lounge, just show your valid Virgin Business, First Anytime or Advance First ticket". It might be worth sending a complaint to VT. Dragons do not make the rules, their company does.