VT weekend 1st

[philjo]

A quick query - is it possible to book reservations for Weekend 1st on VT in advance from the booking office or does it have to be done on the train?

The website says you can book it online but this seems to be only for a VT only journey e.g. Euston-Crewe.

the ticket I want will start from Potters Bar with the weekend 1st being for Euston-Crewe - the VT site won't let me book an upgrade for this.
As it will be Christmas time I want to pre-book a seat reservation out of Euston.

Many thanks.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

You should be able to do it at any manned ticket office.

Online it should be possible as well. You'll just see the First Class fare £15 higher than the equivalent standard fare.

Having the ticket beforehand not only assures you a seat, but gives you entry to the first class lounge at Euston!

 

[dave4jackie]

can't book in advance if you have got an advance purchase tkt

 

[ChrisTheRef]

...yes you can.

Any ticket can be upgraded with Virgin for a flat fee of £15 regardless of destination.

If the OP hasn't bought the ticket yet, he can buy the advance ticket, along with the upgrade online. If he has bought the ticket, he can purchase the upgrade by taking the aforementioned ticket to any manned ticket office.

 

[First class]

You will find that most ticket offices won't do it for you telling you to do it on the train, which is probably good advice

I find the point of first class is ease and convenience. Simply take a seat and when the TM comes to you, pay the £15. You won't struggle to get a seat, you will have very empty carriages to pick through. If you decide to travel on another train you don't have to get your reservation changed either.

Buying the supplement before you board restricts you to your reserved train only.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

....by what logic?

If you have an advance purchase ticket, you're restricted to one train anyway.

If you have a flexible ticket, upgrading does nothing to change that. As you said - ease and convenience.

 

[First class]

....by what logic?

If you have an advance purchase ticket, you're restricted to one train anyway.

If you have a flexible ticket, upgrading does nothing to change that. As you said - ease and convenience.

Buying the supplement before you board restricts you to a booked train as it requires a mandatory reservation, no matter what ticket you hold.

That's fine if you hold an Advance ticket, but if you hold a flexible one, means that if you change your mind, you need to cancel your existing reservation and re-book.

Much easier to get on-board and that way does not need a reservation.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I've bought the upgrade before and didn't need a reservation.

Why would you?

 

[First class]

I've bought the upgrade before and didn't need a reservation.

Why would you?

You'd have to ask Virgin, but those are the T+Cs.

I'd imagine it is because supplements aren't usually stamped/collected and would be open to misuse with people possibly multi-using.

Will post from FRPP (The Manual) later.

 

[IainH]

Buying the supplement before you board restricts you to a booked train as it requires a mandatory reservation, no matter what ticket you hold.

No thats not quite right...when you book ahead for a weekend first you get a reservation, however you don't have to use it and its valid for any journey that you can use weekend first on that day.

This is extracted from nationalrail.co.uk....

You can upgrade on the train - on a first come, first served basis. On some services, you may be able to reserve a seat in advance. If you have a seat reservation and miss your selected service, you can still use it on another service for the same journey on the same date at no extra charge, as long as you're not travelling on an Advance tickets.

The reason you might do this is that sometimes weekend first can be full.

 

[Pumbaa]

Buying the supplement before you board restricts you to a booked train as it requires a mandatory reservation, no matter what ticket you hold.

Certainly not in my experience. The only requirement is to produce your valid ticket for the journey you intend to make, you can't buy an upgrade supplement otherwise.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Certainly not in my experience. The only requirement is to produce your valid ticket for the journey you intend to make, you can't buy an upgrade supplement otherwise.

If this was Facebook, I'd like this!

 

[First class]

Virgin Trains Weekend Upgrade
Valid on any Virgin Trains service only.

Virgin Weekend Upgrades are available to customers travelling on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, and allow customers to travel in First Class accommodation on VT services, and receive the full complimentary on-board service offer.

Prices
Virgin Weekend Upgrade costs £15 for adults and £5 for children regardless of the journey being made.

Availability
Upgrades can be purchased in advance or on the day of travel.

Reservations
When issued in advance, seat reservations must be made. However, if a customer misses the reserved train, s/he may complete the same journey on another Virgin Trains service without further charge; note that seats cannot be guaranteed without a reservation.

Discounts
Railcard discounts do not apply to these fares.

Refunds
Full refund minus £10 Admin fee for unused tickets.

Ticket Types that can be upgraded prior to travel
Anytime Day, Off-Peak, Off-Peak Day, Super Off-Peak, One Day Travelcard. All other ticket types can be upgraded on-board, subject to availability.

Ticket Code: VWU

Standard Class Anytime Return/Single
Customers travelling using this product on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday can upgrade to First Class on Virgin Trains services FREE OF CHARGE

The above is from the FRPP (The Manual). Advance tickets can only be upgraded on-board, I would imagine this is to give greater seat selection to those with more flexible (expensive?) tickets.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

The above is from the FRPP (The Manual). Advance tickets can only be upgraded on-board, I would imagine this is to give greater seat selection to those with more flexible (expensive?) tickets.

Where does it say that??

 

[First class]

Where it says 'Ticket types that can be upgraded prior to travel'.

These are the only tickets you can upgrade at a ticket office:

Anytime Day, Off-Peak, Off-Peak Day, Super Off-Peak, One Day Travelcard

 

[philjo]

Thank you for your replies.

I am planning to get a super off-peak return but as it also involves FCC & ATW the VT website won't let me book that online with a weekend 1st upgrade, so I will ask at the booking office.
Unfortunately it will have to be the 10:10 Chester train from Euston-Crewe which I assume will be a 5-car voyager? :roll:
(the Manchester Pendo arrives at Crewe at the same time the ATW connection leaves so would mean an hour to wait for the next one at crewe!

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Thank you for your replies.

I am planning to get a super off-peak return but as it also involves FCC & ATW the VT website won't let me book that online with a weekend 1st upgrade, so I will ask at the booking office.
Unfortunately it will have to be the 10:10 Chester train from Euston-Crewe which I assume will be a 5-car voyager? :roll:
(the Manchester Pendo arrives at Crewe at the same time the ATW connection leaves so would mean an hour to wait for the next one at crewe!

It will indeed be a Voyager.

They're nowhere near as bad as the XC ones though

 

[craigwilson]

Reservations
When issued in advance, seat reservations must be made. However, if a customer misses the reserved train, s/he may complete the same journey on another Virgin Trains service without further charge; note that seats cannot be guaranteed without a reservation.

Aaahh - but that's a matter of wording - it just says a seat reservation must be made; it doesn't say that you have to use it. It also doesn't require a *mandatory* reservation - i.e. where your ticket is only valid for that train, with that reservation, and not using it invalidates your ticket. As others have said, the only requirement is a valid ticket for the standard class journey you were previously going to make before you chose to upgrade.

Advance tickets can only be upgraded on-board, I would imagine this is to give greater seat selection to those with more flexible (expensive?) tickets.

Yeah. Advance tickets have mandatory seat reservations attached to them, so guarantee you your seat in any case - so Advance ticket holders have less need for the upgrade.