How to Upgrade to First Class on Virgin Trains (Avanti West Coast) in 2023

Last updated: 15 July 2023

Did you know that you can upgrade your standard ticket to First Class on Virgin Trains (Avanti West Coast) for a variable fee? This is through a new and unique auction-style method which we will cover in detail in this post following my recent first-hand experience from London to Manchester.

There’s no doubt that trains are expensive and I’ve regularly mentioned my discontentment at the pricing structure of the UK train system.  At the time of writing in June 2023, a mid-week ticket from Glasgow to London can cost as much as £119.30 for standard class or £257.50 for First Class.  These are actual prices for trains!

You can save some serious coin by keeping an eye out for sale fares, buying your ticket well in advance, looking at split ticket options (which I’ll cover at the end of this post), and if you manage to score a cheaper ticket then upgrading to First Class makes sense.

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Is It Virgin Trains or Avanti West Coast?

Avanti West Coast is the main train operator servicing the West Coast routes from London through to West Midlands, North England, North Wales, and Scotland since 2019.

Avanti, Italian for “forward”, is a partnership between Aberdeen-based firm FirstGroup and Italy’s Trenitalia.

How to Upgrade Your Ticket to First Class on Avanti West Coast

Avanti West Coast currently runs their upgrade programme through a third-party app, Seat Frog. 

Rather than their previous programme of boarding and sitting where you like, Seat Frog runs auctions for seat upgrades (a bit like an eBay auction). However, you can skip the auction and purchase the upgrade immediately, however it is substantially more expensive.

Passengers with an existing standard class ticket can bid, between 24 hours and 30 mins before their train departs, for an upgrade.

Here’s the big question, is an upgrade worth the expense? The answer to that question is very subjective. It really depends on what features matter to you, but overall, First Class train travel can be a luxurious experience.

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How much is a First Class Upgrade?

The lowest bid is £35. Depending on demand you may pay more.

What’s currently not clear is how many seats can be upgraded per carriage. We do know there are a minimum of two upgrades available on all eligible services.

To test out the process for this post, I made one bid, waited for the time to run out.

There were no other bidders, and I didn’t need to increase my bid during the auction. As a result, I was successful with my first and only bid of £36. 

The fee for the upgrade is in addition to what you’ve already paid for your ticket. If you can secure a cheap standard class ticket and a minimum bid upgrade you’re onto a winner.

My one way ticket from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly was £40. My upgrade bid was £36. Overall cost of my trip from London to Manchester was £76.

How will I know if I’ve been upgraded?

You won’t know until the auction ends, which is about 30 mins before your train departs.

If you’ve been successful with your upgrade bid, you’ll receive an email confirming your upgrade with an allocated seat and a QR code. 

Once onboard and seated, you’ll need both your standard class ticket (e-ticket on your phone with a QR code is also fine) and your upgrade QR code from the email to the ticket inspector as they make their way through the train.

Can I pick a seat for my First Class Upgrade? 

No. When bidding for a first class upgrade, you do not have the option to nominate preferred direction (e.g. forward-facing) or if you want a single seat or a table of four. 

If your bid is successful, you will be allocated an available seat in the first class carriage, therefore having a seat reservation which is a change on previous upgrade programmes which required upgrade travellers to find an unallocated seat upon boarding.

If you’re upgrading more than one ticket (e.g. travelling as a couple), then every effort will be made to seat you together.

Can I access the First Class Lounge with a First Class Upgrade?

Yes you can. 

Not every station has a first class lounge, but hub stations such as London Euston do and are equipped with complimentary food and soft drinks. Alcoholic drinks are available, for a fee. 

WiFi is available, and exclusive loos, which is a nice touch for a busy station like Euston. 

The ladies restroom was clean with an attendant working hard to keep it sparkling. 

There’s a grooming station, complete with several hair dryers, with great natural light, huge mirrors, and far away from sinks so no risk of wet stain on your clothes. Ideal for doing your makeup before heading to a meeting. 

Cubicles were a bit snug with luggage. They could take a note from Heathrow which has larger luggage-friendly cubicles. 

The first class lounge at Euston is upstairs overlooking the concourse. 

Ensure you have time to get down the stairs (escalators are in & out of service periodically) and get to your platform.

Announcements are not made in the lounge. 

Alternatives to a First Class Upgrade on Avanti?

Say hello to Standard Premium

You can upgrade to Standard Premium, which is basically Premium Economy for trains. 

Passengers travelling in Standard Premium can expect the same seats as First Class, just without the at-seat F&B service and the lovely staffing. You will also get power at every window seat and a guaranteed table.

How much is a Standard Premium upgrade on Avanti?

At the time of writing, the cost to upgrade is £25 from London to Manchester. 

To upgrade to Standard Premium, simply present your standard class ticket, board the train, and sit in an unreserved seat in Standard Premium. You will pay the upgrade fee of £25 at your seat when the attendant comes through the carriage.

Can I be outbid on Seat Frog? 

Yes.

For my return journey, Manchester to Euston, I made a bid and was outbid just as the auction ended. The result means that I spent my journey in standard class, though I could have upgraded to Standard Premium for £25 by finding an unreserved seat in that carriage. 

Is my upgrade guaranteed? 

