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Metro
6 days ago
- Business
- Metro
One of the UK's busiest commuter trains is is bringing back first-class travel
Commuters on Chiltern Railways could travel to work in style, as the rail operator is reintroducing first-class carriages. The upgraded train class will offer 'spacious seats and improved connectivity for business and leisure travellers.' It's a big shake-up for Chiltern, as first-class seating hasn't be available in more than a decade. This is likely because their services, which connect London toBuckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands, are used by regular commuters, rather than passengers treating themselves on longer journeys. But while it sounds boujee, you'll still need to bring snacks, as this first-class offering doesn't include any food or drink, unlike those found on LNER and Avanti West Coast routes. While it might sound stingey, a spokesperson for Chiltern Railways told Metro that they 'don't believe that the market warrants a full catered offering at this point in time'. But added: 'There is a demand, especially in the leisure market, for greater differentiation in products.' However, not all experts agree, and there are concerns that the move to first-class echoes the snooty heyday of premium travel. Rail historian Christian Wolmar's said first-class is 'an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second.' 'That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium,' he told the The Independent. The introduction of a first-class carriage isn't the only way Chiltern trains are being upgraded. Some of the trains still have carriages that date back to the 1970s. These will be swapped out to newer models, which will include: plug sockets and USB ports at every seat faster internet access digital information screens air conditioning improved luggage and bike storage facilities fully accessible toilets Chiltern passengers have long been calling for improvements to the services, as over on the r/uktrains Subreddit, @Head_Praline_5193 previously asked: 'Will Chiltern ever get any better?' 'Chiltern trains are frequently overcrowded on all routes…it seems poorly served compared to just about every other mainline,' they penned. More Trending Tripadvisor reveals similar views, with one scathing one-star review from MixalisK142 describing their experience as 'awful.' 'I have never found a seat on this railway. I have to pay almost £40 every time to stand for an hour and a half. There are always more than 10 people standing in each coach,' they argued, while @davidpC9073NE concluded that their journey was 'poor.' 'If I had a choice, I would never travel using this railway again.' Meanwhile, Chiltern told Metro that they 'look forward to offering an enhanced offering for all our customers.' According to data released in 2024 by the Department for Transport, Chiltern runs the second busiest train route in England and Wales: the 7.46am service from Princes Risborough to London Marylebone. The maximum load factor was calculated by dividing the passenger load of the carriages (excluding first-class) by the total capacity, and this popular commuter service had a rating of 165%. It was only topped by the 7.33am Thameslink service from Bedford to Three Bridges, at 204%. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Famous actress sexually assaulted by masseur in central London parlour MORE: I spent a day on the luxury Pullman for £10 — a wine-fuelled trip back in time MORE: Retro cocktail bar collapses into administration closing four branches
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Train operator brings back first-class carriages in ‘surprising' move
A train operator is set to reintroduce first-class sections on its services, defying the industry trend towards standard-class-only carriages. Chiltern Railways announced that its routes between London and the West Midlands will feature these premium carriages from next year. Passengers opting for the upgrade can expect "more spacious seats and improved connectivity", though catering will not be provided. This move marks a significant shift for Chiltern Railways, which eliminated first-class seating more than a decade ago. The operator also discontinued its designated business zone, which offered an on-board upgrade, in March 2020, citing the Covid pandemic. Several train operators in Britain have scrapped first-class travel in recent years because of a lack of demand. These include London Northwestern Railway (in May 2023), Southeastern (in December 2022) and Stansted Express (in January 2020). Others have made the switch for certain routes, such as Greater Anglia, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. First-class tickets can cost several times the amount of standard-class fares. Some long-distance operators such as Avanti West Coast and LNER provide more space, hot food and alcoholic drinks to passengers who pay extra money. Rail historian and broadcaster Christian Wolmar said he is 'very surprised' at the announcement by Chiltern Railways. Passengers wanting a premium service are 'probably in a hurry' so travel on Avanti West Coast services between London and Birmingham, which are generally more expensive but quicker, he said. For suburban services, premium travel is 'an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second'. He went on: 'That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium.' Chiltern Railways is replacing its oldest carriages – Mark 3s which date back to the 1970s – with 13 Mark 5A trains from spring next year. The trains – previously operated by TransPennine Express – are already configured with first-class sections, and it would have cost millions of pounds to convert them all to standard class. Chiltern Railways said it will have more standard-class seats than today once the introduction of the new fleet is completed. Features for passengers include plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, enhanced wi-fi and digital information screens. The trains will enable additional services to be added to timetables from December 2026. Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said: 'We are thrilled for our customers that we will be able to replace our oldest trains, which are nearly 50-years-old, with their modern equivalent that are just six-years-old and provide significant improvement to their on-board experience. 'Chiltern will be renting more trains than it has today, which means we can operate additional services from the end of 2026 to help meet rising demand. 'The trains will be formed of modern carriages hauled by locomotives fuelled by recycled vegetable oil and fitted with the latest stop-start engine technology.' The announcement forms part of the operator's ambition to modernise and decarbonise its trains by 2030. This includes replacing its diesel trains with battery-electric trains. 'This Government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st-century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener and more comfortable,' Rail minister Lord Hendy said. 'We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live and socialise.' The Department for Transport has not announced when Chiltern Railways will be nationalised as part of its strategy to bring all train operators under public control as existing contract expire or reach a break point. The operator's contract runs until December 2027.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Train operator brings back first-class carriages in ‘surprising' move
A train operator is set to reintroduce first-class sections on its services, defying the industry trend towards standard-class-only carriages. Chiltern Railways announced that its routes between London and the West Midlands will feature these premium carriages from next year. Passengers opting for the upgrade can expect "more spacious seats and improved connectivity", though catering will not be provided. This move marks a significant shift for Chiltern Railways, which eliminated first-class seating more than a decade ago. The operator also discontinued its designated business zone, which offered an on-board upgrade, in March 2020, citing the Covid pandemic. Several train operators in Britain have scrapped first-class travel in recent years because of a lack of demand. These include London Northwestern Railway (in May 2023), Southeastern (in December 2022) and Stansted Express (in January 2020). Others have made the switch for certain routes, such as Greater Anglia, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. First-class tickets can cost several times the amount of standard-class fares. Some long-distance operators such as Avanti West Coast and LNER provide more space, hot food and alcoholic drinks to passengers who pay extra money. Rail historian and broadcaster Christian Wolmar said he is 'very surprised' at the announcement by Chiltern Railways. Passengers wanting a premium service are 'probably in a hurry' so travel on Avanti West Coast services between London and Birmingham, which are generally more expensive but quicker, he said. For suburban services, premium travel is 'an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second'. He went on: 'That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium.' Chiltern Railways is replacing its oldest carriages – Mark 3s which date back to the 1970s – with 13 Mark 5A trains from spring next year. The trains – previously operated by TransPennine Express – are already configured with first-class sections, and it would have cost millions of pounds to convert them all to standard class. Chiltern Railways said it will have more standard-class seats than today once the introduction of the new fleet is completed. Features for passengers include plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, enhanced wi-fi and digital information screens. The trains will enable additional services to be added to timetables from December 2026. Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said: 'We are thrilled for our customers that we will be able to replace our oldest trains, which are nearly 50-years-old, with their modern equivalent that are just six-years-old and provide significant improvement to their on-board experience. 'Chiltern will be renting more trains than it has today, which means we can operate additional services from the end of 2026 to help meet rising demand. 'The trains will be formed of modern carriages hauled by locomotives fuelled by recycled vegetable oil and fitted with the latest stop-start engine technology.' The announcement forms part of the operator's ambition to modernise and decarbonise its trains by 2030. This includes replacing its diesel trains with battery-electric trains. 'This Government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st-century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener and more comfortable,' Rail minister Lord Hendy said. 'We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live and socialise.' The Department for Transport has not announced when Chiltern Railways will be nationalised as part of its strategy to bring all train operators under public control as existing contract expire or reach a break point. The operator's contract runs until December 2027.
