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.

Why is this an issue to discuss? You do you. Whatever works for you is ok. Unless you are
putting yourself in debt over it, then why does it matter?? Your DP sounds judgemental for no reason.

I’d buy first class if I could. Travelling standard last weekend was unpleasant because of the fat man in filthy joggers next to me necking cans of lager and sleeping, the young woman opposite messily and noisily eating hot smelly food and cakes, and the spaced out drunk/junkie making incomprehensible conversation with everyone as he wandered the carriage. Is it different in first?

It's nothing to do with your husband anyway, you do you, he's not paying your fare.

I would prefer first class if I could afford it, for a long train journey like that.

Surely we earn money in order to make life more comfortable. Go for it.

The last 3 times I've travelled from London first class has been declassified, I definitely wouldn't want to be relying on it.

Well, of course, it’s nicer.

That said, Exeter to London was my regular 3x weekly commute and I didn’t find it difficult to work in standard class. Especially when you get on in Devon/Cornwall, the train is usually still not packed and there is reserved seating most of the time.

Why does he even care? Presumably you're paying for your own ticket. Of course first is nicer

I think this probably should have been your actual AIBU, because of course youre not U to prefer it, surely absolutely everyone would - that's like saying "Aibu to prefer winning £1000 on the lottery rather than £1"! Having a preference is very different to refusing to travel if you cant go first class!

Either way, if its your money who cares what your partner thinks about it? I'm impressed you can get it for only £40 more, whenever I see first class theyre usually far more expensive.

I always do it when going to see family in Cornwall. The single seats and cups of tea make it so worth it for me.

We bought train tickets last week to travel this week on Tuesday. From Bath to London, it would have been about £30 single standard class, and £48 first class. So we went first class. Well worth it for the little bit of extra room, but the best bit is coming home, and access to the first class lounge at Paddington. As anyone from the west can tell you, Paddington is a zoo, and to be able to get away from the racket and crowds is priceless. The staff in there always announce the platform number before it’s on the general board in the concourse, so you can get through the barriers before the scrum. Helps me stay sane!

You must be travelling at different times to me!

I’ve gone back to just paying for first class.

uncertainty and a £40 fee aren’t worth it - my most recent journeys it was £79 for std. £109 for first at booking.