Weekend First with a change of train

[181]

I presume all Weekend First schemes are TOC-specific, i.e. you can't buy a single upgrade covering travel on more than one TOC (if anyone knows differently, please say so). Are they also train-specific, or can they cover travel on more than one train of the same TOC? For example could Edinburgh-Newcastle-Oxford, using XC throughout but changing trains in Newcastle, be done as a single upgrade for the whole journey, or would it require separate ones for each leg? (which would cost more, I think). Or does the answer depend on the TOC?

Thankyou for any answers you can provide.

 

[Sleepy]

GWR offer upgrades across services last time I checked. An interesting one is GA, would a Norwich - London Terminals Weekend First be accepted on GN into Kings Cross ??

 

[Hadders]

Back in the day there was a national scheme, or at least one that covered all the former inter-city TOCs.

Now I think they’re TOC specific. Fine if you change trains using the same TOC but not if you switch TOC.

As for 1st class on GTR if using a Norwich - London Terminals ticket, forget it. If you use a 387 from Cambridge the 1st class seats are exactly the same as standard. If you use a 700 then you can avail yourself of the benefits of 1st class by using the rear 1st class carriage with a standard class ticket.

 

[Surreytraveller]

GTR aren't part of the Weekend First scheme. Weekend first was a British Rail thing - you paid an extra £5 travel first class at the weekend on Intercity services. I think (I'm not sure) that you paid it once and could change trains as many times as you liked

 

[yorkie]

I presume all Weekend First schemes are TOC-specific, i.e. you can't buy a single upgrade covering travel on more than one TOC (if anyone knows differently, please say so).

There used to be some schemes covering multiple TOCs but I don't think there are any more.

Are they also train-specific, or can they cover travel on more than one train of the same TOC?

They are not train-specific.

The only caveat is that on some TOCs trains can get so busy that you may not find a seat

For example could Edinburgh-Newcastle-Oxford, using XC throughout but changing trains in Newcastle, be done as a single upgrade for the whole journey, or would it require separate ones for each leg? (which would cost more, I think).

Weekend First on XC will often upgrade you from an absolutely packed standing room only environment to a half-empty coach. You do not need to get multiple upgrades for this journey (which is often difficult, if not impossible, to do without changing at least once anyway). For long distance journeys it is cheaper to get a through upgrade, though I am aware of some shorter journeys where it is cheaper to "split".

 

[Bletchleyite]

VTWC will happily issue a through ticket.

Well, reasonably happily - the guard I encountered yesterday was very strongly trying to convince me to do Preston-Crewe on the bus instead of the train - he was selling it so strongly (and had to be pressed to sell the through Weekend First to Crewe) that I wonder if there was a known overcrowding issue on VTs via Manchester and had been asked to do so.

But speaking generally they are usually happy to issue for any part or all of the ticket held provided the journey can be done on VT only.

 

[wellhouse]

I have used a single Weekend First upgrade several times between Huddersfield to Glasgow, changing at Manchester Piccadilly, without any problem.

 

[suzanneparis]

This is an interesting question. Which relates to the question I have asked this morning regarding EMT:
"Weekend first class upgrade but with split tickets, EMT". Unfortunately, I haven't had an answer yet on this forum so shall ask the onboard team when I travel on Saturday.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is an interesting question. Which relates to the question I have asked this morning regarding EMT:
"Weekend first class upgrade but with split tickets, EMT". Unfortunately, I haven't had an answer yet on this forum so shall ask the onboard team when I travel on Saturday.

It's a different issue; the OP is changing trains but with a through ticket, which VTWC are certainly happy to do and I haven't heard of a TOC that wasn't.