Virgin Trains First class- my experience

Virgin Trains First class- my experience

So in July 2016 I went on my annual holiday to West Yorkshire (I also went north but that's another story). But for a treat (because I thought I had worked really hard this year) I decided to take a Virgin Train in first class!! (In July 2015 I went with cross country from Farnborough Main to Manchester costing £143 (open return) and in October I went with Virgin east coast (kings Cross to Leeds) costing me £20 return (very special deal)).

The website was easy enough for me to navigate and I managed to book my tickets for £95.00 (return NON refundable). Now with the promise of free food and access to the first class lounge I was excited. The trip was to London Euston to Manchester Station leaving at 13.20 and arriving at  15:28. I arrived quite early and went to the lounge where they check your tickets. However mine was only glanced at (I suppose they have so many people come through on first class at euston that they don't bother. There was free food and drinks on offer but since I didn't want to spoil what I thought would be a full lunch I decided to just have a drink. The free cans of Pepsi they had should had been a warning sign of what was to come.

Just look at the pathetic size of that....

anyway (I should have snuck them out) I left the lounge and got on the train (Virgin trains don't have ticket barriers they still have staff.). And guess what. There was someone in my seat. That is one of my biggest bug bares. However I declined to say anything and sat down next to the git just to make a point and got my laptop out (Free Wifi on board first class as well,) However it took me a while to connect but I believe that was due to my laptop being an idiot rather than virgin so I won't hold it against them. While the laptop issues were going on I was offered free tea or coffee but since I drink neither it wasn't my problem. What I did notice was the quite good leg room but the seats were exactly the same as cattle class just with a fancy logo on the top.

Yep. Same as Cattle Class

Anyway back to the wifi- Due to the 'fair use policy' there was no video or audio streaming allowed. It was basically just checking your emails etc. FFS. In the end I just watched the apprentice on itunes which I could had done in cattle class. 

The train only has 3 stops. After leaving London at 13.20 we arrived at Milton keys at 13.50 and then it was a 50 minute journey to the next stop. During this time they served the food and drinks which I was VERY excited about. and It turned out to be hugely disappointing. The drinks were once again the small cans that you got in the first class lounge and you could have a maximum of two!! The choices were

Chicken, salad and lemon mayonnaise sandwich (hate mayo so no)

Cheshire cheese, crunchy carrot and chutney wrap (v)

Deli snacks (v)

Tuna nicoise salad (gf) (egg basically so no)

so in the end I had the wrap- you got a free piece of fruit as well (I got a banana) and a choice of a very small bag of nuts or pretzels. I was not impressed. The food tasted fine it was just disappointing to see the amounts.

But I suppose it was free and it did taste nice so I shouldn't complain that much.

On the train back on the friday I got the 11.35 train. However I went to the first class lounge at Manchester Piccadilly. This was much smaller and only seemed to have one member of staff running it. However she was very friendly and checked my ticket correctly which I did like. Also because it was smaller and had less people it meant I could watch bbc one properly which they had on. It was a pity that it was homes under hammer but beggers can't be choosers. After having my two cans of Pepsi (yes the same size etc) I left in plenty of time to get on my train and get my seat (which this time turned out not to be an issue).  The usual tea/coffee was offered just after we departed.

Since this time it was earlier in the day the menu choices were different

Bacon roll

Fresh fruit salad (v) (gf) with optional yoghurt and honey

Slow roast tomato and basil soup (v) (gf)

Plus a biscuit, chocolate or fresh fruit (v)

Now I was hoping to have the food in the middle part of the journey aka after we left Stoke (since it was direct to London from there). But no. We were given the food quite early on in the journey. I had the bacon roll which was disappointing plus the chocolate biscuits (which was two chocolate cookies). pretzels, a lemonade (in another tiny can) and of course a pepsi (which of course was tiny as well).

Arrived at euston at about 1.40pm.


So how do I rate first class
First Class Lounge- quite nice but over busy in London.
Free Wifi- Good for emails, but no video streaming (oh and they won't allow you to check the speed)
Free Food - Okay food- drink sizes a joke.

Overall- If I had gone in cattle class it would have cost me £44. My first class experience was £95.00.

I think I will stick to cattle class. I can just bring my own food and read a book. Its only a train journey after all.