WAG Express Upgrade

[Thewanderer]

Afternoon all,

How much is an upgrade to 1st class on the WAG Express?

The Wanderer.

 

[glynn80]

Afternoon all,

How much is an upgrade to 1st class on the WAG Express?

The Wanderer.

There is no "upgrade fee" as such.

The upgrade cost would be the difference in fare between the Standard Class ticket you hold and the equivalent First Class ticket. This halves if you are only upgrading in one direction.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

:roll: Depends where you are travelling to and from, but if it's all the way from Holyhead to Cardiff Central, a Standard Anytime Single would cost £66-70, whereas a First Class Anytime Single would cost £99-80, so the upgrade cost would be £30-10.

 

[clagmonster]

I agree with what has been said above, but in Avantix there is a £50 ATW PREM UPGRDE ticket showing, which is presumably a first class upgrade for this service. Could it be that in order to get the complimentary meal, you have to pay the £50, but the £30.10 gives a first class seat.

 

[glynn80]

I agree with what has been said above, but in Avantix there is a £50 ATW PREM UPGRDE ticket showing, which is presumably a first class upgrade for this service. Could it be that in order to get the complimentary meal, you have to pay the £50, but the £30.10 gives a first class seat.

Following on from what clagmonster said, if you pick through the very limited information given on this service, I have found the upgrade mentioned on the ATW website

A standard single or return ticket from Holyhead to Cardiff is valid for this service. First Class travel is available for an extra supplement on the standard fare, priced between £30 to £50 depending on the length of the journey being made.
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/ViewContent.aspx?id=5660

 

[Olympian]

There is no "upgrade fee" as such.

The upgrade cost would be the difference in fare between the Standard Class ticket you hold and the equivalent First Class ticket. This halves if you are only upgrading in one direction.

ATW PREM UPGRDE that clagmonster refers to is indeed an "upgrade fee" for upgrading standard class tickets to first, but only valid on the "WAG express" (technically, the route is printed "ARRIVA TRN WALES" but it's the only first class service they run). Not much use if the difference between first and standard is less than the upgrade but, for journeys such as Crewe to Cardiff where there aren't any walk-up first class fares, it's the only choice (£35 in this example, fare varies for other journeys) unless you go for an Advance First (£59 Crewe - Cardiff, not sure how much for others).

Anyone with either a first class ticket, or standard class ticket with ATW PREM UPGRDE, gets the complimentary meal. Yesterday I upgraded my £52.40 Crewe - Cardiff standard off-peak return by payment to the conductor on the train and enjoyed a very nice freshly cooked breakfast on my way to a late-morning meeting.

 

[Thewanderer]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'll have a priv 7 day Standard Class ALR and will be travelling throughout from Holyhead to Cardiff, thereforee I assume the £50 upgrade would apply.

Considering a 7 day 1st Class ticket is £55 more expensive than the standard class version I would be better off buying this (before anybody tells me, I have a 1st class Priv Card), plus it might come in handy elsewhere.

I don't think you get a good breakfast anywhere in Holyhead at 0500hrs, so it could be an attractive option.

The Wanderer.

 

[glynn80]

ATW PREM UPGRDE that clagmonster refers to is indeed an "upgrade fee" for upgrading standard class tickets to first, but only valid on the "WAG express" (technically, the route is printed "ARRIVA TRN WALES" but it's the only first class service they run).

Yep, found it on the ATW website and posted above.

They mention a £30.00 fee for shorter journeys, what is the maximum distance the £30.00 fee is applicable for?

 

[clagmonster]

Shrewsbury-Cardiff is the longest I can find.

 

[Olympian]

Yep, found it on the ATW website and posted above.

They mention a £30.00 fee for shorter journeys, what is the maximum distance the £30.00 fee is applicable for?

Just checked on Avantix:

Upgrades between Newport or Cardiff and:

Holyhead £50
Bangor £45
Llandudno Jn £40
Rhyl/Flint/Chester/Crewe £35
Shrewsbury £30

HTH

 

[merlodlliw]

I agree with what has been said above, but in Avantix there is a £50 ATW PREM UPGRDE ticket showing, which is presumably a first class upgrade for this service. Could it be that in order to get the complimentary meal, you have to pay the £50, but the £30.10 gives a first class seat.

correct £50 buys you the meal, free if you are an A.M.(as we pay for it)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Just checked on Avantix:

Upgrades between Newport or Cardiff and:

Holyhead £50
Bangor £45
Llandudno Jn £40
Rhyl/Flint/Chester/Crewe £35
Shrewsbury £30

HTH

plus a free tea or coffee only

 

[glynn80]

Done a little digging in the FRPP and found some more information on the supplements.

