Rail travel

[NottinghamWhite]

Just been to Nottingham station to book train tickets for this weekend, Leeds & next Thursday to Taunton. For our trip to the West Country we have treated ourselves & are travelling first class, anyone tried this ? We have travelled business class on an airplane & the difference was incredible.

[Deleted User 728]

No, I haven't - I barely travel anywhere by train these days because of the cost.

Did you see this story last week ??

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-43745117

[Selby White]

We use trains occasionally to York or Leeds for night/day out.

Other times is if having a weekend in London or when we fly from London airports.

We have a "two together railcard" which for £30 per year saves us a fortune, one London trip more than pays for it.

Other thing if we can plan ahead we usually get the cheap tickets most of the companies put on sale 12 weeks before, absolutely silly savings but need to be on the ball to get them.
London with cheap tickets and railcard we do for around £9 each way per person, so £36 for the two of us return, and for that we get guaranteed seats. Would be well over £200 full price.
Fortunately Hull trains stop at Selby and with 5 per day we can get direct to London in around 2 hours.

[johnh]

Just been to Nottingham station to book train tickets for this weekend, Leeds & next Thursday to Taunton. For our trip to the West Country we have treated ourselves & are travelling first class, anyone tried this ? We have travelled business class on an airplane & the difference was incredible.

Comfortable seats and, probably more importantly, peaceful.

Once got upgraded to first class on a British Caledonian flight to Houston from Gatwick. No comparison to economy (no business class in 1983!) Seats like armchairs, massive leg-room and 5star restaurant quality of food and wine. Not sure I would have paid the extra out of my own pocket though!

[Deleted User 728]

I have gone first class on a train from Lille to Paris - the TGV I think.
An old girlfriend's brother was a train driver - goods trains - for SNCF and he could travel free anywhere in the country.
He lived in Lille but we "popped" to Paris one day, four of us, and none of us paid because he knew the guard

It was so quiet, so smooth, so utterly stylish.
The seats slid down to form semi-beds and the furniture and decor was gorgeous.

We were also going at about 150mph so we travelled that full distance in just over an hour. The equivalent here would be well over two.

[Sniffer]

Just been to Nottingham station to book train tickets for this weekend, Leeds & next Thursday to Taunton. For our trip to the West Country we have treated ourselves & are travelling first class, anyone tried this ? We have travelled business class on an airplane & the difference was incredible.

It won't be comparable, I'm afraid. Which way are you going? Cross-country via Birmingham or via London? On services to and from London you'll get free tea and coffee, maybe even a meal if you're on the right train. This what you're supposed to get on Cross-Country as well as the larger seats and free Wi-Fi.
https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/on ... -and-drink

[NottinghamWhite]

Via Birmingham Sniffer.

[NottinghamWhite]

We got upgraded with BA on a flight to St Lucia, it was fantastic. Smoked Salmon followed by fillet of beef washed down with copious amounts of New Zealand Sauvignon. Paid for the upgrade on the way back. It actually spoilt us, never seemed the same after.

[Barlow Boy]

Slightly off topic, but Barlow Junior was down from Uni at the weekend, he usually travels by train with his railcard thing, but got a deal from National Express Coaches.

Newcastle to Wakefield - 90p.

[Sniffer]

Via Birmingham Sniffer.

Tea and cake it is, then. Whether that will make up for the extra cost is doubtful but it should be a bit quieter and tad more comfortable.