Published January 30, 2026 12:26pm
Updated January 30, 2026 1:36pm
London commuters, we bring good news.
If you’re based outside of the city and travel into work using Chiltern Railways, you’ll now be able to travel in style – and that’s because the rail operator has reintroduced first-class carriages.
The upgraded train class is now rolling out ‘spacious seats and improved connectivity for business and leisure travellers.’
10,000 additional seats across all classes are being delivered each day from December 2026, and this week marked the rollout of its first new trains, which are being named the ‘Chiltern Explorers.’
It’s a big shake-up for Chiltern, as first-class seating hasn’t been available in more than a decade.
This is likely because their services, which connect London to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands, are used by regular commuters, rather than passengers treating themselves on longer journeys.
But while it sounds boujee, you’ll still need to bring snacks, as this first-class offering doesn’t include any food or drink, unlike those found on LNER and Avanti West Coast routes.
It might sound stingy, but as a spokesperson for Chiltern Railways previously told Metro, they ‘don’t believe that the market warrants a full catered offering at this point in time’.
They added: ‘There is a demand, especially in the leisure market, for greater differentiation in products.’
However, not all experts agree, and there are concerns that the move to first-class echoes the snooty heyday of premium travel.
Rail historian Christian Wolmar said first-class is ‘an outdated concept from the days of bowler-hatted gentlemen in their first-class compartment while their secretaries sat in second.’
‘That era has gone. I think for those sort of services, there are very few people who would really want to pay for a premium,’ he previously told The Independent.
Would you pay extra for first-class on a commuter train?Comment Now
More upgrades to Chiltern trains
The introduction of a first-class carriage isn’t the only way Chiltern trains are being upgraded.
Some of the trains still have carriages that date back to the 1970s. These will be swapped out to newer models, which will include:
- plug sockets and USB ports at every seat
- faster internet access
- digital information screens
- air conditioning
- improved luggage and bike storage facilities
- fully accessible toilets.
Chiltern passengers have long been calling for improvements to the services, as over on the r/uktrains Subreddit, @Head_Praline_5193 previously asked: ‘Will Chiltern ever get any better?’
‘Chiltern trains are frequently overcrowded on all routes…it seems poorly served compared to just about every other mainline,’ they penned.
Tripadvisor reveals similar views, with one scathing one-star review from MixalisK142 describing their experience as ‘awful.’
‘I have never found a seat on this railway. I have to pay almost £40 every time to stand for an hour and a half. There are always more than 10 people standing in each coach,’ they argued, while @davidpC9073NE concluded that their journey was ‘poor.’
‘If I had a choice, I would never travel using this railway again.’
Meanwhile, Chiltern says that the new trains will improve the commuter experience.
‘I am thrilled that following months of intensive preparation, we are able to operate the first of our 13 newer trains on services between the West Midlands and London Marylebone, delivering a much better experience for customers,’ Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said.
‘We will have all of the new trains available for service from December 2026, when all the necessary colleague training and train preparations have been completed.’
He added that the move will translate to more services, as there will now be trains every 30 minutes between London and the West Midlands, as well as extra services running at weekends.
A version of this article was first published on August 6, 2025.
The UK’s busiest commuter trains
According to data released in 2024 by the Department for Transport, Chiltern runs the second busiest train route in England and Wales: the 7.46am service from Princes Risborough to London Marylebone.
The maximum load factor was calculated by dividing the passenger load of the carriages (excluding first-class) by the total capacity, and this popular commuter service had a rating of 165%.
It was only topped by the 7.33am Thameslink service from Bedford to Three Bridges, at 204%.
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