First class

Quite frequently, booked in advance with a Rail Card, but only Off Peak times.

I used to travel first class on LNER from Carlisle to Glasgow when DD and family lived there. The first class coaches were usually at the front of the train.
I was offered snacks and drinks throughout the journey which only takes about an hour therefore I wasn't offered a meal. DH and I have had meals on longer journeys.
DH likes first class as it has more leg room.

eddiecat78

My elderly father used to use it to travel from the Midlands to Devon - mainly because it guaranteed him a seat. Despite booking seats previously he had often found someone else using them. If he was flexible about what time he travelled it was often not much more money than a standard ticket. The only problem was that occasionally services changed at short notice and he was put onto a train that had no first class carriage

I have found, in my experience that they often do that. They take 1st class payment but only can give you 2nd class seats. Clever, aren’t they? If you try to complain, you get nowhere. Why aren’t they better regulated/monitored?

I treated myself to 1st class a while ago. There was no advantage in doing this, as the 1st class seats were lined up behind the 2nd class ones and only separated by a small gap! No drinks or food were offered, the carriage was grubby, as were the seats and I felt like I had been conned. Once home, I complained, only to be told I must have sat in 2nd class by mistake. (Stupid now, am I?). What can you do? They have you by the short and curlies!

First class on Avanti isn’t what it used to be until fairly recently.
I used it regularly Carlisle to London. More room, better seats and decent food and drinks served at your seat. Much nicer than cramped and crowded economy!
There used to be 2 -3 complete first class carriages, now Avanti are replacing the first class seats with premium economy (the same seats, just re-named)…in the same carriages and the fare is a lot lower than the first class one. The difference in fare would probably buy a gourmet meal and a bottle of good wine in a restaurant. Which is ridiculous!
So the last time I went, I travelled premium economy, same decent seats, same comfort, same carriage, and brought a packed lunch as no food supplied…use the buffet car if preferred.
The only first class seats took up half a carriage.
Whether this is the usual all the time now and all routes I know not.

Always first class these days. Quieter. More room. Easier to find coach and seat. But not luxurious. Don’t expect the Orient Express between Carlisle and Preston 😂

DH always went to London first class - booked well in advance and using his Senior Railcard.

My elderly father used to use it to travel from the Midlands to Devon - mainly because it guaranteed him a seat. Despite booking seats previously he had often found someone else using them. If he was flexible about what time he travelled it was often not much more money than a standard ticket. The only problem was that occasionally services changed at short notice and he was put onto a train that had no first class carriage

We travelled first class to Edinburgh on the East Coast line some years ago………the price difference was only a few pounds as we’d booked in advance. It was fabulous……..sandwiches, cake, tea, coffee, beers and wine all included.

We don’t have first class or any other class on our local trains,thank goodness. You can pay more on the really long journeys that take a week or more and get a better bed. That might be worth it I suppose.