Great Western Coffee Shop

I commute daily between Maidenhead and Paddington and wonder whether the extra ^1000p.a. to travel First Class is worth it.  I can see the benefit if the service were operated with a fast train...with complimentary drinks and newspapers but it always seems to be the commuter type trains, which have a seperate compartment but not much else (do FGW give these passengers a drink & newspaper voucher as compensation?).  Only other benefit seems to be the better chance of getting a seat....but at peak times it seems that all the 1st class seats are taken too (presumably by people who've overflowed from the cattle class).  Oh, and there's the First Class lounge at Paddington......but late in the evening all the trains seem to operate from Platform 13 (which feels so far away maybe they should rename it Burnt Oak staton).

Anybody else have any thoughts ?

Definitely not on that journey - the journey time is not long enough nor the accommodation differential big enough to justify it.  And you do find most of the first class seats taken up by standard class - which is just annoying.

I personally would not do what I do if I could not afford first class.

0634 to paddington (soon to be the 0545) from worcester is an extension of my bed.  A pair of ear plugs, a judiciously rolled up coat for a pillow and normally the luxury of two seats to stretch across means I get an extra 2 hours kip every morning - which means I am not comatose all week

The 1822 from paddinton to WOS is one of two things - an extension of my office if I have client work to do (which I bill for) or my home office where I do my company admin or my hobby (Open university) - these are all things I would be doing if I were at home so it makes little difference if I am on the train or at home for this time.

May seem mad - some say why not move to the south east.  Well two reasons - one I like where I am.  and the second is that my last client was in stafford, the one before in oxford, then I had another spell in the south east but before that I was local and before that I was in manchester

And commuting daily - even at first class prices is still cheaper than renting somewhere and going home at weekends or staying in a B&B - plus I get to sleep in my own bed

I could not do this standard and would probably got for the B&B option where needed.

For the route you're using.

deffinatly not.