Upgrading to first class

[chunky120717]

I'm going to London on Friday for an overnight stay with my daughter for her first trip to the Capital (shes 7).

I was wondering if upgrading to first class was worth it/value for money for the 90 mins trip Derby to London St Pancreas to make the trip more special, as I'm about to be laid up for a couple of months/surgery. I haven't travelled first class since the Virgin Voyagers came into service on the WCML.... and I'll more than likely be on one run by EMR on Friday but not sure how it is/what you get for your money these days.

 

[Spaceship323]

If you're lucky you might get a meridian with some declassified 1st class seats but obviously without the freebies.
EMR used to do a £15 upgrade ~ just ask the steward at the start of your journey, but this has been replaced with a seatfrog upgrade https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/trains-stations/on-board-the-train/seatfrog. You could of course just buy a 1st class advance ticket if you know what time you will be travelling
Foodwise you will be offered a coffee or a choice a of soft drinks, pack of biscuits, croissant, a bag of crisps and a sandwich on a Saturday, not sure if the weekday offering is better (I often get a weekend 1st between Leicester and Derby and the value of the lunch is more than the price difference of the ticket )

 

[chunky120717]

If you're lucky you can get a meridian with some declassified 1st class seats but obviously without the freebies. EMR used to do a £15 upgrade ~ just ask the steward at the start of your journey, but I think this has been replaced with a seatfrog upgrade https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/trains-stations/on-board-the-train/seatfrog
Foodwise you will be offered a coffee or a choice a of soft drinks, pack of biscuits, croissant and a sandwich on a Saturday, not sure if the weekday offering is better

Yes theres a seatfrog thing and I can bid £10 per seat which I'll probably do, not sure it's worth much more than that if we're only on it 90 minutes. I tweeted EMR and they've been pretty helpful even telling me to tweet on the morning of travel and they may make a fuss of my daughter's first London trip!