Travelling First Class on National Rail services

Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, First Class provides you with a comfortable and spacious environment where you can take time out and relax.

For business customers, First Class enables you to use your journey time productively - working, preparing for a meeting or even conducting a meeting in a conducive environment.

For leisure customers, watch the world go by - read a book, listen to music or just relax...

Train Companies offering First Class services

The following Train Companies offer First Class facilities. Simply select the Train Company you are travelling with, to find out details of the First Class services they offer to customers travelling with them.

East Coast

At stations

First Class Lounges are available at London King’s Cross, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh Waverley, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Darlington, Wakefield Westgate and Doncaster stations.

Complimentary refreshments and newspapers are provided in all the lounges. First Class Lounges also give you access to complimentary internet via WiFi and business facilities including faxes, photocopiers and workstations should you need them.

For your convenience, they also have meeting rooms at King's Cross, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh stations. They are equipped with all you would need to run a meeting, from flipcharts to phones. Complimentary refreshments will be delivered at regular intervals and you can order a buffet lunch if required.

Meeting room prices start at just £75 for a half day, including equipment. Please call 08457 225 125 or email business.travel@eastcoast.co.uk for more details or to book a meeting room.

First Class Lounges are open to customers who hold one of the following ticket types:

Please be aware that holders of First Advance and Weekend First upgrades are not entitled to use the First Class Lounges.

Onboard

The First Class service on East Coast trains is ideal for both business and leisure travel, providing a perfect environment to focus on the day ahead, discuss your plans, or simply unwind. The pleasant and relaxing environment of First Class also benefits from larger, more comfortable reclining seats each with its own table.

Complimentary WiFi is available throughout First Class should you wish to continue to work and check messages while on board, with most seats benefiting from mobile phone/personal computer plug sockets.

Complimentary tea, coffee, water, orange juice will be served at your seat – and many trains will have a Restaurant Car (also available to Standard Class ticket holders if there is space available - please see the on-board Customer Services Manager for more details) offering a wide range of hot and cold food and drinks. For those wishing to remain at their seats, a full at-seat service is also offered.

More information about National Express East Coast

Virgin Trains

From 5 January 2009 on Monday to Friday services you can experience our new menus which have seen us search the United Kingdom to find the very best of British ingredients to use in our new, but classic British dishes. From breakfast to evening meals, we are proud to serve you with a proper British bite to eat.

Best of British
Our food is hand selected from our choice of suppliers for taste, quality and sustainability, so you can be sure that only the best of British makes it on board. Wherever possible, poultry will be free-range, meat will be outdoor-reared and hot drinks will be Fairtrade.

Dine in style
A new menu wouldn’t be complete without some posh new china. With over a quarter of a million pieces being supplied by Stoke-on-Trent based company Dudson Limited, the stylish but simply designed china and place settings will be used throughout First Class.

Weekend at seat service
Relax whilst we bring a choice of hot and cold drinks, fruit and biscuits to your seat, all day throughout the weekends.

Get a taste for what’s cooking in First Class and read more about our new weekday menus. In order to keep our choice seasonal, fresh and exciting we’ll be rotating menus from time to time.

The Great British Breakfast
Welcome to a real cooked breakfast, the perfect combination of succulent British outdoor-reared pork and herb sausage and sizzling sweetcure back bacon with a free range egg. Or leap into a vegetarian feast instead with potato rosti, tomato and a spinach and onion mix. Or indulge in some Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled egg. A proper British way to start the day.

If you prefer a lighter option, how about a warm croissant or some fresh toast from the bakery basket? All washed down with a Fairtrade cup of tea or coffee, or a refreshingly chilled orange or grapefruit juice.

The Great British Breakfast is served on Pendolino services commencing before 10am.

If you’re travelling on one of our Super Voyagers, why not tuck into a sizzling sweetcure back bacon bacon sandwich, a vegetarian panini or a Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled egg soufflé, followed by a warm croissant from the bakery basket or fresh fruit.

Light Bites
Feeling a bit peckish? Found yourself in-between meal times or after an evening treat? Don’t worry, we’ve got just the thing to keep you going, whether you’re after a tasty sandwich, such as Scotch rare beef with stilton, or a sweet treat, we've got a tempting selection to hush those hunger pangs.

All made from the finest British ingredients, our Light Bites will provide a tasty snack guaranteed to hit the spot, whatever the time of day or night.

Light Bites are served on Pendolino and Super Voyager services from 10am until 4pm and then after 7pm.

Evening Meal
If you've had a busy day and worked up an appetite, then join us and unwind over a delicious evening meal. Why not compliment your food with a cheeky glass of red, or a cool crisp bottle of beer, whilst you tuck in to a smoked salmon rigatoni or a vegetarian cottage pie, followed by a chocolate duo truffle mousse pot.

Evening meals are served on Pendolino and Super Voyager services commencing between 4pm and 7pm (Except on Super Voyager services between Birmingham and Scotland.)

Drinks
Hot and cold drinks, including Fairtrade tea and coffee, will be served throughout your journey and are complimentary. Alcohol is available to customers aged over 18 on all of our services except breakfast.

Wrexham and Shropshire

The First Class accommodation is laid out with comfort in mind. Every seat has a table – of two or four – so you can chat with friends or work with colleagues. Every seat has a table big enough to work with a laptop.

The seats are larger than those in Standard Class and they also recline. Seats always line up with the windows – you’ll never end up in a seat with just a pillar for a view. And curtains will prevent the sun from getting in your eyes – or on your laptop screen.

During your journey you’ll be treated to an seat service of complimentary food and drink, served by your dedicated first class steward.

Work on the move

First class accommodation comes with everything you need to work on the        move.

From December 2008 we’ll be introducing both WiFi access to keep you connected to the internet for the whole journey, and plugs for charging your laptop or mobile phone next to every seat. The tables are large enough for everyone to work comfortably.

Personal service

The First Class carriage has a dedicated first class steward, who will look after you during your journey – bringing you complimentary food and drink, answering any question that you may have and generally looking after you.

Ambience

The First Class carriages have a refreshing, quiet, and relaxing ambience – perfect whether you want to work or simply relax. They don’t have a dedicated ‘quiet coach’ but they do ask that you are considerate of others if you’re making a mobile phone call or are part of a large group.

More information about Wrexham and Shropshire

Complimentary food and drink