Train Times & Fares

UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS

Treat yourself to the added comfort of First Class...

If you hold a ticket for travel in Standard Class accommodation, you are able to upgrade to travel in First Class on payment of an Excess fare.

On some services a Weekend First ticket allows you to upgrade to First Class at weekends and Bank Holidays.

Premier Class - Arriva Trains Wales

Upgrade from Standard to First Class Monday to Friday on payment of a supplement of £30 to £50 dependant on journey length and subject to availability.

Available on the following services:

05:32 Holyhead / Bangor / Llandudno Junction / Rhyl / Flint / Chester / Crewe / Shrewsbury to Newport / Cardiff Central

16:15 Cardiff Central / Newport to Shrewsbury / Crewe / Chester / Flint / Rhyl / Llandudno Junction / Bangor / Holyhead

Breakfast or lunch, tea and coffee are included

WEEKEND First?

Weekend First may be available if you're travelling on a Saturday, Sunday or on a Bank Holiday.

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Weekend First may be available if you're travelling on a Saturday, Sunday or on a Bank Holiday.

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CrossCountry Trains:

Priced at either £10.00, £15.00 or £20.00 depending on the journey being made. Available to holders of valid Standard Class tickets on board the train, and subject to space being available in First Class.

If purchasing the ticket at the station it is possible to purchase the upgrade in advance and reserve a seat, but a seat is not guaranteed if customer chooses to travel on an alternative service.

Please note customers holding Standard Class Advance fares cannot purchase the First Class upgrade. Customers should purchase a First Class Advance ticket for their journey if they are looking to travel in First Class.

East Coast :

Zone 1 - London/Stevenage–York and north thereof £25.00
Zone 2 - London/Stevenage–West Yorkshire and all stations south of York (excl) £20.00
Zone 3 - All other journeys not involving London or Stevenage £20.00
The EC Weekend First upgrade applies to all Standard class tickets including Advance purchase.

East Midlands Trains (Mainline):

Upgrade between any two East Midlands Mainline stations costs £8.00 when buying on board the train. Through booking is possible when travelling on services of more than one of these Operators (excluding National Express East Coast), provided the booking is generally made by 1800 on the day before travel.

Weekend First upgrade is only available to Advance ticket holders on board the train only, subject to Weekend First accommodation being available.

First Great Western

Upgrade from Standard to First Class on most routes at weekends and Bank Holidays on payment of a supplement of £5 to £25 dependant on journey length

You can buy in advance at ticket offices or on board High Speed service.

Weekend First is not available in advance to holders of advance tickets, these tickets can be upgraded on the train, subject to availability.

First TransPennine Express:

Any two stations served by First Transpennine Express £6.00

ScotRail:

Weekend First can be only be purchased on board the train (subject to accommodation being available) on the following routes:

Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street - £3.10 per single trip
Edinburgh/Glasgow to Aberdeen - £5.30 per single trip
Edinburgh/Glasgow to Inverness - £5.30 per single trip

Through booking is possible when travelling on services of more than one of these Operators (excluding NXEC), provided the booking generally is made by 1800 on the day before travel.

National Express East Anglia

Travel between any two NXEA stations: £7.00

South West Trains:

Weekend First can be only be purchased on board the train (subject to accommodation being available) between any two South West Trains stations for £5.00.

If travelling South West Trains and another Train Operating Company's service, Weekend First upgrades may purchase at stations. Not available to holders of Advance tickets or those travelling on special promotions.

Virgin Trains:

Upgrades are priced at £15.00 for a single journey, regardless of the length of journey.

On weekends and Bank Holidays, upgrades to First Class on Virgin Trains is free of charge if holding a Standard Class Anytime ticket by approaching the Train Manager.

Wrexham and Shropshire

Upgrades are priced at £15.00 for a single journey, regardless of the length of journey.

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Do you hold a GOLD CARD ?

Holders of Gold Cards may be able to benefit from the Gold Card First Supplement, if they are NOT travelling on the journey covered by their Annual Gold Card Season Ticket or Travelcard.

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Holders of Annual Gold Cards Season Tickets and Travelcards may buy a special First Class upgrade for £5.00 (children £2.50) when travelling on a Standard Class ticket which has received an Annual Gold Card discount.

This allows travel in First Class accommodation on trains within the Network Railcard area on for the date shown on the supplement ticket. If the return journey is made on another day, a further Supplement ticket must be purchased.

On Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays you may travel in First Accommodation by simply paying the supplement.

The Gold Card First Supplement ticket may be used in First Class after 1000 Monday to Friday and at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. In addition, the Gold Card First Supplement cannot be used on journeys departing from any London terminal station or any intermediate journey between London and Clapham Junction inclusive between 1600 and 1900 (inclusive).

Gold Card First Supplement tickets are not valid for travel on services operated by East Coast, East Midlands Trains (Mainline), Heathrow Express and Virgin West Coast. On CrossCountry services they are available at the discretion of the Train Manager.

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UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS - How much does it cost?

You can upgrade your ticket to First Class at any time before you board the train. Please be aware that buying a ticket on the train when you had the opportunity to buy beforehand may leave you liable to a Penalty Fare.

Single Tickets

Simply pay the difference between the price of the single ticket you hold and the cost of the appropriate First Class Single for the journey you're making.

Return tickets - change of class in both directions

Simply pay the difference between the price of the ticket you hold and the cost of the appropriate First Class Return ticket for the journey you're making.

Return tickets - change of class in one direction

One of the following options, according to the ticket type held:

Standard Anytime Return - simply pay the difference between the Standard and First Class Anytime Single fare
Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak - simply pay the difference between the fare paid and the Standard Anytime Return PLUS the difference between the Standard Anytime Single and the First Anytime Single fare. It may be cheaper to buy a new First Class Single fare.
Off-Peak - Simply pay the upgrade price where an Off-Peak ticket is held. Only valid on specific Arriva Trains Wales services
Advance Single - simply pay the difference between your ticket and the First Class Single plus £5 (the £5 supplement is not charged when the journey is on a National Express East Coast train).
BritRail Pass - Ticket cannot be upgraded. The appropriate First Class Anytime Single fare should be purchased.
Season Tickets:
- At the Ticket Office or on a Train, where there WAS NOT an opportunity to buy ticket:
  The difference between the price of the Standard and First Class Single Anytime ticket which would be appropriate at the time of travel (Anytime or Off Peak, depending of the time of day you're travelling).
- On the Train, where there WAS an opportunity to buy ticket:
  The full First Class Single fare for the journey being made - please be aware that buying a ticket on the train when you had the opportunity to buy beforehand may leave you liable to a Penalty Fare.