First Class Rail Travel

It's an unfortunate truth that not all first class rail services are created equal. In fact, it would be fair to say that standards vary enormously depending on the operating company, veering from "slightly better than standard class" all the way up to "really very good indeed". Given this disparity, how can all these services be classed as "First Class"?

The first problem is that, as far as I can tell, there doesn't appear to be a standard definition of a First Class rail service. This means that train operators are free to call any carriage "First Class" if it represents even the smallest improvement over the quality of their standard service (which can itself vary hugely between trains, routes, operators, distance travelled and so on). Even something as fundamental as seat size isn't a good indicator; some services have First Class seats which, on other services run by the same operator, would be used for the standard class service.

What this means is that passengers cannot really tell, when they buy their "first class" tickets, what sort of service they're going to receive from a train operating company and they therefore cannot make informed decisions about the class of ticket they should buy. This leads to confusion, disappointment and not inconsiderable annoyance when you turn up and find that, rather than the luxurious throne you were expecting, you have instead purchased a cramped little seat in a noisy carriage.

Let me list for you the things that I think should form part of a first class rail service:

• Seats - all seats should be wide (no more than three across the width of a standard UK carriage), comfortable and well-padded. Power points should be provided at every seat so that phones and laptops can be charged (vital for business travellers or those of us with an iPhone or other power-hungry device). Windows should have blinds.
• Wifi - First class rail services should offer a decent wifi service for the duration of the journey. Such service should be free (or included in the price of the ticket), fast, reliable and secure.
• At seat trolley service - Wandering the carriages in search of sustenance is an acceptable compromise if you're slumming it in the cheap seats but there really should be an at-seat service in the first class carriages. On longer journeys, this should include a full table service and good quality meals with decent wines.
• Complimentary food and drink - If the service offers only sandwiches and coffee then these should be free (or, again, included in the ticket price). Virgin do this on some of their services and it makes a huge difference to the quality of the journey.

If a train operator can provide all these things then they should be able to call their service as "First Class". If not, or if they provide these things only at certain times or on certain routes, they should use a lesser moniker, like "Second Class", and charge a lower price.