No, it’s an auction

Using Seat Frog, you will bid for First Class tickets, not dissimilar to bidding on an eBay auction. With only a small number of upgrades per service it’s possible you will be outbid.

Book Your Tickets & Upgrade to First Class On Avanti West Coast

What to expect from upgrading to First Class on Avanti West Coast 

My overall experience with upgrading my Avanti West Coast standard ticket to First Class was positive and, if I can combine the upgrade with a cheaper standard ticket, then I will be upgrading again.

Below is a summary of my First Class upgrade experience and what you can expect from both Avanti West Coast and Seat Frog when you upgrade. If you have any questions or need any help then feel free to contact us.

My First Class Upgrade Experience 

The first thing I noticed upon boarding was that the two First Class carriages are at one end of the train meaning there’s no unnecessary passer-by’s disturbing First-class passengers.

The loo is situated between the First Class carriages so while it’s not exclusive, it tends to be used by those in the First Class carriages.

The Cabin

The cabin itself is quiet and slick and consists of the following seating configuration. 

• 5 sets of 4 seats together, (20 seats) 
• Plus 4 accessible (wheelchair/mobility use)
• 8 sets of single seats facing one another sharing a table (16 seats) 

If you’re travelling as a couple, facing one another sharing a table is probably the best option, otherwise you may find yourself sharing a table with two other travellers. 

Charging and Power Options

As someone who tends to travel with a multitude of tech, I was happy and relieved to see a multitude of power and charging capabilities on offer. 

Passengers can expect to find a charging station armed with two plug sockets, two USB sockets at each window plus 1-2 wireless charging outlets on each table, although to be honest I preferred using a cable, the wireless charging was a bit slow for me. 

Suffice to say, there’s plenty of options to charge everything during your journey.

WiFi Speeds

As part of upgrading to a First Class ticket on Avanti West Coast you will have access to onboard WiFi, however the actual speeds you’ll get are a little less than desirable if you’re planning on working.

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The First Class | Standard Premium Seats 

Seats are a comfortable faux velvet in navy with a white leather headrest, which has the Avanti logo stitched into it. Arm rests conveniently lift up making it more accessible to get in/out of the seats.

The Onboard Team

First class has two attendants for the duration of the journey, Avanti used to staff first class with five staff, though it’s been reduced from five to just twice. 

The team provides an in-seat service serving both cold and hot from a menu, and drinks, cold (soft and alcoholic) and hot drinks. In true British-style, tea is served properly, on a tray and with fresh milk. What a joy!

The staff working on my train were professional, friendly, some might even call cheerful. No mean feat given they work in an industry that’s known to have issues with reliability and industrial action. 

Food and Drinks Menu

Passengers are presented with a properly printed menu and depending on the time of day the choices are breakfast, or the all day dining menu.  

Seeking a hearty meal I opted for the braised beef with potatoes, although the charcuterie board looked mighty tasty as it was delivered to a nearby seat. 

The menu varies on the service and the season. Should you find yourself travelling in the warmer months expect a seasonally appropriate menu.

Save Money for Standard Tickets with Split Tickets

Upgrading to First Class on Avanti West Coast is a good option providing that you can get a cheap enough standard ticket to your destination first before you look at upgrade options. As mentioned earlier, keeping an eye out for sales and booking far enough in advance are good options, and another good option is Split Tickets.

What do you mean Splitting Tickets?

Split ticketing is the concept of buying multiple tickets to split one journey into sections. The practice is technically legal in the UK (with conditions), and it can result in a cheaper fare than having a single ticket.

Split tickets are legal, providing that trains stop at ticket destinations. Under the concept, a passenger need not have to change trains, as long as their train stops at the final destination printed on each ticket.

Split Ticketing Example

Let’s say you need to travel from London to Manchester.

You can buy one peak train ticket, from London to Manchester for £184 (one way, standard class). It stops at 3 places before reaching Manchester.

You Can Split Ticket This Journey & Save Money

Now if you take the same train London Euston to Stoke-on-Trent it will cost £111.70 (one way, standard class)

To reach your destination, of course you’ll need to buy another ticket from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester.

In the image below you can see the time it departs Stoke-on-Trent, and can confirm that it’s the same train company you used from London to Stoke-on-Trent. The cost for this journey is £11.10 (one way, standard class)

You’re instantly saving over £60 on your journey from London to Manchester. One point, the change at Stoke-on-Trent involved a bit of a wait for the next Avanti West Coast train so in this example this route might not work for you if you’re on tight deadlines. However, a saving a £60 is still a saving of £60! I’ve provided the detail below to make it easy.

• Single ticket: £184
• Using split ticketing: £122.80
  • Saving: £61.20

One last thing about Split Ticketing. This is a real-life example. The rates quoted above were correct at the time of writing, for travel four days away. Prices fluctuate enormously so if you’re looking to split tickets, then do your research and check all available routes to do so, and you might find a saving significantly more than I did.

The Good News…

The good news is that the Trainline website does now include SplitSave button to calculate split ticket options, however I did need to run the above split ticket example myself as it did not show as an option.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately the question is, Is an upgrade to first class on Avanti worth it? 

It depends what you want to get from your journey. If you want more space, a table to work from, subsistence by way of a meal and a GT, then yes it absolutely is worth upgrading to First Class on Avanti West Coast.

Your Say

Have you recently upgraded to First Class? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

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