A university student was shocked to receive a hefty fine for mistakenly sitting in the wrong first-class section on a Thameslink train
Boston: So, there’s this 19-year-old student named Theo Griffiths who got hit with a £129.50 fine just for sitting in the wrong part of a Thameslink train. Can you believe it?
Theo was on his way to London Kings Cross after a long three-hour commute from Boston, Lincs. He thought he could chill in the first-class area since the train was packed.
He had a standard ticket and figured it was okay to sit there because he’d seen some messages saying it might be allowed. But nope, that only applies to the back of the train, not the front.
After getting fined, Theo took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent his frustration. He asked the train company why sitting in the front first-class section was a problem when the back was fine.
He mentioned that the guard was pretty rude and didn’t even know if the penalty period paused if he appealed. Talk about frustrating!
Theo said he’d have to dig into his savings to pay the fine, which he felt was totally unfair. He explained how he has to drive over an hour just to catch the train to London.
He prefers taking the train because driving that distance is a hassle, and he likes to be productive during his commute.
Thameslink responded to his tweet, asking for more details about his journey. They explained that if the first-class area at the front was in use and he didn’t have a first-class ticket, he could be fined.
They also pointed out that the rear first-class compartments have been declassified since 2016, which means anyone with a standard ticket can sit there. But that doesn’t apply to the front.
When the Department for Transport was asked about it, they said it’s up to the train operator to handle. Thameslink reiterated that the rules are clearly signposted, so passengers should know where they can sit.