East Coast’s First Class fare offer proves to be a hit

Train operator East Coast’s latest fare offer – designed to welcome new passengers to try out its new First Class complimentary food and drinks service – has proved the most successful promotion in the history of the flagship route.

The deal offered First Class one-way travel between any two destinations served by East Coast for just £25 – making it possible to travel the 581 miles from London King’s Cross to Inverness in comfort and style for just over four pence per mile.

The promotion – which ran for six days from Thursday, 23 June to Tuesday, 28 June, 2011 – offered tickets for travel from mid-July to early September at the great-value £25 flat fare.

Feedback from customers has shown that almost half of those who took advantage of the offer have never travelled First Class with East Coast before – underlining the success of the low fare deal in attracting people to try out the relaunched First Class service.

Other key results from the promotion included:

• 62% of those who bought the special offer fare said they chose to do so because of the bargain price;
• 49% hadn’t been planning to travel until they heard about the great value deal;
• 43% planned their bargain trip after seeing East Coast’s advertising promoting its new First Class service, with television advertisements starring Vic Reeves and Rory Bremner.

The offer heralded a new marketing campaign which highlights 25 reasons to travel First Class with East Coast – including sampling the exciting new First Class complimentary food and drinks service, provided to customers in the comfort of their seats.

More reasons include complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the journey, the new First Class Quiet Coach which offers a calm and relaxing environment, and spacious and comfortable reclining seats, each with its own table.

East Coast’s new timetable, which offers 117 extra services every week, new direct services linking Lincoln and Harrogate with London, and many faster journeys, will now open up many new journey opportunities for the thousands of customers who took advantage of the cut-price deal.

East Coast Commercial and Customer Service Director Peter Williams said:

“We are delighted that so many customers who haven’t tried out our new First Class service are now going to be able to sample it for themselves – and at a great value for money low fare.

“We can’t wait to welcome them to East Coast.”