We contrasted UK and US first-class rail travel. Both rides were overpriced

Insider had two reporters ride first-class on trains in the United Kingdom and the United States earlier this year.

Joey Hadden, on the right, and Mikhaila Friel, on the left.

In June, Mikhaila Friel, a journalist residing in the United Kingdom, took the first-class train from Glasgow, Scotland, to London, England, operated by Avanti West Coast. It took about five hours and cost about $257, which is about £209. Tickets for regular seating start at roughly $40 (or £32.80, depending on when you travel).

In the meanwhile, in March, American journalist Joey Hadden rode the New York–Baltimore route of the Amtrak Acela in first class. It was a 2.5-hour trip that set me back $273 (about £232). Amtrak Acela tickets, which are entirely business or first class, cost $121 in comparison. Joey upgraded to first class for an additional $152.

Both the Avanti West Coast and Amtrak train services are well-known among commuters in the United Kingdom and the United States.

UK train stations on the left, and US ones on the right.

According to its website, Avanti West Coast is a railway company established in the United Kingdom that operates routes between 50 stations in Scotland, England, and north Wales. The Independent claimed in 2019 that the time had been operating since it had taken over Virgin Trains.

For her frequent trips between London and her home in Scotland, Mikhaila was a repeat customer of Avanti West Coast when she lived in the United Kingdom. She was curious about the first-class time because she had only ever bought economy tickets before.

According to its website, Amtrak is a railway company located in the United States that operates over 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. In a typical day, the firm operates over 300 trains.

Joey had taken several trips up and down the East Coast on Amtrak before, but this was her first time reserving a first-class ticket.

Since neither reporter had ever had a time in the first class section of a train before, they prepared by reading up on the routes and amenities offered by the luxurious compartment.

Left is Mikhaila’s train, the Avanti West Coast, and right is Joey’s train, the Amtrak Acela.

According to sources: Mikhaila Friel/Insider, Joey Hadden/Insider

Having never flown first class before, Mikhaila prepared for the time by reading up on the amenities and services offered by Avanti West Coast. Astounded to hear that the Glasgow, Scotland, railway terminal housed a first-class lounge, she eagerly anticipated sampling the train’s fare and beverages.

Joey, who was also experiencing first-class travel for the first time, decided to research the Acela route she would be taking and discovered that this particular Amtrak express train runs exclusively along the East Coast and only offers first- and business-class accommodations. She also found out that, similar to Mikhalia’s journey, hers will feature on-board catering and use of a private lounge at New York Penn Station.

While Joey caught her train at Penn Station in New York City, Mikhaila got on in Glasgow.

In the left image is the entrance to the first-class lounge at Glasgow Central, and in the right image is that of Penn Station in New York City.

Mikhaila arrived at Glasgow Central, Scotland’s largest train station, about an hour and thirty minutes before her 11:33 a.m. departure. before your June 1 departure, you can relax in the station’s first-class lounge, which is reserved for first-class passengers on the Avanti West Coast.

Joey got into Penn Station in New York City at around 8 a.m. to get ready for her 9 a.m. We took the 8:00 a.m. train to Baltimore on a recent Sunday so that we could spend an hour in the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, where first-class travelers are admitted free of charge on the day of their journey and business-class passengers can pay $50 to enter.

The two reporters who visited the first-class lounges agreed that they were tastefully furnished and had a welcoming atmosphere.

Comfortable seating arrangements were a common theme in the first-class lounges.

According to sources: Mikhaila Friel/Insider, Joey Hadden/Insider

Nothing about Mikhaila’s or any other passenger’s tickets was scrutinized as they reached the first-class lounge in Glasgow. She found this peculiar, as it appeared that anyone may enter.

Even yet, she saw that the lounge wasn’t particularly crowded. She like the comfortable sofas and murals of city landmarks that adorned the walls.

Joey found the Penn Station lounge to be exceptionally well-kept and aesthetically clean. Joey spent some time in the lounge, where there was lots of comfy sitting and only a few other passengers. To enter, she had to present her ticket to a member of staff.

While Mikhaila found the lounge snack options in Glasgow uninspiring, Joey found himself spoiled for choice in New York City.

Joey’s food on the right, and Mikhaila’s on the left.

While Mikhaila appreciated the free fruit, oatmeal, muesli bars, and muffins in the first-class lounge in Glasgow, she found the selection to be lacking in excitement. She thought, for the price of the train ticket, there would be more alternatives or the ability to order a hot meal.

In addition, she saw two mini-fridges stocked with beverages; however, one of them had a broken door but was still being used. One of the coffee makers was labeled “out of use,” and there were two total.

