ScotRail's HST in First Class: Great Seats, But...

[@M-on7rl]

Yeap I pretty much enjoy every single video of yours!. I especially liked the highlighting of your destination around 1:11 and the use of maps to show us your route and where you were etc

[@TravelSoGood]

Thanks! The maps and fly-through take more time than you'd think to get right

[@asavard]

as someone who is coming to visit Scotland in just a few weeks and who will be taking this same exact train route this was super informational on what to expect on the train rides thank you!

[@ElijahsTransport]

Great video! Really enjoyed this well done! Also I love these trains so much! Comfy seats!

[@TravelSoGood]

They're a definite contender for best seats in the UK :)

[@ElijahsTransport]

@@TravelSoGood I agree!

[@roberthillman5057]

They have the best ride of any train in Uk

[@boozytortoise]

You can upgrade onboard for £15 pp. Me and the wife did this travelling inverness to Edinburgh. We had no hot drinks avaliable. Just water and shortbread. Still felt it was worth it for the big comfy seats and quieter coach. Standard class on hst can be all kinds of crazy lol.i think they do need to start offering more drink and food options to first class. And what ever happened to a free newspaper 😂

[@TravelSoGood]

Yeah, it is weird that they don't do catering on all services and you need to check their list online. And yet the price is the same no matter what 🤷‍♀️

[@ksbs72462]

I just recently discovered your channel and I am loving it! (Especially the Aberdeen to Penzance video)

[@TravelSoGood]

Thank you! As long as you're loving them, I'll continue making them :)

[@rossfamilycohen1953]

Big respect for the frequency of videos that take so much effort and time, wish the series could go keep going forever. love ❤️

[@TravelSoGood]

Me too! Only a few more of this series left but plenty more to follow afterwards :)

[@jamespir]

Great video thanks always so interesting don't often get to experience first class myself but always nice to see what happens

[@TravelSoGood]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@matthillmedia]

Really enjoyed that, subscribing straight after this comment. Now just to work my way through all your videos.

[@TravelSoGood]

You're the bestest 🩷🩷

[@alanbrown3015]

Credit to Scotrail for operating HST in shortened formation, like GWR did with Castle Class. For the nostalgia I think slight ride discomfort is worth contending with. Re first class offer, seats about the best around, Class 91 excepted, food/drink on the stingy side though.

[@TravelSoGood]

Definitely stingy with the food offering. But I'm not sure which seats I prefer... it's gonna be hard to find a winner!

[@SociaCin]

Oh this is much needed viewing after a Monday 💚

[@TravelSoGood]

Hope you had a good day :)

[@SociaCin]

@@TravelSoGood Mondays =(, it's why I look forward to these

[@camotech1314]

Monday's can be good 😊

[@SociaCin]

@@camotech1314 I'm sure it's possible 😅

[@jamessmith6402]

Thanks that was a very enjoyable video 👍

[@TravelSoGood]

Thanks 👍

[@iainmacinnes1657]

Good video, as well as others in the series. The First Class seat you were seated was first introduced by First Grest Western on their HSTs, I believe around 2014/15. As you say a very comfortable seat. Much better than the current seat on the newer class 800 trains on LNER, FGW etc…. Tks UK Dept of Transport.

[@TravelSoGood]

Thanks! I didn't know that.

[@christopherfox735]

Was on a ScotRail service from Edinburgh to Aberdeen a month ago. First Class Return with Railcard £88.00. Went on a Monday & they don’t have sandwiches for sale on Sunday or Monday so be prepared. Even in first class you only get complementary drink & have to pay for anything else. Train to Aberdeen should have the HST but it broke down so just ordinary seating but the return from Aberdeen was by HST.

[@TravelSoGood]

Yeah. I did consider buying something from the trolley but there wasn't anything I wanted! Plus I had many eye on a nice little cafe in Inverness for lunch, lol

[@alexmcwhirter6611]

Am sure LNER offers better onboard service Edinburgh to Aberdeen.

[@aedanjmcghie]

I think the HSTs are on a shoogly nail because of driver crash protection not being up to modern specs. The Queen St refurb removed a '60s concrete brutalist frontage. The blue and gold columns had spent 50 years hidden behind boarding so it was a wonderful revelation when I first saw them.

