Trains

1st Class All The Way and Eco-friendly Too!

by johngayton

For most of us first class air travel just isn't an option - after all why spend all that beer money just to get a bit of extra legroom and a glass or two of Champagne? Travelling first class by train, on the other hand, often can represent good value for money. OK we don’t want to be flash but on the Eurostar services between London and Paris and London and Brussels the extra couple of quid is worth the spend.

This is definitely my personal favourite way to travel between these cities if I can get the upgrade at the right price. But even if I can't get a reasonable deal, standard class still beats flying hands down (if you've ever tried flying "hands down" you'll understand what I mean!). Eurostar has recently rebranded its first class to the less exclusive sounding “Leisure Select” but it is still essentially the same thing. The accommodation has slightly wider seats than standard, with a little more leg room. If travelling singly you can get a solo seat (with your own table) AND you get fed and watered.

For me, it’s the “feeding and watering” bit that I go for and what makes the upgrade such good value. Travelling at lunch or dinner time you’ll be offered a full three-course meal along with an aperatif (choice includes Champagne), wine with the meal, a degistif with your coffee and you even get a bottle of water. The food is sort of airline-style but flavoursome and imaginative - main course on my last trip was a tasty turkey dish topped with tapenade, served with roasted Med veg and herby mashed potatoes. The crockery, cutlery and glassware are the real thing, as opposed to the plastic throwaway stuff, and to round things off perfectly you get a hot towel lavage at the end of it. So if you can get your upgrade for about 20 GBP - go for it!
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