Eurostar rebrands its three travel classes

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• John says:

  28 Apr28 April 10:53

  I bought a lot of IHG points in March at this rate (0.555 US cents) as I had bookings to make, but now regretting it a bit as the cash rates dropped and the Amex offers appeared.

  • NorthernLass says:

    28 Apr28 April 13:40

    You should be ok, as points bookings are fully refundable!

• Smid says:

  28 Apr28 April 11:57

  Is champagne in premier new? Never heard mention of it before.

  • executiveclubber says:

    28 Apr28 April 14:09

    It’s always existed but I only go standard premier as business premier seems a massive ripoff (then again so is standard premier tbh)

    • Rob says:

      28 Apr28 April 15:45

      I just booked a return to Paris for the tennis and SP was £30 above Standard.

      Why any solo traveller would want to go Standard I can’t imagine given all the solo seats in SP.

      • RussellH says:

        28 Apr28 April 16:15

        I guess that some people just do not look at the price options properly and just always book standard – rather like the times when I see the the HIE is £50 more than CP nearby.

        SP can be much more than £30 above Standard, though. And SP is not just for solos, two single seats facing each other across a table is ideal for couples too.

      • AirMax says:

        28 Apr28 April 17:01

        Also the interrail reservation fee is only 8 euro more for Standard Premier

      • callum says:

        28 Apr28 April 17:13

        You can’t imagine why someone would prefer to have an extra £30 in their pocket if it meant having to sit next to someone for a couple of hours?

        • Rob says:

          29 Apr29 April 07:39

          Fare is something like £320 vs £290, so anyone paying £290 for a return economy train to Paris is unlikely to be cash constrained.

          The gap wouldn’t be as low as £30 if the Standard fare wasn’t far higher than usual.

• RussellH says:

  28 Apr28 April 12:02

  Worth remembering that Eurostar Plus (was ‘Standard Premier’) was originally ‘Leisure Select’ and marketed as a cheaper form of First Class – valid as the 3 seats across seating was and still is pretty standard for First Class on trains.
  The change came after the financial meltdown that started in 2008 and was followed by the exposure of how some MPs were overclaiming on expenses.
  Businesses throughout Europe rushed to show that they were saving money by insisting that staff travel was only in ‘Standard’.
  Eurostar were quite canny in promptly renaming Leisure Select as Standard Premium, so that organisations with “Standard Class only” travel policies could continue to book the same class of travel.
  That said, the seemingly limitless champagne that I was offered in Leisure Select in 2007 did stop when the name changed.

  • Edward says:

    1 May1 May 20:43

    In my experience Business Premier is never discounted on the website presumably to discourage hen parties etc. However I understand from a friend that, based on the number of points awarded, his firm (which has a corporate account with Eurostar) is clearly paying less for Business Premier than the fare habitually advertised on the website.

• Lady London says:

  28 Apr28 April 13:12

  What is Torquay like for a few days’ break these days?

• Edward says:

  28 Apr28 April 15:16

  I was told this week by a Eurostar employee while travelling that they’re also going to introduce changes to the ticket rules soon. Apparently more flexibility for Standard Premier customers to change their ticket, akin to the current Business Premier rules. Seems a strange move to me as that’s pretty much the only differentiator between the two ticket types from my perspective.

• flyforfun says:

  28 Apr28 April 16:32

  “We don’t normally cover Premier Inn openings, but we have a soft spot for any new hotel which can liven up the generally dire offerings found in British seaside resorts.”

  This! I don’t want to stay in B&B or similar accommodation when I go on hols after a “thin walls” scenario in St Ives surrounded by honeymooners (including us to be fair!!). And having to chat politely while the host makes breakfast the next morning was awkward.

• Bervios says:

  28 Apr28 April 19:14

  The big news is that tickets are a lot more flexible purchased on or after the 24th April

  https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/eurostar-fares-and-fees

  • meta says:

    28 Apr28 April 22:24

    Have you actually read the article? It says exactly that.

    • Bervios says:

      30 Apr30 April 09:34

      Oh yes, it reads a lot clearer when I’ve sobered up from the excessive bubbles at the LJU lounge.

• Roy says:

  28 Apr28 April 22:24

  Re Eurostar:

  “Small change in the refund rules”? I’d say that Standard and Standard Premium tickets now being refundable should be headline news and an article of its own!

  As far as I recall (and as far as I can verify from Googling) Standard and Standard Premier have never been refundable before. This is a major improvement, even if it’s only refundable 7 days out, and subject to a fee.

  • Roy says:

    28 Apr28 April 22:31

    I would add: capacity constraints, particularly once the EES comes into effect this Autumn, mean they have a very good chance of reselling seats cancelled a week out – and probably at a higher price – so it’s a win/win.

    • Roy says:

      28 Apr28 April 22:37

      Now, if only they’d make reward tickets refundable!

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