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.

Before retiring, I often had to work on trains - not just the London trains, but cross country too. I will echo what you say @srapa - it's impossible to work on a laptop for any decent amount of time in standard class, unless your carriage is empty. First class has enough room (and elbow room) to work comfortably without disturbing other passengers. The extra cost used to be a lot less than my hourly rate and the free tea/coffee was very welcome. Even now I'm retired, I keep a close eye on the first class prices and grab bargains when offered. As for DP, if he wants to travel second class (and work) to prove a point - let him! And don't entertain any complaints about aches and pains.

I regularly used to get upgrades for £14, however I just looked for next week and the starting auction price is £29 each way for my trains. Then there’s an extra £3 per upgrade, plus the auction will probably go to £38. The current buy now price is £41. I’m not going into the office next week so I haven’t bought an advance ticket, but if I bought one today there is a tiny saving and it’s not enough to justify risking not winning the auction and having to travel in standard. The days of great savings on Seatfrog have gone unfortunately, unless maybe you want to travel off peak. Even then I don’t think there’s much advantage over something like GWR weekend first, if any.

I think it's worth every penny. YANBU

My company used to pay for me to travel first class and I didn't like it. I suppose I was commuting to London early in the morning but it always felt like I was in a gentleman's club and the courtesy tea and kit kat didn't seem worth the money.

£40?! That’s a no brainer

Unless you’re asking DP to pay let them think what they want! You treat yo self 🤣

Of course YANBU. Over two hours is my trigger point.

If you can afford it, go for it.

I travel LNER on the east coast and there are still fortunately bargains to be had there. Fingers crossed that remains

Nope not being unreasonable. Also with the free drinks in first class on a 5 hour journey it won't work out as £40 difference!

But isnt that each way

Crikey. I don’t relate to your experience of first class at all.
People in first class will usually go out to the lobby area if on a call. Laptops but not noisy ? A full carriage is possible but not usual. No free drinks is unacceptable. Not sure what line you are on but that sounds very poor.

We travelled back from Scotland 1st class yesterday. I've never been 1st class before. It was lovely. Only downside, it'll be hard to go anything other next time..

I normally find that is inevitably over lunchtime too, and I need to eat something so the free food is very welcome. Yes I could pack my own lunch, but a)I don't always have time and b)both the free lunches in first class and stuff I can buy at the station is generally a bit nicer and a little treat makes long distance travel a bit less depressing.

I travel from the NE to Kings Cross lots but generally at peak times. Generally £40 is my cut off for an upgrade. I can claim back standard class most of the time and I pay for the upgrade. I can work, I will turn up rested and relaxed.

What 'too many passengers' translates to is 'not enough coaches'. I.e. they booked the reservations for a 5 coach train but they're only using a 4 coach one.

Why would anybody think this was unreasonable. Everyone would prefer first class.

When I travel for work I use standard premium (first class without the food and drink) for the same reason - space to work and more comfortable generally.

Well your not unreasonable for preferring it, surly everyone would. The only way it would be unreasonable is if the additional cost of the ticket was causing financial difficulties, in which case your DH might have a point in expecting you to such it up in standard class.

Do you have other commuting costs?

I don’t, I have to go to Scotland every 6 months and client only pays standard. I pay my own first class £160 return as part of my normal commuting costs I don’t pay now.

i’m more if it has 1st class I’m booking it if the journey is 2+hrs cos I’d rather have the comfort

that being said I think I get the train much less now & its at the point where it is hard to justify the extra cost. I have been looking at trains in Italy for a trip & first class for like a 2.5hr journey is €35

Why wouldn’t you if you can afford it. I have just booked a number of train journeys in Europe this year and I automatically booked first. I didn’t even check the price difference tbh I just knew I wanted my travel to be as comfortable as possible.

Generally anything over 2 hours book 1st or upgrade. The only times I've stayed in cattle recently have been journeys where I've traveled with multiple colleges and not had work to do.

The space, the comfort and the quiet are worth it for me.

Its just a no brainer. £40 for 5 hours is a very much worth it.

I recently travelled London to Glasgow return. First class was so good - food service, space and peace. Compared to the previous journey where I was squashed up next to a family on a four seat configuration around a table. Their youngster blasted tiktok videos without headphones for four hours and it was a constant round of food, drink spilled, arguing. There were people sat on the floor, as the train was overbooked. Never again.

If you can afford it then of course you should travel 1st class! Why be uncomfortable if you don't have to?

I'm taking the train with my children next month and I've booked a private cabin for us so I don't have to worry about our luggage being difficult to get to (short changeover time at the next station) and no one else has to be bothered by my noisy DS (previously I would book the play carriage but he's a bit old for it now I think and don't want him getting in the way of smaller children). By myself I like to sometimes book ekstra class (our version of first class) as a treat. There's two kinds, ekstra above the restaurant car where you can get meals to your seat and an ekstra quiet carriage.

During covid times we had a long train journey down from lapland with my kids and my parents and a mask policy on the train so I coughed up the extra for the 1st class private 6 person cabin at the front of the train. No need to wear masks because no one else would be coming in and there was a tea and coffee machine just outside the cabin. Wonderful journey!

My OH has to travel once a month for a similar amount of time to see his elderly mum. He does the same so he’s able to work properly for the whole time. He’d definitely not always be able to do that in standard - I know because we’ve done the journey with the kids and often not got a seat etc