Did you know Thameslink always declassifies the rear First Class carriage?

As anyone who read my University Arms hotel review will know, I was in Cambridge recently to ferry my son to a summer school.

Whilst there are a number of rail options to Cambridge, we ended up on a Thameslink service from London St Pancras.

This reminded me of a little known bit of London rail trivia. The rear First Class carriage on Thameslink is always declassified.

By ‘declassified’, Thameslink means ‘is treated as Standard Class’.

This means that you can sit in the REAR First Class carriage on any Thameslink train with a Standard Class ticket.

It is confirmed on the Thameslink website here – click and expand the question ‘Is First Class available on all Thameslink trains?’.

You will NOT see any signage on the train to confirm this although it is often mentioned on the scrolling digital display inside.

As with all of the London suburban rail networks, First Class isn’t substantially better than Standard Class. You do, however, get a table and more spacious seating. I believe these are also the only carriages with power sockets. First Class is also quieter, even in the declassified coach, because most people don’t know that anyone can sit there.

(We had an American couple sat opposite us who, based on their conversation, had clearly paid for a First Class ticket. We hadn’t.)

The declassfied coach is identical to the ‘real’ First Class carriage at the front of the train. This is obvious when you think about it, because on the return journey the carriage that was at the front is now at the back!

ALL First Class is declassified on some routes

This information is REALLY hidden away, but some Thameslink routes declassify all of their First Class seats, at the front and the back of the train, because First Class tickets are not sold for those services.

There is a 2019 map showing these routes in this X post.

Assuming nothing has changed, both First Class carriages are declassified if your train terminates at:

• Luton
• St Albans
• West Hampstead Thameslink
• Kentish Town
• Wimbledon
• Sutton
• Orpington
• Rainham
• Sevenoaks