Ryanair Lands on Twitter

[Puddles]

Much as I like travelling by train et al, I do find the sleeper to be a bit hit and miss with me. Sometimes I sleep like a log, other times I am kept wide awake all night.

Also, DON'T travel in the seated section - It might be cheap, but there is a reason for that, you get treated like a 3rd class citizen by the staff. Its clear their priorities lay with passengers who have a bed and that you are just an irritation to them.
I genuinely have had staff being rude and arrogant to me and others before, its amazing they actually continue to get away with it! They just sneer at you for clearly being such a pleb. It might have changed now, but when I used the sleeper regularly, they didn't serve you any hot food (despite the fact that they make it for the lah de dah passengers next door who have a bed, not even any of the sandwich type things you would get normally on a Virgin service, etc. They will serve you alcohol though, presumably to subdue/placate you), and for Pete's sake, DON'T even think about trying to take a walk anywhere, they will genuinely treat you like some sort of criminal (I'm surprised they aren't armed with tazers 'just in case'). It all makes Ryanair look positively Saintly!

These days I take the train to London the night before and stay at a youth Hostel or similar. Its a lot less hassle, and you might just get some sleep too!

Thanks for the info MDB so funny!
Seated section with a 4 & 8 year old no no no, we want the cabin and breakfast delivered preferably 1st class adjoined cabins (okay 2nd class will do) I might shove the children out the door to be tazered if they do not sleep

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Thanks for the info MDB so funny!
Seated section with a 4 & 8 year old no no no, we want the cabin and breakfast delivered preferably 1st class adjoined cabins (okay 2nd class will do) I might shove the children out the door to be tazered if they do not sleep

If you have a berth, you can walk about, do whatever you like, probably even s**t in the Staff's sandwiches and nobody will do a thing, but if you are a seated passenger.....

Ok, so I can understand why you can't go walkabout as a seated passenger, but its just the complete disparity between how you are treated that got me, they might as well handcuffed you the moment you get on!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh, and another thing, on the southbound service from Glasgow and the portion from Fort William, the seated coach is the very first coach, so if there is a crash, you will be the cushioning for the Lah De Dah's behind who might just wake up and wonder if the heating has been switched off or something!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

In other words, I try to avoid the whole sorry train if I can help it these days, but my experience was accumulated over quite a few journeys over the years, it didn't all happen on the same night (just).

I'm sure you and your kids will be ok!

 

[dellzeqq]

I've not been to Sicily by train but I have been to Florence by train and it was great. St Pancras to Paris, quick walk across town (not forgetting to buy baguettes, cheese and nice wine), Paris to Florence. It does take about 18 hours but it's the only way to travel.

and a great arrival - although not quite as great as the arrival in Venice

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

and a great arrival - although not quite as great as the arrival in Venice

Ah, Venezia San Lucia!

 

[Puddles]

If you have a berth, you can walk about, do whatever you like, probably even s**t in the Staff's sandwiches and nobody will do a thing, but if you are a seated passenger.....

Ok, so I can understand why you can't go walkabout as a seated passenger, but its just the complete disparity between how you are treated that got me, they might as well handcuffed you the moment you get on!

Really? Hmmm Evil Mummy perhaps the two small people could be in seats and me & Mr P in a cabin do staff HAVE to keep seated passenger in their seats?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Really? Hmmm Evil Mummy perhaps the two small people could be in seats and me & Mr P in a cabin

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, not even a couple of kids playing up.

That said however......

do staff HAVE to keep seated passenger in their seats?

Sometimes I did wonder. At least they provided a toilet (a proper one, not a hole in the floor, presumably only because it would have contravened some sort of human rights law or similar), but that was about the extent of it, you absolutely HAD to stay in the coach though.

To be fair, the coach (a Mark 2 passenger/Guard's/luggage Van Composite.... thingy) meant that you could walk to the front where the luggage van was, open one of the windows, hang out and watch everything, including an electric loco that would arc, sometimes spectacularly in cold weather.

 

[Puddles]

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, not even a couple of kids playing up.

That said however......



Sometimes I did wonder. At least they provided a toilet (a proper one, not a hole in the floor, presumably only because it would have contravened some sort of human rights law or similar), but that was about the extent of it, you absolutely HAD to stay in the coach though.

To be fair, the coach (a Mark 2 passenger/Guard's/luggage Van Composite.... thingy) meant that you could walk to the front where the luggage van was, open one of the windows, hang out and watch everything, including an electric loco that would arc, sometimes spectacularly in cold weather.

So you really cannot go and buy dinner that they mention if you are in a seat! Wow! that is something else.