Joey, on the other hand, was floored by the abundance of free Kind bars, cookies, popcorn, chips, and sweets that were available in the Amtrak lounge. Extra refreshments like chips and hummus were stored in the refrigerator. Coffee, iced tea, and water flavored with citrus were among the complimentary refreshments. The drinks were self-service, while a worker waited on customers at the snack bar.

Joey enjoyed the quiet, comfortable waiting area for her train and the free drinks, and she decided that she would not pay an extra $50 to sit in business class.

When Mikhaila and Joey boarded their respective trains, they were both impressed by the spacious first-class compartments.

Comparing the first-class compartments of the Avanti West Coast and the Amtrak Acela.

In the first-class compartment, Mikhaila may choose between a table seat and an individual seat. She chose a seat at the table, and there was just one other passenger there. Having a table freed up some space for her to stretch out her legs, which she appreciated. The first-class compartment appeared to be almost empty, so she figured there would be plenty of room for her bags in the overhead rack.

It was a one-across seating arrangement on Joey’s first-class Acela car. Joey took a seat in the front row of the plane, where she had a whole row to herself. She stowed her bags up top to make the most of the space there, and compared to previous Amtrak journeys, she found that she could stretch her legs almost completely out.

During the course of the five-hour trip, Mikhaila felt perfectly at ease in her seat, but Joey found hers to be significantly stiffer than she had anticipated.

Left, a first-class British seat; right, a first-class American seat.

Mikhaila noticed that the chairs on the Avanti West Coast train were constructed of a comfortable fabric and that they included arm rests on both sides. While on the trip, Mikhaila enjoyed the scenery from her window seat. There was a plug in the wall so she could charge her phone.

Joey believed the seats on the Amtrak train she was taking seemed spacious and comfortable because of her assumption that they were larger than average. Once seated, however, she noticed that they were noticeably stiffer than she had anticipated. In the floor next to Joey’s feet were two plugs for powering electronics.

Nonetheless, Joey enjoyed some benefits that Mikhaila did not. A foot rest extended out from the chair’s seat back below the tray table, and a reading light was mounted above her head.

When compared to other train classes, both reporters felt that this one provided superior customer service.

The two friends ordered soft drinks: Mikhaila got a Pepsi, and Joey went with orange juice.

According to sources: Mikhaila Friel/Insider, Joey Hadden/Insider

Mikhaila noticed that the level of service she experienced in first class was higher than on previous train rides. Ten minutes after her train left, a worker came up to her and inquired what she would like to drink. She requested a Pepsi, and it was brought to her right away. The crew was on hand in the car the whole time to pick up trash and answer any questions the passengers might have.

Joey too felt like he was getting the royal treatment in Amtrak’s first class. Just minutes after she left, a menu with food and drink options was brought to her. She quickly settled on orange juice, which arrived shortly after.

Both reporters praised the high quality of the meals served on Amtrak and the Avanti West Coast.

Pictured below are Mikhaila’s (left) and Joey’s (right) respective lunch and breakfast orders.

According to sources: Mikhaila Friel/Insider, Joey Hadden/Insider

Without a written menu in time, Mikhaila was instructed to select from ravioli, a toasted sandwich, or afternoon tea.

She ordered the afternoon tea, which included four sandwiches (ham and cheese, cheese and onion, chicken, and egg) and was served by a member of the staff. A scone was also provided alongside two separate containers of jam and cream. The lunch was delicious, but the scone was the highlight for her because of how airy and fluffy it was.

Joey took a time flight, so he had his pick of four different breakfast options, including omelets and empanadas, all of which were gratis. Soon after she placed her order, a tray of fresh fruit and a glass of orange juice were brought to her. Since a croissant wasn’t specifically included as part of the meal, she was pleasantly surprised to see that it came with her order.

Joey enjoyed how the fruit was cold and crisp, and how each bite was full of flavor. She found that the croissant’s less-than-fresh flavor didn’t detract from her enjoyment of the warm, flaky pastry. The wait staff came by a few minutes after she had finished dining to take away her tray.

When asked whether the first-class restrooms were any different from those found in lower cabin classes, both reporters said they were not.

Bathrooms met the same high level.

Though the first-class carriage on the Avanti West Coast included a restroom, Mikhaila didn’t find any particularly nice features that set it apart as such. There was a full-length mirror, sink with a smaller mirror, toilet, and hand-dryer.

To Joey’s knowledge, the restrooms in the first-class cars on the train were clean and not much different from those in the lower car classes.