GNER trains first class

jamoor · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:25

has anyone here travelled first class on gner trains?

if so, is the first class any good, and more importantly worth the £10 extra?

[DOD]Asprilla · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:29

jamoor said:
has anyone here travelled first class on gner trains?

if so, is the first class any good, and more importantly worth the £10 extra?

All the time.

1) I've usually very quiet, so you can have a table to yourself (there are no seats without tables.

2) No kids.

3) No loud people.

4) No babies.

The only downside is that you never know how much it will be. I've paid less than standard before, but most times it's more expensive than £10 more.

jamoor · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:30

Any freebies?

touch · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:31

Never been on a GNER i dont think (being from scotland). However, when i got the train from Glasgow > London, i was quite impressed (It was Virgin btw).
It was just the little things that made me like it, for example having a power socket to plug in my laptop or mobile phone. Having enough legroom (im just over 6 foot). and just the general clenliness of the train.

[DOD]Asprilla · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:32

jamoor said:
Any freebies?

Free tea / coffee and biscuits, wi-fi and power sockets.

And a paper hat you have to wear to identify yourself as a first class passenger.

Sagalout · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:32

Done it a few times from York to London, but its always been a lot more than a tenner extra - double the price in fact.

Anyway, is is worth it? Not really - at least not worth the extra £160. Its worth it for a tenner though. Best thing is if you use a laptop on the train for movies or work you get curtains to block out the sun so you can see better. That and the free drinks were the only real advantages.

Conanius · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:32

ive done first class a couple of times on First Great Western, not noticably better in honesty, standard class is fine tbqh

However, id be interested to see first class on virigin trains,the ones that run through cheltenham on the west coast line have a power socket for your laptop/phone in standard class, which imo, is bloody fantastic.

wouldnt mind a train that had wireless internet also (FGW do plan to implement this on the London routes to paddington so im told...)

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:34

All GNER trains have Wifi for First Class customers.

First is worth it if only to rid yourself of the menace that is uncontrolled screaming children.

jamoor · 3 Dec 2006 at 21:39

[TW]Fox said:
All GNER trains have Wifi for First Class customers.

First is worth it if only to rid yourself of the menace that is uncontrolled screaming children.

better yet, take the 5

although it's actually cheaper to go by train, and this is for 3 people!!!

Vonhelmet · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:20

[DOD]Asprilla said:
4) No babies.

What? That makes no sense. What stops babies being in first class? Can they not afford the ticket? Secondly, that's a pretty crummy attitude to have.

Glaucus · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:28

vonhelmet said:
What? That makes no sense. What stops babies being in first class? Can they not afford the ticket? Secondly, that's a pretty crummy attitude to have.

Most parents 99% of them aren't going to pay extra for kids to go first class.

whitecrook · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:29

I've got both GNER and Virgin trains to England from Glasgow, it depends on whether you take the East or the west coast route....

I've never paid for 1st class but sometimes if the train is a bit empty you can just go and sit there anyway. No one really cares. Worst case the guard will ask you to move...

A5H · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:35

I dont wanna hijack here.
But I always assumed big virgin trains had wifi?
I can't connect if they do. Or is it only first class?
If I sit close enough to first class can I steal a signal?

Vonhelmet · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:39

A5H said:
I dont wanna hijack here.
But I always assumed big virgin trains had wifi?
I can't connect if they do. Or is it only first class?
If I sit close enough to first class can I steal a signal?

I've tried, and they don't have it in regular class. Not sure about sitting near 1st class. No reason it shouldn't work, unless the end of the carriage is shielded in some way!

Vixen · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:45

whitecrook said:
I've got both GNER and Virgin trains to England from Glasgow, it depends on whether you take the East or the west coast route....

I wouldn't think Great North Eastern Railway go the west coast at all

.

Vonhelmet · 3 Dec 2006 at 22:52

Vixen said:
I wouldn't think Great North Eastern Railway go the west coast at all .

Wouldn't surprise me with GNER... Would explain why they're always late.

Sagalout · 3 Dec 2006 at 23:29

GNER standard class has wifi and plug sockets on most carriages - at least *** ones I've been on have. Its a bit retro though - like browsing on a modem again.

Efour · 4 Dec 2006 at 00:03

For 10 quid I wouldnt even batter an eye lid.

Just make sure you drink tea non stop and eat all their biccys.

whitecrook · 4 Dec 2006 at 00:25

Vixen said:
I wouldn't think Great North Eastern Railway go the west coast at all .

Yeah - *I* know that - it was more for the benefit of touch, a few posts up... :cool:

Mad old tory · 4 Dec 2006 at 00:45

I@m gonna take issue with Conanius here and say if it's not much more, first class is def worth it on FGW. Mainly due to the extra room and free coffee. I tend to book in advance and get firstminutefares which are about the same as getting a single with my YP railcard. Really is a no-brainer and similarly with the £10 weekend supp that most companies do. Wouldn't pay double the fare for it though.