RailUK First Class Lounge Guide

[MidnightFlyer]

(is the VT frequency to SPT much greater than the frequency to London?)

It's identical, 3tph off-peak.

 

[All Line Rover]

Where did you hear this? (is the VT frequency to SPT much greater than the frequency to London?)

Today, at the First Class lounge, then by a ticket office clerk, then by the ticket office manager/supervisor.

The frequency to London is the same, but people will either hold an Advance ticket (which means they are tied to a specific train) or a First Anytime ticket, which is £211.50 for a single or £423 for a return. At those sort of prices, I don't think Virgin care about you using the First Class lounge.

Maybe they're just fed up with people using £2.80 FDS's to Stockport, especially considering it's a commuter route so they expect people to just take the next train?

The thing with Manchester is that when one trains leaves another has already arrived. I think Virgin would have issues with applying the same policy to customers travelling from Liverpool to Runcorn, as most First Class customers would not be happy about having to wait for 1 hour!

 

[lyesbkz]

Maybe they're just fed up with people using £2.80 FDS's to Stockport, especially considering it's a commuter route so they expect people to just take the next train?

I wonder what their take on First class Season Tickets to Stockport will be (although I don't imagine many people would bother paying 1st for such a short journey!)

Also, until NR update their website, and VT update their own website, I would be tempted to complain. Perhaps somebody genuinely decides to upgrade to 1st for their journey to Stockport, on the basis that it will grant them access to the lounge (and the websites say it will). Therefore they could claim they have been mis-sold a product or have purchased a product with which the benefit was falsely advertised?

 

[All Line Rover]

I wonder what their take on First class Season Tickets to Stockport will be (although I don't imagine many people would bother paying 1st for such a short journey!)

The VT Only First Class season ticket on this route is excellent value, and I think a number of commuters would be tempted to upgrade for two reasons - a guaranteed seat, and a clean loo!

I think it's fair to say that most Manchester to Stockport commuters don't care about the First Class lounge. They just want to get home, and there's always a train waiting for them.

Also, until NR update their website, and VT update their own website, I would be tempted to complain. Perhaps somebody genuinely decides to upgrade to 1st for their journey to Stockport, on the basis that it will grant them access to the lounge (and the websites say it will). Therefore they could claim they have been mis-sold a product or have purchased a product with which the benefit was falsely advertised?

If you complained, I imagine Virgin would just give you a refund between the ticket you held and the appropriate Standard Class ticket - i.e. about £1!

I wouldn't put your hopes up about NRE being updated (it still talks about East Coast At-Seat Dining ), although I have e-mailed Virgin, as I would be interested to hear what they say about this. If this is an official policy, it's only right that they should mention it on their website.

 

[Johnny Lewis]

I don't think this has been mentioned anywhere (apologies if it has). I am currently sat in the First Class Lounge at Edinburgh - which is very quiet and an oasis of calm away from the current building site at the station.

Holding an Advance ticket to Inverness, I was required to buy the £5 upgrade from the Ticket Office, as it is apparently NOT available for purchase at the Lounge itself. I'm not sure if this is standard policy for all EC Lounges.

I didn't have the cheek (or the nerve) to ask if I'd bought a First Class Anytime Day single to Haymarket - cost £2.70 - if this would have granted me access to the Lounge...

As I've had 1.5 hours to wait, I didn't think £5 was too bad, especially as I am weighed down by luggage, so didn't really want to have to wander aimlessly around either the station or Edinburgh itself for that amount of time.

 

[Bungle73]

I don't think this has been mentioned anywhere (apologies if it has). I am currently sat in the First Class Lounge at Edinburgh - which is very quiet and an oasis of calm away from the current building site at the station.

Holding an Advance ticket to Inverness, I was required to buy the £5 upgrade from the Ticket Office, as it is apparently NOT available for purchase at the Lounge itself. I'm not sure if this is standard policy for all EC Lounges.

I didn't have the cheek (or the nerve) to ask if I'd bought a First Class Anytime Day single to Haymarket - cost £2.70 - if this would have granted me access to the Lounge...

As I've had 1.5 hours to wait, I didn't think £5 was too bad, especially as I am weighed down by luggage, so didn't really want to have to wander aimlessly around either the station or Edinburgh itself for that amount of time.

EC told me one can purchase the supplement at the lounge itself....the one at Kings Cross anyway. Why it should be any different at any other lounge I have no idea.

 

[amcluesent]

I was required to buy the £5 upgrade from the Ticket Office,

If there's a next time, join EC Rewards and get an initial 100 points, EC lounge passes are 50 points for 24 hrs.

 

[lyesbkz]

EC told me one can purchase the supplement at the lounge itself....the one at Kings Cross anyway. Why it should be any different at any other lounge I have no idea.

At Doncaster and Newcastle it must be bought at the ticket office.

 

[Bungle73]

At Doncaster and Newcastle it must be bought at the ticket office.

Why? filler

 

[lyesbkz]

Why?

Mainly because the lounges are unstaffed. I thought this was the norm for EC but I've only ever used these two and KGX.

 

[Bungle73]

Mainly because the lounges are unstaffed. I thought this was the norm for EC but I've only ever used these two and KGX.

Ah. KGX is staffed; it's the only one I've had the pleasure of using....so far.

 

[lyesbkz]

Ah. KGX is staffed; it's the only one I've had the pleasure of using....so far.

Then you probably don't have much to look forward to. When I used the KGX lounge I was shocked by how good the provisions were. I was taken aback to find crisps and even a machine that made cappuccino!

