First Class Weekend Upgrade

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Not surprised! Won't bother then.

On a Turbo, you are paying through the roof to gain Standard Class level accommodation, with no benefits.

Charging an extra ^15 for First Class on the Cotswold Line is scandalous. They should put Worcester into the ^5 zone, and reduce the price of walk up First tickets/ introduce First Advance tickets.

[devon_metro]

They should put Worcester into the ^5 zone

Where is the logic in that 

[cereal_basher]

It would appear you just want Worcester to be ^5 so you would have to pay. I think Plymouth should be in the ^25 zone to make it ^5 Plymouth-Cornwall but that doesn't seem likely to happen.

[inspector_blakey]

The upgrade will be charged from wherever the ticket is from, or you joined the train (eg. if you have a tichet from Cheltenham, but obviously joined the train at Swindon, then will be charged from Swindon).

I'm 99.9% sure that complementary refreshments are not available on a turbo at ant time.

I've never travelled in first class on a Turbo except driver-only services between Didcot and Oxford where there are no refreshments anyway, but the trolleys on Cotswold line services certainly do carry a supply of the smaller, "complimentary stock" tea and coffee cups which may mean that freebies are available.

On a vaguely related note, I think you are required to upgrade before joining the train on driver-only services to Reading and Oxford, and risk a penalty fare in this situation if you occupy FC^‡(resolve) without the relevant upgrade.

[Btline]

The reason why I think Worcester should be in the ^5 zone is value for money.

Other routes are pretty much guaranteed HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) with leather seats, complementary refreshments and First Class standard seating.

On the Cotswold some trains are Turbos, and those that are HSTs are often Turboed - esp at weekends. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) cannot justify the high fares when people end up sitting in Standard Class conditions. Seeing I can get a Virgin First Advance single for about ^20, where I get free food, alcohol, Wifi & audio system, the FGW First Class fares are criminal.

Alternatively, I can use Chiltern, where standard Class is the same standard as Turbo First Class for about ^25 return.

Banbury is in the ^5 zone - it has Turbos. So should Worcester.

[devon_metro]

Your theory falls to pieces when you get an HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Why should you pay ^10 less than a passenger to Bristol travelling the same distance?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

if your that unimpressed with the first class on turbos why dont you go standard?

[super tm]

[/quote]
On a vaguely related note, I think you are required to upgrade before joining the train on driver-only services to Reading and Oxford, and risk a penalty fare in this situation if you occupy FC^‡(resolve) without the relevant upgrade.
[/quote]

No I dont think that is true anymore since the price increase.  I have not seen it written anywhere that on some trains you must pay before you get on and on other you dont have to pay until you are on the train.  The system is now the same for all upgrades and they can be purchased on the train.

[Mookiemoo]

Your theory falls to pieces when you get an HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Why should you pay ^10 less than a passenger to Bristol travelling the same distance?

Ok - How many other lines have a service advertised as X but served by Y where the differential is as big as HST to turbo

At the weekend - any number of services can be turboed when they were advertised HST - may be the rule should be ....... if scheduled train, standard upgrade applies.  If turbostution, then lower upgrade.

I know other lines get set swaps but how many other up to 3 hours journeys are replaced by something as different from a HST as turbo!

I do vote with my feet - if I have to go to london at the weekend - I sure as hell dont go cotswolds - AND my season would normally cover most of it - thats how much I hate it

[Mookiemoo]

P.S Turbos are fine in the TV - even 166 to Oxford I can see - but ALL THE WAY TO HEREFORD!

[Mookiemoo]

You've never done a 143 from Shrewsbury to Swansea then?

Nope - I've never seen one going through ludlow either when I've been in town - worst ive seen is a 150

Do arriva have 143s?

[cereal_basher]

You've never done a 143 from Shrewsbury to Swansea then?

Nope - I've never seen one going through ludlow either when I've been in town - worst ive seen is a 150

Do arriva have 143s?

Arriva have both 143s and 142s but they are mainly used on the Cardiff Valley Line routes.

[IndustryInsider]

At the weekend - any number of services can be turboed when they were advertised HST^▸ (High Speed Train) - may be the rule should be ....... if scheduled train, standard upgrade applies.  If turbostution, then lower upgrade.

To be fare, (erm I mean fair!) since the May T/T change the Cotswold Line service has run much more as advertised during the week and at weekends. Those trains that are supposed to be HST's (as advertised in the timetable) have nearly always been then. In fact on a Saturday the first up Turbo operated service of the day isn't until the evening - a bit of a paradox really as Saturday lunch time is one of the quieter times of the week for medium distance travel.

However, it will still happen from time to time due to failures, engineering work and so on, and I think your suggestion of a downgrade of the upgrade (so to speak) is a very sensible one.

[Btline]

NB: I have never gone First Class with FGW^▸ (First Great Western). And I won't until they either lower the price of walkup tickets, put Worcester and Hereford into the ^5 zone (or have s cheaper upgrade when a Turbo turns up) or introduce First Advance fares.

I do use Chiltern a lot - as do many Cotswold passengers - hence falling passenger numbers from the western part of the route. I am trying Virgin FC^‡(resolve) soon.

Even XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) First Class is better than FGW! And that's HST^▸ (High Speed Train) as well.

[devon_metro]

Even XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) First Class is better than FGW^▸ (First Great Western)!

Is it