[@TravelSoGood]

If they do replace the HSTs, they need to move these seats to the new trains... just with a bit more WD40 on the armrests :)

[@camotech1314]

​@@TravelSoGood yeah the seats on the 800s are terrible

[@Roblilley999]

The only issue used to have with 1st class wheelchair space couldn't be accessed as the doors were not wide enough, luggage racks were in the way

[@JillValentineLF]

You need to play Train sim world and ride on the first class to review. It would be great 👍 😂😂 :)

[@TravelSoGood]

Do I still get free tea?

[@JillValentineLF]

@@TravelSoGood of course 😂😂

[@roberthillman5057]

They were sourced from Gwr

[@gftyhify]

The inter7city trains have a buffet car onboard however they’ve been closed since COVID and have never been reopened. I’ve seen a catering trolley pass through the trains once since then but I guess you just have to get lucky

[@TravelSoGood]

Oh, I didn't even see that. Mind you, I never wondered into standard class beyond the first few rows, lol!

[@gftyhify]

@@TravelSoGood the closed buffet car is in the first class coach just on the other side of the door. You can see a counter with the shutters down

[@TravelSoGood]

Oh!!! I totally didn't see that as I was getting off...! But I did wonder what that was when I was editing, lol! 😂

[@georgerutherford24]

Reid's shortbread made in Wick is better than all the rest, also available on LNER.

[@TravelSoGood]

Yes. I had plenty of these on LNER too :)

[@richardfurness7556]

The origins of both 'Stirling' and 'sterling' are matters for debate. All we know for sure is that there is no etymological connection whatsoever between the two.

[@TravelSoGood]

Good to know! And nice of you to indulge my random train thoughts 👍

[@77smp]

Pedantry Alert! Scotland has 8 cities but those HST's don't serve Dunfermline. Love the HST's but they are showing their age and they always seem to have the lighting too bright.

[@TravelSoGood]

Oh, that's so annoying about the name. Why did they do that?

[@77smp]

​@@TravelSoGoodBecause there only used to be 7 cities, which the HST served all of them. Then in 2022, Dunfermline got city status, and as it's the end of a line not far from Edinburgh, there's no need for a HST. Funnily enough, you can't get the Inter 7 city between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

[@fussyboy2000]

Did you find the onboard distillery?

[@TravelSoGood]

Nope. It must have been down the other end of the train?

[@alanshelly7068]

There are ex gwr hst trains ❤😊

[@justinhamilton497]

Sockets, not plugs. And you missed the chocolate chip shortbread 😢

[@TravelSoGood]

Oh no! I should have got to that table earlier in the journey :(

[@RoyTheMouth]

@@TravelSoGoodThey were right there in your video 😂 with the grey branding on the packaging. I’m lucky enough to work these trains and I can confirm they are the best offices around! 😊

[@TravelSoGood]

Damn. Maybe I need my glasses checked?

[@walterfillingham]

The wifi doesn’t really work in the Highlands as mobile networks so patchy and poor. I live in Inverness, the vast majority of local Inverness people use the LNER service going First Class to Edinburgh for the day rather than ScotRail, as they get a hot breakfast, hot & cold drinks, snacks on the way down. A good few hours in Edinburgh to enjoy, then the LNER service back up which includes hot meal, snacks, hot & cold drinks (including alcohol). ScotRail first class is seen as laughable and the rolling stock used is dirty, grubby and very poorly maintained, rarely HST, usually in class 158 or class 170, where heating and air conditioning rarely work. Plus LNER cheaper than ScotRail if going from Inverness to Edinburgh.

[@CLWF3]

I do the same!!! You end up getting about 5 hours in Edinburgh provided your on time and over half the seats in first are usually only booked between Edinburgh and the highland station where as some might think the majority would be going further south, Newcastle, York, London and such.

[@TravelSoGood]

I've done both those legs on LNER and yes, there was a lot of changeover in passengers at Edinburgh. Now I know why!

[@andrew4127]

Nah, I think I'll give subscribing to this channel a miss. The overwhelming message coming through from the reviewer is of someone looking to find fault, whilst swiftly passing over anything worthy of praise.

[@TravelSoGood]

Thanks for stopping by! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions

[@callumswansborough1779]

Upgrade on board for £15! 😉

[@TravelSoGood]

Hmm... I never considered the cost of upgrading on board...

[@CLWF3]

I never knew you could upgrade onboard scotrail for £15 😮😮

[@steveboable]

Have people got nothing better to do

[@TravelSoGood]

Than...?

[@M-on7rl]

I enjoy watching videos of different trains and different routes + stations. Better than watching pointless TikTok stuff or other rubbish most people do. Educational and enjoyable