NCL and DON literally have a coffee machine (which is usually jammed and needs a power cycle), a water cooler (which was also broken and unusable a few weeks ago at the DON lounge, but it's been fixed since!) and some shortbread fingers. That's (literally) it in terms of refreshments, but they usually have plenty of copies of The Independent lying around. Oh and the WiFi is normally good too

 

[HSTEd]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up

But what about first class PRIVs with a dated box?
Or first class PRIV-rate ticket?

 

[F Great Eastern]

The first class lounge always seems locked in Ipswich? I've never tried it during peak, but during the day and it's never been open.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

NCL and DON literally have a coffee machine (which is usually jammed and needs a power cycle), a water cooler . . . . and some shortbread fingers.

Which is all very sad, as the level of service used to be utterly magnificent. And useful, if you wanted a short business meeting with reps from all over the UK.

Its one of those areas in which the removal of staffing, of service and of supplies, in tiny steps, have amounted, by attrition, to a very significant loss of benefit to passengers. (Passengers whose fares seem to creep simultaneously in tiny steps in the opposite direction). And all without a whisper from the normally vociferous and repetitive Communications Team at ECMLC Ltd.

 

[bengolding]

Which is all very sad, as the level of service used to be utterly magnificent. And useful, if you wanted a short business meeting with reps from all over the UK.

Its one of those areas in which the removal of staffing, of service and of supplies, in tiny steps, have amounted, by attrition, to a very significant loss of benefit to passengers. (Passengers whose fares seem to creep simultaneously in tiny steps in the opposite direction). And all without a whisper from the normally vociferous and repetitive Communications Team at ECMLC Ltd.

Dave,

You should be grateful you don't live in East Midlands Trains territory, who are love manning their Lounges so much that the 3 in the Midlands are closed from midday onwards due to staff cutbacks (not lack of demand as EMT spin it). Whilst unmanned, you should be grateful it is open all day.

 

[lyesbkz]

Dave,

You should be grateful you don't live in East Midlands Trains territory, who are love manning their Lounges so much that the 3 in the Midlands are closed from midday onwards due to staff cutbacks (not lack of demand as EMT spin it). Whilst unmanned, you should be grateful it is open all day.

I do agree that EMT lounges are worse than the ones on ECML (at least EC have excellent opening hours in general).

 

[calc7]

I don't think this has been mentioned anywhere (apologies if it has). I am currently sat in the First Class Lounge at Edinburgh - which is very quiet and an oasis of calm away from the current building site at the station.

Holding an Advance ticket to Inverness, I was required to buy the £5 upgrade from the Ticket Office, as it is apparently NOT available for purchase at the Lounge itself. I'm not sure if this is standard policy for all EC Lounges.

I didn't have the cheek (or the nerve) to ask if I'd bought a First Class Anytime Day single to Haymarket - cost £2.70 - if this would have granted me access to the Lounge...

As I've had 1.5 hours to wait, I didn't think £5 was too bad, especially as I am weighed down by luggage, so didn't really want to have to wander aimlessly around either the station or Edinburgh itself for that amount of time.

I have been happily admitted before with a Haymarket - Edinburgh FDS. To be fair, I had actually used it to do that journey!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Drinks prices in the VT Euston lounge have risen 50%!!!

 

[Ascot]

£5 for a double Gin and Tonic! hock: It's not even the powerful stuff compared to a mini (50ml) bottle of Bombay Sapphire.

 

[calc7]

£5 for a double Gin and Tonic! hock: It's not even the powerful stuff compared to a mini (50ml) bottle of Bombay Sapphire.

Precisely! And the vino has got no better. I was only here a week ago

 

[34D]

You'd think there would be an opportunity for somebody (SSP perhaps) to take on running all these lounges for all the TOCs. None of them appear to care.

 

[island]

You'd think there would be an opportunity for somebody (SSP perhaps) to take on running all these lounges for all the TOCs. None of them appear to care.

You just want the Bite card discount, admit it

 

[lyesbkz]

Has anybody tried using a Manchester - Stockport ticket at the Piccadilly lounge recently?

 

[Ascot]

Has anybody tried using a Manchester - Stockport ticket at the Piccadilly lounge recently?

I'm up that way Thursday so should be able to report back unless someone is around before then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bengolding]

Well, I used the New St lounge yesterday morning and someone sat near me commented how good value their First Day Single from New Street to Internatinal was, given they could have a copy of the FT, Independent plus, hot or cold drink plus a hot drink on board. If such cheap First Class tickets are valid at New St, why do Virgin have a different policy with Stockport at Manchester?

 

[All Line Rover]

Well, I used the New St lounge yesterday morning and someone sat near me commented how good value their First Day Single from New Street to Internatinal was, given they could have a copy of the FT, Independent plus, hot or cold drink plus a hot drink on board. If such cheap First Class tickets are valid at New St, why do Virgin have a different policy with Stockport at Manchester?

No idea. Frankly the staff seem to make up "rules" as they go along. :roll:

 

[Ascot]

Small updates since the last major update include:
- Eurostar lounges at St Pancras and Ebbsfleet (WIP).
- Photographs slowly being added (Keep them coming, they are great so far!).
- Awaiting update from Greater Anglia re developments.
- Awaiting update from Virgin Trains re Birmingham New St development (If any).

 

[Bungle73]

Would it be possible to link the images to larger versions, they're a bit small.

 

[Ascot]

Would it be possible to link the images to larger versions, they're a bit small.

Once we get more photos then this is something to consider, maybe a direct link when clicking on the station name?

 

[Bungle73]

Once we get more photos then this is something to consider, maybe a direct link when clicking on the station name?

That would be great.