South West Trains First Class

[TW]Fox · 21 May 2012 at 17:39

Skillmister said:
Not a problem if you reserve seats. Out of the 8 or so trains i've been on in the past couple of weeks all but 2 have been full to capacity yet i've sat at my reserved table seat every time Same again on wednesday no doubt.

No seat reservations on Waterloo-Weymouth route.

Housey · 21 May 2012 at 19:06

It is usually on these sorts of trains when First Class becomes a free for all and it is ALWAYS the world class train chav who tries his/her luck by 'sneaking' a seat in First Class yet ALWAYS feeling the need to be disruptive. It kind of negates the key benefit of First Class to me, being chav and scum reduction or usually, removal. Still doesnt mean you avoid Mr Headphone disco or Mr Annoying cough or worse, goby Mr Sharp Dresser middle manager loud phone call maker.

I need to write a book on this, there are bloody hundreds of pages in it!

peterattheboro · 21 May 2012 at 19:22

Was in First Class on Grand Central last month and there was a family with noisy kids and they kept getting up and walking down the aisle.

One of the cattle class coaches was empty and I wish I moved into that one but wouldn't have been offered so much tea :mad:

Marky · 21 May 2012 at 19:30

I have yet to get on a train where I think "First Class" is actually worth it. :/

From what I can see, you get a "First Class" thing on the head rest, and you're in a separate part from everyone else, so it's slightly more quiet, but that's about it...

[TW]Fox · 21 May 2012 at 19:32

Marky said:
I have yet to get on a train where I think "First Class" is actually worth it. :/

From what I can see, you get a "First Class" thing on the head rest, and you're in a separate part from everyone else, so it's slightly more quiet, but that's about it...

FGW First on an HST is nice. Big, spacious leather reclining chairs and usually reasonably quiet and tranquil even if the rest of the train is jammed.

Things change I've changed · 21 May 2012 at 19:34

It all depends on where and when your travelling, coming into Cornwall in the busy season 1st class is nearly always worth it due to the train being packed in regular class and first is generally quiet.

Marky · 21 May 2012 at 19:35

[TW]Fox;21971259 said:
FGW First on an HST is nice. Big, spacious leather reclining chairs and usually reasonably quiet and tranquil even if the rest of the train is jammed.

I haven't seen them, but I would certainly be more happy paying for a First Class ticket if you got a nice comfy chair

Slade2 · 21 May 2012 at 19:59

From plymouth to Stafford I was once upgraded to first class when some Irate women insisted I was sitting in her seat and informed the train manager that I should be ejected from the train becuase I was sitting in her seat. She just began shouting at me before I could even say anything and when I could get a word in I told her I would gladly move if she gave her mouth a rest so I could get my stuff. The train manager just said

`Follow me sir as all these seats are full you will have to sit in first class` and as he said it I shot a look at the women who was looking even more annoyed at the whole situation.

I dont normally sit in first class becuase I like to have a couple of ciders in with the cattle and enjoy the really nice view on the south coast main line.

Mad old tory · 21 May 2012 at 20:22

First class on FGW is great, SW trains as said is not worth it. When I was at uni travelling back from Egham to Cheltenham I always used to take first class as with an advance ticket it was about £12-14 each way with a railcard which I thought was easily worth it for the FGW leg from Reading.

I'm in Switzerland for a couple of months with work and the trains out of Zurich really put ours to shame

. Not especially cheap unless you have the half fare railcard (£100 or so for a year so a fair whack but does what it says on the tin so easy to make back if travelling a lot) but 2nd class gives most 1st class services a run for their money over here and it's always on time. 1 min late almost seems to be classified as delayed...

[TW]Fox · 21 May 2012 at 21:03

Mad old tory said:
First class on FGW is great, SW trains as said is not worth it. When I was at uni travelling back from Egham to Cheltenham I always used to take first class as with an advance ticket it was about £12-14 each way with a railcard which I thought was easily worth it for the FGW leg from Reading.

I'm in Switzerland for a couple of months with work and the trains out of Zurich really put ours to shame . Not especially cheap unless you have the half fare railcard (£100 or so for a year so a fair whack but does what it says on the tin so easy to make back if travelling a lot) but 2nd class gives most 1st class services a run for their money over here and it's always on time. 1 min late almost seems to be classified as delayed...

Not been to Switzerland but having done trains in Germany, Australia, Belgium and the United States I honestly think ours get a bad press. Standard class in all of these countries was fairly terrible and First looked barely better than most standard class trains here!

Housey · 21 May 2012 at 21:06

Marky said:
I have yet to get on a train where I think "First Class" is actually worth it. :/

From what I can see, you get a "First Class" thing on the head rest, and you're in a separate part from everyone else, so it's slightly more quiet, but that's about it...

A descent First Class seat is bigger, the carriages are rarely full so you also get a table to yourself at least no one sitting opposite and at seat food and drink and wifi too. I use Virgin trains from the Midlands to London most weeks and I can usually get First Class to close to and on occasion cheaper than Second Class if I know when I am travelling a few days in advance and if I travel outside main rush hours.

#Chri5# · 21 May 2012 at 21:15

[TW]Fox;21971259 said:
FGW First on an HST is nice. Big, spacious leather reclining chairs and usually reasonably quiet and tranquil even if the rest of the train is jammed.

Virgin 1st out of Euston is worth every penny in the evening. You can avoid the Olympic class sprint when the platform number is annouced and saunter down to a mainly empty, quiet carriage.

Mad old tory · 21 May 2012 at 21:16

[TW]Fox;21972019 said:
Not been to Switzerland but having done trains in Germany, Australia, Belgium and the United States I honestly think ours get a bad press. Standard class in all of these countries was fairly terrible and First looked barely better than most standard class trains here!

Not done any of those countries but have used trains in France and Switzerland and both seemed better in standard. I took a train to Lucerne the other day, standard "Inter Regio" which I guess is halfway between commuter and intercity. Doubledecker carriages (if only our network could take them, it would no doubt make commuter trains much more bearable) with plenty of space, comfy seats, spotlessly clean and quiet.

Agree UK isn't bad per se on some trains but some of the providers are frankly terrible. Not a fan of the commuter belt trains although the intercity providers are generally much better than the press they get.