Our Honest LNER First Class London to Edinburgh Review
Our LNER first class London to Edinburgh journey ran about four hours from King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley, and we would do it again. On a trip this long, first class earns its price difference in ways a short hop never would. Advance standard fares on this route start around £34 each way while advance first class starts around £84, so the gap is real but nothing like the chasm between economy and business on a transatlantic flight. Here is exactly what the upgrade bought us, where it fell short, and how to decide whether it fits your trip.
Booking LNER First Class London to Edinburgh is an efficient way to travel in comfort and style, taking in the English countryside and the coast along the North Sea en route.
LNER First Class London to Edinburgh vs Standard: What You Actually Get
| Standard | First Class | |
|---|---|---|
| Advance fare from | Around £34 each way | Around £84 each way |
| Seat layout | 2+2 | 2+1, wider seats |
| Legroom | Adequate | Noticeably more |
| Table options | Limited | Solo seats or facing tables for two |
| Meal | Buy onboard | Included, varies by time of day |
| Drinks | Buy onboard | Included, served at your seat |
| Station lounges | No access | King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley |
| Wi-fi | Free | Free, marketed as faster |
| Power | Available | At every seat |
The single biggest difference is not the seat itself. It is the 2+1 layout, which means solo travelers can book a seat with nobody beside them and couples can book a facing table for two. On a four-hour journey that changes the entire character of the trip.
The LNER First Class London to Edinburgh Lounge at King’s Cross
The LNER train from London to Edinburgh offers standard seating and first class. We made the decision to upgrade to first class, and would recommend you consider it too.
We started out at the King’s Cross Station in central London to catch our train. This station is worth visiting for many reasons beyond catching your train. It is also the train station that featured Platform 9 3/4 in the Harry Potter movies. For fans, you can shop at a Harry Potter store as well get your picture taken at what they are calling the platform. That platform is merely a sign with an official photographer taking photos for a small fee during the day.
Beyond Harry Potter, King’s Cross and the St. Pancras International Station next door are stunning buildings that have a lot to offer. They are both beautiful structures that are great photo opportunities and will take you back in time to when railroads ruled the transportation world.
On arrival at King’s Cross, you can wait in the first class lounge, which offered comfortable seating, TVs to watch as well as several snacks. It also provided quick and easy access to the platform for our departure when it was time.
Lounge access is more restricted than most guides mention. First class ticket holders get two hours before departure Monday through Thursday, but only one hour on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays. If you are traveling on a weekend and planning to arrive early, build your day around the shorter window.
Onboard: Seats, Power, and Which Side to Sit On
Once onboard, the seats are wider with noticeably more legroom than standard. The 2+1 layout is the real difference. If you are traveling as a couple, book a facing table for two rather than two seats in a row. If you are on your own, you can request a solo seat with no neighbor beside you. Both are worth selecting deliberately at booking rather than accepting whatever gets assigned.
Onboard, you get the opportunity to watch the changing scenery from mega city to rural life out large windows on either side. We were told that it was best to sit on the right side of the train as you head north, but honestly the views are good from either side.
LNER markets first class wi-fi on the London to Edinburgh route as faster than standard. In our experience it was serviceable but not reliable, and it got noticeably worse through the rural stretches. Download anything you actually need before you board rather than counting on streaming the whole way.
What LNER First Class Costs and When It’s Worth It
Advance fares are the whole game on the LNER first class London to Edinburgh route. Book early and first class runs around £84 each way. Wait until the travel date is close and the walk-up Anytime fare climbs past £200. That spread is far larger than the gap between standard and first class, which means the smartest move is usually booking early in first class rather than booking late in standard.
Our rule of thumb is straightforward. On a short hop of an hour or two, skip the upgrade. The meal service barely gets going and you are paying mostly for a wider seat you will not sit in long enough to appreciate. On the full LNER first class London to Edinburgh run at roughly four hours, the math flips. You are getting a meal, repeated drink service, lounge access at both ends, and a seat you can actually work or relax in for most of an afternoon.
One more thing worth knowing. There is a quota of unreserved first class seats that cannot be booked in advance, so if the reserved inventory shows as sold out, first class may still be available on the day.
LNER First Class Food and Drink Service
What is included depends on when you travel. Morning services run a breakfast, midday and afternoon services run a lunch or a lighter afternoon offering, and evening services are lighter still. Drinks come to you at your seat rather than being collected from a counter, and depending on the service and time of day that can include alcohol. Our LNER first class London to Edinburgh service was a morning departure, so we had breakfast.
Breakfast was a proper full English: bacon, sausage, black pudding, eggs, and baked beans. Not a pastry and a coffee, an actual hot plate served to your seat. If you have not had black pudding before, it is a blood sausage and it turns up on English breakfast plates as a matter of course, so know what you are getting before you order. The portion was substantial enough that we did not need to think about food again until we reached Edinburgh.
The drink service came through three or four times over the four hours, which was more than we could comfortably keep up with. Worth factoring in if you are the kind of traveler who does not want to be hunting for the toilet every forty minutes on a long run.
The Route and What You’ll See
Some of the highlights of the views as you travel north include a castle in the distance and the North Sea coastline just to name a few things. LNER First Class London to Edinburgh service offers stops along the way, if you decide to sightsee along the way too. For the route we chose, there were stops at York, Darlington, Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Arriving at Edinburgh Waverley
Arrival at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station puts you right in the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. While we chose to take a cab to our hotel since we were toting all our luggage, if you’re a lighter packer than us you could easily walk to Old Town on your own.
Waverley has a first class lounge too, and your ticket covers it on arrival. We skipped it. After four hours on the train we were ready to be outside and walking, and the station drops you in the valley between Old Town and New Town, which means you step out into the middle of the city rather than on the outskirts. If you have a long wait for an onward connection it is there, but on arrival day the city is the better use of the time.
If your itinerary allows, you should venture out via the National Rail service on your UK vacation. While there is so much to see and do in London, we have loved venturing out on rail trips to Edinburgh as well as previously to Liverpool. Taking the LNER first class London to Edinburgh is a great way to get around and have a wonderful experience at the same time.
LNER First Class London to Edinburgh: Common Questions
Is LNER first class worth it from London to Edinburgh?
On the full four-hour run, yes. You get a hot meal, repeated drink service, a wider seat in a 2+1 layout, and lounge access at King’s Cross, typically for around £50 more than an advance standard fare. On shorter journeys the value drops off quickly.
How much more is LNER first class than standard?
Booked in advance, roughly £84 each way in first class against roughly £34 in standard. Booked close to the travel date both climb steeply, with walk-up Anytime fares running past £200.
What food is served in LNER first class?
It depends on the time of day. Morning services serve a full English breakfast with bacon, sausage, black pudding, eggs, and beans. Midday and afternoon services run a lunch or lighter afternoon offering, and evening services are lighter still. Drinks are served at your seat several times across the journey.
Is there a first class lounge at Edinburgh Waverley?
Yes. First class ticket holders can use lounges at both Edinburgh Waverley and London King’s Cross, before departure or after arrival.
How long can you use the LNER first class lounge?
Two hours before departure Monday through Thursday, and one hour on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays.
Which side of the train has the best views to Edinburgh?
The right side heading north gives you the North Sea coastline after Newcastle, but the views are good from either side.
Check out our travel guides to both Liverpool or Edinburgh to find amazing things to do once you arrive at these UK destinations, as well as tips for first time European travelers.
