Is First class rail travel worth the extra?

[RattyTat]

I have to make a journey in July. It'll take about 5 1/2 hours. It's with Virgin trains. Is it worth paying the extra?(About another £40 for first class?)

Yep. Food and drinks and papers and quiet

On Virgin, yes.

For 5 and a half hours, yes if you can afford it. I've done it once on an early train, had the carriage to myself most of the way and had a delicious cooked veggie breakfast.

No, £40 For a sandwich and a coffee, it's just mad.

Not always quiet. You can get noisy annoying people in first class too (drunk businessman the last time I used it).

Weekends arent as good as midweek.

I like it for extra space, quieter and having drinks served to the table. Toilets in first class lounge tend to be cleaner.

Definitely worth it if it's £20 each way!! Free
Food and drinks including alcohol sometimes plus WiFi, papers all sorts

Absolutely worth it!

Is £40 return or single? Is it for the weekend or a weekday?

Definitely! I love it. Much more room and waitress service.

Definitely worth it

If it's weekdays and you have an early train then you get breakfast.
It's quieter and more comfortable

£40 for such a long journey, I’d do that in a shot.

40 quid for the return? ie 11 hours? Yes, I’d pay that. One way? maybe, maybe not, depending on my mood.

Weekday on virgin absolutely. Weekend... I probably would for the space, quiet, WiFi, snacks etc

I think you don't get free alcohol on Saturdays - not sure about Sunday.

Depends. I’ve been in the quiet first class coach with parents allowing multiple dc to watch screens/play games without headphones. Drove me nuts. Another quiet coach, there was a couple and their mate who talked non stop about the house renovations. Other times, it’s been bliss, headphones on, glasses of wine, coffee, nice food. I’ve learnt to book a single seat, there’s always a plug socket, nobody wanting to get past, enough table space for an iPad etc.

In my limited experience, yes it's worth it.

I like the single seats you can get in some first class coaches if I am travelling by myself - worth it to have my own personal space.

I prefer it when possible, more room generally. Free cuppa and snack.

I would. Midweek is better value than weekends, but I much prefer it regardless. Extra space, less people, snacks and drinks served at table. Curtains to block light on a sunny day if watching film on iPad etc. Free WiFi (though it's patchy).

Depends how much 40 quid is worth to you. Personally id spend it on something else.

Yip. Calmer atmosphere. Cleaner toilets due to less use. Drinks and food service and less seats. 2 and 4 formation rather than 4 and 4 on standard class.. No one eating mad smelly sandwiches and take sways next to you or too piss drunk.

Weekday - definitely, worth it for the food & refreshments on a long journey.

Worth every penny.

For a start, you get your bloody seat, rather than have some dickhead refuse to get out of yours in Standard and the train manager shrugging their shoulders (if you can even get to them because the train is packed). They prioritise First. Because you're paying for it.