Great Western Coffee Shop

For those Goldcard holders of us, I have just seen that there are some significant changes of conditions in the offing come the New Year.  Details can be found here (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46573.aspx).

The one hand giveth and the other taketh away. Long and short as I can see...

Taken away:

a)   Virgin Trains and East Coast no longer in the scheme
b)   First class upgrade supplement @ ^5 no longer available
c)   Flat child fares @ ^2 removed.
d)   Network Card for ^1 no longer available

Given:

e)   An extension of the available area which includes the Midlands as far as Staffordshire
f)   Discounts available on both standard and first class tickets ^ anytime and off-peak
g)   A range of other railcards available for ^10 for self and/or other person.

It is travelling on first class cushions all day for a fiver that I will miss the most.

Well I didn't know that you could currently use your Gold card on Virgin or East Coast.

The extension of the area to include  Birmingham and the Midlands looks interesting. It's also extended into East Anglia to include Ipswich and Norwich. Shame the zone couldn't be extended west though.

I'm going to need to look at this map in the new year to plan some days out.