Second-rate First Class tickets (National Express East Coast)

Member Name: Disgruntled traveller

Product:	National Express East Coast
Date:	26/03/09 (110 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The trains run

Disadvantages: Exhorbitant prices, secretive ticket policies, rude staff

I bought return tickets to Leeds from London to attend for a conference, and chose to book first class tickets for my return, so that I could sit in the lounge and work while waiting for my train.

But with National Express, any Advance First Class tickets are not actually "real" first class tickets - those who don't fork out full-whack for a ticket are denied access to the lounge. I have never seen this spelled out on the website when booking - so I paid about £20 over the odds for the privilege of being served frankly rank coffee in a reasonably comfortable seat.

Staff at the first class lounge were quite rude and abrupt, unhelpful and condescending. They seem to think it is perfectly reasonable to sell a ticket that says First Class, but then to deny part of the expected First Class facilities.

If I ever have the misfortune to have to go by train to Leeds again, I will not give National Express anything over the cheapest ticket I can buy. How they have the audacity to demand £167 for a First Class ticket that would also gain entry to the lounge is beyond me.

Summary: I'd rather drive or fly