AIBU to prefer first class for a long train journey?

[srapa]

About once every few months I need to take the train from London down to Penzance. It’s a minimum 5 hour train, often 6 hours.

I work full time and long hours, usually 9am-9pm. This means it’s pretty much impossible to get down to Cornwall for a proper weekend without travelling very early before work or in the evening after work. I used go get the sleeper train but this has genuinely tripled in price in the last few years.

I usually need to work on the train or I would need to use annual leave for the time off. There simply is not enough space or privacy to use a laptop for work in standard class. First is just a bigger seat and some tea and coffee really, but it makes all the difference.

DP thinks I’m precious about disliking standard class on the train. I’m v happy with standard for 2 hours or so, but can’t do it for 5 hours.

I prefer first class by a big margin. But mostly I can't justify the additional cost.

I can't afford 1st class but if I could I'd be there every time! Your DP is being unreasonable unless there's some backstory like you're massively in debt

You are certainly not unreasonable to prefer it. But omg the cost! I wouldn't be able to do this without some very special offer. But if you can afford it, go for it!

I think everyone would prefer first class wouldn't they?

Whether you/DP can justify the cost or not is a different question.

If you can get a reasonably priced ticket, it’s a worthwhile investment I think!

I do quite a bit of long distance train travel with kids and it is definitely worth it with them. More space, don’t have the corridor full of people standing, food and drink etc. Just all round more pleasant.

On my own I don’t mind standard class so much.

Have you come across seat frog? You can buy a second class ticket and bid for the first class ones, if you can't justify the cost of first. I definitely understand preferring first though!

We always go 1st class. It's quieter and more relaxed.

I love train journeys and I would always travel first class if I could. Usually, I can’t. But if you book ahead, it’s usually cheaper.

For a 5 hour journey, I would roughly pay £40 extra for first class, not much more. I would genuinely postpone a visit if I had to travel and work in standard.

That’s now gone up so much I’ve basically given up and just try to book ahead far enough to get a tolerable price. I used to be able to upgrade for about £14 but last week there was no difference in the auction price and a fairly short notice first class ticket. It might depend on the route I guess. I can’t put up with standard on my commute anymore, the trains are always rammed due to cancellations and short trains.

Do you use Seat Frog for upgrades?

If that's the extra cost on that journey, then I'd definitely pay it.
In my 20s I wouldn't have - as I couldn't justify the extra cost with my income at the time.
So... it's horses for courses.

£40 extra for a 5 hour journey is a no brainer.

YANBU. The only reason I do not travel first class on every train is that I am too poor.

Who wouldn’t prefer it.

£40 to save a day of annual leave makes financial ssnse.

I would always go first class unless the difference was huge.

I always book first for the single seat. I don’t take any of the food offerings I just want a seat to myself!

Not done London to Cornwall but regularly do London to Edinburgh always first class.
I’m older and wiser and know that a few extra ££s for a much better service is a good investment.
If I time the booking right it can be less that standard booked closer to the date of travel.

I want first class for longer journeys. Like @OllysArmyRidesAgain I frequently do London to Ed and almost always book first class.

I get loads done and I find the journey a good buffer between the activities in both places. I also HATE sitting squashed next to someone I don't know.

3 hours is usually my switcheroo points.

I went to Bath (from London) a couple of weekends ago and standard was fine on the way back (on the way out they had reduced the train by 50% and I had to stand all the way) Grr.

Surely your husband is the only person who'd prefer not to sit in 1st class for a long journey, I dont see how you could possibly think you're unreasonable

Are you being coercively controlled? I can't imagine why anyone would need their partners approval to spend such a minor sum in those circumstances or need the internet to tell them

Am I being unreasonable for prefering something that's better than the alternative?

What's the point of a question like that?

My husband didn’t get it at first either! Then the first time we did it with a baby when we were stuck at King’s Cross for hours and were able to use the lounge he got it! Unlimited beverages and snacks, a nice loo, somewhere clean, comfy and quiet.

And the more space, less comings and goings and a meal once on the train!

We will probably stop doing it once the youngest is school aged, but for now it just takes a big mental load off.

I rarely do anything else, Seat Frog is my friend.