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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think Seat Frog has ruined First Class Rail travel

110 replies

Goldfsh · 07/10/2025 17:04

I've paid extra for First Class train tickets for the last few years for three reasons: my mobility has been very decreased and I'm unable to stand for long (but unable to qualify for a Disabled Railcard); my immune system is also shot so I appreciate that it's more spacious; and I can work on my laptop. Basically I pay because it's quieter and cleaner.

Over the last month or so, every time I've travelled the First Class carriages have been full with families, especially young babies and children and OMG ALWAYS listening to ipads and phones without headphones - and I suspect this is because of apps like Seat Frog that buy out the First Class fares and offer them cheap.

First Class travel is pointless IMO if it's as noisy and full of noisy families. Is there any point to it if this is the case? Has anyone else noticed this lately?

OP posts:

opencecilgee · 12/10/2025 08:55

i think they should do away with FC on trains. Make it equal for all

MidnightPatrol · 12/10/2025 08:57

opencecilgee · 12/10/2025 08:55

i think they should do away with FC on trains. Make it equal for all

Alright Jeremy Corbyn

Eight8eight · 12/10/2025 09:08

I used to travel on the West Coast mainline most weekends in my twenties and early thirties. There were consistently lots of carriages and you could usually find a seat, even if you hadn't pre booked. If not, you could pay virgin around £15 on Sat/Sun for an upgrade and I often did this on a Sunday. It was always calm and quiet.

More recently, every time I've travelled on the same route, I've had to stand for 4 hours because there were nowhere near enough carriages. Train fares are a fortune and you often can't even get a seat. I always try to book a seat but you only find out you haven't been allocated one after you've paid.

I imagine lots of people are upgrading via Seatfrog or similar because there just aren't sufficient numbers of carriages or seats on the trains. There is a very stark difference.

coravantexel · 12/10/2025 09:16

I took my kids to Cornwall in first class on the train because they both get car sick. This was affordable because one of them (under 5) travelled for free on my lap and my 6yo was half price. It meant that we had space, food and a guaranteed table seat with a power point. It was brilliant, loads to look at out of the window and they could get up and use the loo whenever they wanted.

We did use headphones for the brief period they were using a device/tablet. People who don’t use headphones are just as likely to be seen anywhere on a train in my experience.

The attitude that children should be seen and not heard feels a bit Victorian to me but I do agree that not using headphone is anti social.

TeaRoseTallulah · 12/10/2025 09:20

Neemie · 07/10/2025 18:22

On the trains I use, first class is usually full of teenage boys drinking, scrolling, eating fast food and putting their feet on the seats.

Yes, I always travel first class and I'm pig sick of guards not booting them out.

Labamba78 · 12/10/2025 09:21

Goldfsh · 07/10/2025 17:14

I don't think for a moment that people don't have a 'right' to travel First Class for whatever reason, but it's generally quieter and used by business travellers (and quite a few physically disabled people) - the influx of a noisier demographic is very sudden over the last couple of months.

Seat Frog has been around for ages, I’ve been using it since at least 2020 - I’m not sure why it would have made a difference in the last few months.

CrimsonStoat · 12/10/2025 09:24

PinkTonic · 07/10/2025 17:18

I travel at commuter time so haven’t noticed this. What I have noticed which I do find annoying is that quite a lot of people sit in first class and ask for an upgrade if they get checked, which fairly often they don’t. This is actually not supposed to be allowed, you’re supposed to get the upgrade first at risk of being charged a penalty fare. Maybe if they managed that better the tickets wouldn’t need to be quite so extortionate. And don’t get me started on all the men standing in the vestibule so the doors keep opening and closing just so they can charge through the carriage on arrival, holding up the passengers who actually paid to sit there.

Are you sure about the upgrade? I decided to upgrade once (West Coast Main Line), spent ages in a queue at Euston thinking I had to do it there, and when I got to the front of the queue was told to just get on the train and the conductor would do it.

I asked what if the conductor didn't come round, and the person said something along the lines of well, you've got a free upgrade then! (The conductor did come round.)

myglowupera · 12/10/2025 09:27

ReceiveIt · 07/10/2025 17:38

Excellent Seatfrog advertisement 👍

Exactly! I never knew about it until this thread.

ARichtGoodDram · 12/10/2025 13:58

I asked what if the conductor didn't come round, and the person said something along the lines of well, you've got a free upgrade then! (The conductor did come round.)

They still do it on the train now. Literally did England to Scotland and back on the WML this week and they announced several times that if you wanted to upgrade to sit in the carriage (either first or standard premium) and they'd take payment when they came around

Paddington5 · 12/10/2025 19:38

I went FC and the two people who shared the carriage were taking work phone calls in very loud voices for much of the journey. Presumably their tickets were covered by work company. Haven’t used it since - but all journeys have been pleasant and reasonably quiet.

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