North Wales Chronicle
05-08-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Train operator bucks trend by introducing first-class travel
Chiltern Railways announced trains on its route between London and the West Midlands will have first-class carriages from next year. It said they will feature 'more spacious seats and improved connectivity', but will not include catering. Chiltern Railways currently has no first-class seating on its trains after abolishing the option more than a decade ago. It also stopped having a designated business zone – for which users were charged an on-board upgrade – in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several train operators in Britain have scrapped first-class travel in recent years because of a lack of demand. These include London Northwestern Railway (in May 2023), Southeastern (in December 2022) and Stansted Express (in January 2020). Others have made the switch for certain routes, such as Greater Anglia, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. First-class tickets can cost several times the amount of standard-class fares. Some long-distance operators such as Avanti West Coast and LNER provide more space, hot food and alcoholic drinks to passengers who pay the extra money. Rail historian and broadcaster Christian Wolmar said he is 'very surprised' at the announcement by Chiltern Railways as passengers wanting a premium service are 'probably in a hurry' so travel on Avanti West Coast services between London and Birmingham, which are generally more expensive but quicker. He told the PA news agency that for suburban services, premium travel is 'an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second'. He went on: 'That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium.' Chiltern Railways is replacing its oldest carriages – Mark 3s which date back to the 1970s – with 13 Mark 5A trains from spring next year. The trains – previously operated by TransPennine Express – are already configured with first-class sections, and it would have cost millions of pounds to convert them all to standard class. Chiltern Railways said it will have more standard-class seats than today once the introduction of the new fleet is completed. We're delighted to confirm that we're introducing newer and more trains to transform customer journeys in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The Mark 5A trains will replace our 47-year-old Mark 3 carriages on one of our three main routes, between… — Chiltern Railways (@chilternrailway) August 5, 2025 Features for passengers include plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, enhanced wi-fi and digital information screens. The trains will enable additional services to be added to timetables from December 2026. Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said: 'We are thrilled for our customers that we will be able to replace our oldest trains, which are nearly 50-years-old, with their modern equivalent that are just six-years-old and provide significant improvement to their on-board experience. 'Chiltern will be renting more trains than it has today, which means we can operate additional services from the end of 2026 to help meet rising demand. 'The trains will be formed of modern carriages hauled by locomotives fuelled by recycled vegetable oil and fitted with the latest stop-start engine technology.' The announcement forms part of the operator's ambition to modernise and decarbonise its trains by 2030. This includes replacing its diesel trains with battery-electric trains. Rail minister Lord Hendy said: 'This Government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st-century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener and more comfortable. 'We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live and socialise.' The Department for Transport has not announced when Chiltern Railways will be nationalised as part of its strategy to bring all train operators under public control as existing contract expire or reach a break point. The operator's contract runs until December 2027.
The Herald Scotland
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Train operator bucks trend by introducing first-class travel
It said they will feature 'more spacious seats and improved connectivity', but will not include catering. Chiltern Railways currently has no first-class seating on its trains after abolishing the option more than a decade ago. It also stopped having a designated business zone – for which users were charged an on-board upgrade – in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several train operators in Britain have scrapped first-class travel in recent years because of a lack of demand. These include London Northwestern Railway (in May 2023), Southeastern (in December 2022) and Stansted Express (in January 2020). Others have made the switch for certain routes, such as Greater Anglia, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. First-class tickets can cost several times the amount of standard-class fares. Some long-distance operators such as Avanti West Coast and LNER provide more space, hot food and alcoholic drinks to passengers who pay the extra money. Rail historian and broadcaster Christian Wolmar said he is 'very surprised' at the announcement by Chiltern Railways as passengers wanting a premium service are 'probably in a hurry' so travel on Avanti West Coast services between London and Birmingham, which are generally more expensive but quicker. He told the PA news agency that for suburban services, premium travel is 'an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second'. He went on: 'That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium.' Chiltern Railways is replacing its oldest carriages – Mark 3s which date back to the 1970s – with 13 Mark 5A trains from spring next year. The trains – previously operated by TransPennine Express – are already configured with first-class sections, and it would have cost millions of pounds to convert them all to standard class. Chiltern Railways said it will have more standard-class seats than today once the introduction of the new fleet is completed. We're delighted to confirm that we're introducing newer and more trains to transform customer journeys in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The Mark 5A trains will replace our 47-year-old Mark 3 carriages on one of our three main routes, between… — Chiltern Railways (@chilternrailway) August 5, 2025 Features for passengers include plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, enhanced wi-fi and digital information screens. The trains will enable additional services to be added to timetables from December 2026. Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said: 'We are thrilled for our customers that we will be able to replace our oldest trains, which are nearly 50-years-old, with their modern equivalent that are just six-years-old and provide significant improvement to their on-board experience. 'Chiltern will be renting more trains than it has today, which means we can operate additional services from the end of 2026 to help meet rising demand. 'The trains will be formed of modern carriages hauled by locomotives fuelled by recycled vegetable oil and fitted with the latest stop-start engine technology.' The announcement forms part of the operator's ambition to modernise and decarbonise its trains by 2030. This includes replacing its diesel trains with battery-electric trains. Rail minister Lord Hendy said: 'This Government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st-century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener and more comfortable. 'We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live and socialise.' The Department for Transport has not announced when Chiltern Railways will be nationalised as part of its strategy to bring all train operators under public control as existing contract expire or reach a break point. The operator's contract runs until December 2027.