First Class Supplements

Prices for the supplements are shown in retail systems as product PCU. This upgrade is available to holders of valid ‘Anytime’ or ‘Off Peak tickets’. This supplement is in addition to the fare for the travel ticket. Customers holding Standard Advance Purchase must first be upgraded to an off peak or anytime ticket in addition to the supplement. Railcard reductions apply to the supplement to holders of Senior, Forces and Disabled Railcards.

When selling a supplement the standard fare should be added to the basket without making a reservation. The reservation should be made against the PCU product.

A customer who is only travelling a part journey on this train may purchase a Standard Ticket for the complete journey and a supplement for the portion with First Class.

A combination of an Off-Peak Return and a supplement will generally be cheaper than a First Open Return.

Travel is not permitted on a supplement without a travel ticket. Customers holding a supplement only should be sold a ticket as if no ticket is held.

 

[merlodlliw]

I don't think you get a good breakfast anywhere in Holyhead at 0500hrs, so it could be an attractive option.

The Wanderer.[/QUOTE]

A dear option if you are paying for it, one downfall the chiefs are huntos,

On another tac, the Wrexham & Shropshire Railways cafe/bar on Wrexham station is doing a great trade, open 0600 full Welsh breakfast £4.50, in fact £45.50 cheaper than ATWs Wag breakfast, just like the fares it would seem.

 

[175001]

I don't think you get a good breakfast anywhere in Holyhead at 0500hrs, so it could be an attractive option.

Not sure you can get anything good at Holyhead

 

[clagmonster]

I believe that if it is just the meal you are after, it is possible for 2nd class passengers to purchase the meal from the buffet, and take it back to their seat. www.nwrail.org.uk often has reviews of travelling on this service, and I am sure I have seen that mentioned on there before. I suppose it may be down to demand from 1st class passengers.

 

[merlodlliw]

Not sure you can get anything good at Holyhead

yes three things

1. The ferry to Ireland

2.A Voyager to the East

3.WAG Express, now it is using Virgin locos

Otherwise Holyhead like Colwyn Bay, as Vic Oliver called them "A graveyard with lights" circa 1950s
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I believe that if it is just the meal you are after, it is possible for 2nd class passengers to purchase the meal from the buffet, and take it back to their seat. www.nwrail.org.uk often has reviews of travelling on this service, and I am sure I have seen that mentioned on there before. I suppose it may be down to demand from 1st class passengers.

I dont think you can take the full meal back to your seats,only coffee and bacon baps if you are in standard. However to drum up trade I am sure a deal
can be done as 1st is usually 90% empty.

 

[Thewanderer]

Thanks guys.

 

[Thewanderer]

To bring an end to this thread I travelled on the WAG express this morning from Holyhead to Cardiff.

Purchased a full english breakfast from the buffet counter for £6.95 and the buffet staff delivered it to my seat in standard class. Kept me going for the morning!

 

[First class]

How big is the breakfast? In comparison, my 'english breakfast' consists of:

3x bacon rashers
2x thick pork sausages
1x fried egg
1x hash brown
beans
tomatoes
mushrooms
3x toast

...............Am I going to be dissapointed?

 

[merlodlliw]

To bring an end to this thread I travelled on the WAG express this morning from Holyhead to Cardiff.

Purchased a full english breakfast from the buffet counter for £6.95 and the buffet staff delivered it to my seat in standard class. Kept me going for the morning!

I am sure the Minister for Railways Ieuan Wyn Jones would be annoyed they
served you the full English, he had given instruction it had to be the full Welch Brecwast on his train.

http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nw0812e.htm

 

[Thewanderer]

How big is the breakfast? In comparison, my 'english breakfast' consists of:

3x bacon rashers
2x thick pork sausages
1x fried egg
1x hash brown
beans
tomatoes
mushrooms
3x toast

...............Am I going to be dissapointed?

No you won't be dissapointed!

2 x bacon.
1 x sausage.
1 x egg
1 x hash brown
beans
tomatoe
mushrooms
2 x toast.