# 1st Class train tickets for OAPs



## Gordon Gekko (6 Apr 2018)

Good morning,

Does anyone know if it’s possible to purchase a 1st Class upgrade only in advance for an OAP?

Someone who I know has free travel but I’d like to upgrade them as a surprise.

Many thanks in advance.

Gordon


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## dereko1969 (6 Apr 2018)

I think it will be a case of computer says no. There's only first class on the Cork - Dublin and Belfast - Dublin routes as far as I know. The website won't allow it so it would be a case of asking at the train station which would ruin the surprise and mean you'd have to accompany them to the station.


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## cremeegg (6 Apr 2018)

Oh come off it. 

Buy them a first class ticket and pay for it yourself or don’t bother. 

Really why should the taxpayer subsidise your surprise. 

Really you are just like a farmer.


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## Gordon Gekko (6 Apr 2018)

cremeegg said:


> Oh come off it.
> 
> Buy them a first class ticket and pay for it yourself or don’t bother.
> 
> ...



If you want to go down that road, the person in question has paid millions in tax over the years; on that basis, he is more entitled than most to his free travel. 

As I understand it, one can purchase a standard ticket and then pay something to upgrade to First Class; he’s already “purchased” his standard ticket, so my query is simply whether his free travel is disregarded or not.


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## PaddyBloggit (6 Apr 2018)

Gordon Gekko said:


> the person in question has paid millions in tax over the years



... surely he can afford his own first class ticket!!


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## Gordon Gekko (6 Apr 2018)

PaddyBloggit said:


> ... surely he can afford his own first class ticket!!



He can, but sometimes older people can be funny about these things!


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## 7 of 9 (7 Apr 2018)

You can upgrade them, by selecting (seat only reservation) when booking online, its 25euro extra for the first class seat. not many trains have a first class section.


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## Gordon Gekko (7 Apr 2018)

Many thanks...bizarrely it’s €50 to do a seat only upgrade and €44.99 to buy the ticket outright. I’ll just do that.


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## MrEarl (7 Apr 2018)

Gordon Gekko said:


> Many thanks...bizarrely it’s €50 to do a seat only upgrade and €44.99 to buy the ticket outright. I’ll just do that.



That's mad Ted !

I would guess it's the €25 each way that 7 of 9 has referred to above, with no discount for two trips (which seems harsh if it's a return journey and not two unrelated trips).

I've some issues with the principal of free travel for OAPs and how it's currently provided, but given the current arrangements, this person is as entitled to the benefits as every other OAP with the pass, so it's a shame they lose out here.  A topic for another thread perhaps ?


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## RETIRED2017 (7 Apr 2018)

Gordon Gekko said:


> Many thanks...bizarrely it’s €50 to do a seat only upgrade and €44.99 to buy the ticket outright. I’ll just do that.


You need to put some euro spending money in along with the ticket after all the paid millions in tax now you will not allow them enjoy  payback time,

If they had a choice they may sooner Bryan Adams- Summer of 69,


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## Early Riser (7 Apr 2018)

Gordon Gekko said:


> Many thanks...bizarrely it’s €50 to do a seat only upgrade and €44.99 to buy the ticket outright. I’ll just do that.



Would "protecting the inheritance" qualify as a tax-deductible business expense?


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## Clamball (7 Apr 2018)

It is €25 to upgrade your ticket to first class if you turn up in the first class carriage and there are free seats.  So the €50 upgrade would be for each way.   It can be nice to treat someone to an upgrade.


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## Gordon Gekko (7 Apr 2018)

Early Riser said:


> Would "protecting the inheritance" qualify as a tax-deductible business expense?



Sadly, I won’t see any of it!

(non-relative)

But I’d like to do something small as a thank you.


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## RETIRED2017 (7 Apr 2018)

Early Riser said:


> Would "protecting the inheritance" qualify as a tax-deductible business expense?


I suspect the will not be happy when the see people wasting/spending there hard earned money buying  something they are already entitled to ,


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## Leper (9 Apr 2018)

. . . . surprise the person more . . . . . pay for a limousine to ferry him/her. After paying all those millions in income tax a limo fits the bill.


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## Gordon Gekko (9 Apr 2018)

Leper said:


> . . . . surprise the person more . . . . . pay for a limousine to ferry him/her. After paying all those millions in income tax a limo fits the bill.



In Ireland it’s the person without the limo who you need to watch!


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## RETIRED2017 (9 Apr 2018)

Gordon Gekko said:


> In Ireland it’s the person without the limo who you need to watch!


The guy who was better at not paying millions in tax and now wants to pay twice for a train ticket for the guy who paid more than his fair share,


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## Purple (9 Apr 2018)

Leper said:


> . . . . surprise the person more . . . . . pay for a limousine to ferry him/her. After paying all those millions in income tax a limo fits the bill.


Absolutely; people who work hard, do well and then pay lots of tax should be fair game for ridicule and resentment. How dare they be successful!


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