Upgrading a ticket

[Searle]

Hi all,

My dad has bought two standard advances from Hertford North to Camarthen (and return), from the East Coast website, and he now wants to go First Class instead of Standard. Normally (for journeys on East Coast) you can upgrade it online, but the option isn't there for that this time.

He's tried calling up East Coast but they say they can't do it, so I've advised him to call up First Great Western. I'm not really sure what his rights are in this situation, so I thought I would ask here to find out.

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[BestWestern]

Hmm, interesting one. I'd have thought it would hinge on what first class advances, if any, are available for the train in question. They may then be able to process an upgrade/excess up to that fare.

But that is purely guesswork!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Hi all,

My dad has bought two standard advances from Hertford North to Camarthen (and return), from the East Coast website, and he now wants to go First Class instead of Standard. Normally (for journeys on East Coast) you can upgrade it online, but the option isn't there for that this time.

He's tried calling up East Coast but they say they can't do it, so I've advised him to call up First Great Western. I'm not really sure what his rights are in this situation, so I thought I would ask here to find out.

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks!

Changing an Advance fare normally requires a £10 admin fee per ticket per change (plus any difference in fare), though the origin and destination must remain the same. East Coast can choose to waive that on their own tickets but may not be able to on other TOC's services.

Advance tickets can be changed at a ticket office, but the previously mentioned admin fee will apply.

If travelling at a weekend (or Bank Holiday) a weekend first supplement may be available, but can only it be bought on the train.

 

[Searle]

Thanks for the advice. He's travelling on Tuesday, so I'll tell him to try and visit Paddington on Monday to see if there are any first advances left

 

[clagmonster]

The Advance fares FAQ state:
We.g.4 : Change of class. A Standard Advance holder wishes to upgrade to First Class for the following day. First Advance is
available. Charge the difference plus £10 fee. Remember to cancel the old reservations."
"Q11 - Can customers upgrade to First Class?
A: In most cases, yes.
1) Remember that changes to travel plans can only be done at a station before departure of the first booked train, so once on board,
either the ticket is valid on that train, or it is not.
2) Where the customer joins the correct train and wishes to upgrade to First Class on board, or wishes to upgrade at a station
beforehand between Standard and First Class on the correct train on which their Advance ticket has been reserved, this is not
classed as a change of travel plans.
Weekdays: All TOCs allow upgrade to First Class in the above circumstances. As with other ticket types, charge the difference
between the fare already paid and the appropriate First Single (dedicated or inter-available) fare for the journey. No £10 fee should
be charged for doing this (except on XC trains)
Note: Partial upgrades are not allowed with Advance tickets due to the difficulty of calculating the correct level of Advance fare pro
rata for part of the journey.
Weekend First: On days when Weekend First (or equivalent) are offered, Advance ticket holders who are on the correct East
Coast, East Midlands Trains, First Great Western, First Transpennine Express, Greater Anglia, South West Trains or Virgin Trains
train may sit in designated First Class accommodation on payment of the appropriate supplement. This is not permitted on
CrossCountry or ScotRail trains.
Note that if the ticket holder is not on the correct train, the Advance ticket has no value at all"
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=13381&d=1359382659

So if there are first advance tickets available, excess up to the appropriate first advance fare and the £10 admin fee. If not, or it is after the advance ticket booking deadline, then just a straight excess up to the relevant walk up first class ticket. In either case, a booking office should be able to do it.

 

[ffm]

It seems that First Great Western tickets cannot be amended online. I haven't had to do this, I have for other journeys, just not FGW. Looked in my bookings list and every journey, Cross Country, First ScotRail, First Transpennine, East Coast....all can be amended online. My two FGW journeys do not have that option............