Virgin Trains Club Class Service

[premier01]

I seem to remember that there used to be a Club Class on VT trains-was this just a different name for 1st Class or an intermediate product.

Are there any trains that offer more that 2 products or has there been in recent times.

 

[ukrob]

I'm pretty sure that it used to be the name of First Class on the Voyagers when they had XC?

 

[premier01]

I'm pretty sure that it used to be the name of First Class on the Voyagers when they had XC?

I think it was just on the Voyagers-perhaps delineates between the service on the Pendolinos which was-and is-much better for catering service and seating.

 

[38Cto15E]

VT may as well name the different seating classes similar to the airlines, after all a First open return between London and Manchester costs about the same as a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York.

 

[stut]

VT may as well name the different seating classes similar to the airlines, after all a First open return between London and Manchester costs about the same as a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York.

Eh? A First open return to New York costs £9000!

(Not that VS have a First Class, much as they'd like to pretend they do...)

 

[Railjet]

Eh? A First open return to New York costs £9000!

(Not that VS have a First Class, much as they'd like to pretend they do...)

Don't think he meant a first-class flight to New York, somehow ....

 

[jopsuk]

club class, the catering was either an "airline style" (in the worst way...) cold snack box, or, if early enough in the day, a "breakfast roll"- choice (depending on stock) I think of bacon, egg or sausage, heated in the microwave- yet surprisingly tasty. On long journies it was certainly possible to get fed several times- did St Austell - Scotland a few times, a ten hour journey with several crews...

 

[stut]

Don't think he meant a first-class flight to New York, somehow ....

No, me neither.

On the other hand, I bought some Braeburns the other days, and they cost about the same as Satsumas. So, you know, sometimes it works.

 

[bengolding]

I seem to remember that there used to be a Club Class on VT trains-was this just a different name for 1st Class or an intermediate product.

Are there any trains that offer more that 2 products or has there been in recent times.

The Club Class on the Virgin Voyagers consisted of a snack box which, whilst not filling, was quite tasty. Got them all the time to/from Oxford.

Eurostar now have a two tier First Cl;ass - the enhanced Business Premier which gives access to their Lounges and the downgraded Leisure First. Both have their own separate carriages.

Going back several years, Midland Mainline used to have a two tier First Class service. Ordinary First Class was confied to coaches G and J on the HSTs, whilst the enhanced First Premier was in coach F which offered an inclusive restaurant-style meal service as part of the ticket price. Always very popular when I used it. Sadly, First Class has gone downhill on the route every since they did away with it.
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Eh? A First open return to New York costs £9000!

(Not that VS have a First Class, much as they'd like to pretend they do...)

Quite, their Upper Class product is nowhere near as good as BA First.

 

[ApAp]

Eurostar now have a two tier First Cl;ass - the enhanced Business Premier which gives access to their Lounges and the downgraded Leisure First. Both have their own separate carriages.

No Leisure Select anymore (Leisure First was a return ticket type used by some operators - GNER definitely, before they switched to the advance singles).

On Eurostar it's now Business Premier, Standard Premier and Standard. So the old Leisure Select is now marketed as a premium economy carriage in airline speak.

 

[stut]

Quite, their Upper Class product is nowhere near as good as BA First.

The simple reason being that it's not first class. It's a business class product, and always has been. The hard product is almost identical to that on Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand and Air Canada's business class products, and they use the fare code J - a standard code for full-fare, long-haul business class - to sell it.

However, the man Branson could double as a snake oil salesman.

 

[38Cto15E]

No I didn't mean First Class on the airlines but, what you get with an economy ticket long haul is not too dis-similar to the benefits of a First Class rail ticket.
When VT first had the WCML franchise they were trying to promote it in the same kind of way as Virgin Atlantic, except no Rail Miles.

 

[stut]

No I didn't mean First Class on the airlines but, what you get with an economy ticket long haul is not too dis-similar to the benefits of a First Class rail ticket.

Well, the seat is the main thing on a long-haul flight, and the Virgin Trains first class seat is more akin to a Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy seat. It's certainly far, far more spacious than a one of their standard Economy seats.

Also, with the open return, you get complete flexibility - another huge bonus.

The food, admittedly, is similar.

So, in the interests of fairness, let's look at a fully-flexible Premium Economy ticket to New York. Just shy of £2200.

If you're paying that just for the food, you're doing it wrong...

 

[Railjet]

Eurostar now have a two tier First Cl;ass - the enhanced Business Premier which gives access to their Lounges and the downgraded Leisure First.

Yes, the Standard Premier product (ex-Leisure First) is so downgraded that I've given up on it. Instead, Standard will do for me, and with part of the ample fare savings I'll stock up in style at M&S at St Pancras, or at the small supermarket at Bruxelles-Midi. It is only a 2-hour journey, after all.