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For suburban services, premium travel is “an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second”.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.
