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Book First Capital Connect Train Tickets online using the Rail Easy™ train ticket price check and Rail Saver online reservation system to find the cheapest available First Capital Conect Train ticket price on your selected route at your preferred travel times on the National Rail network.

		Rail Saver will find you the cheapest available First Capital Connect train ticket price and book your Virgin train tickets in a few quick easy steps using the Rail Easy™ price check and Rail Saver booking engine. The principal train routes serviced by First Capital Connect are:- Bedford to Brighton via Luton, St Albans, central London (Kings Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge stations), East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Haywards Heath. Luton to Wimbledon and Sutton, via St Albans and Central London. Bedford and Luton to Moorgate via Kings Cross Thameslink and Farringdon (peak hours only). Peterborough to London Kings Cross via Huntingdon, Hitchin and Stevenage. Kings Lynn to London Kings Cross via Ely, Cambridge, Royston, Letchworth and Stevenage. Letchworth to London Kings Cross (and also Moorgate) via Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North Completing an online First Capital Connect train ticket reservation is quick and easy.

More About First Capital Connect Trains

First Capital Connect is a train operating company in England that began its passenger operations on the National Rail network at 02:00 BST 1 April 2006.

First Capital Connect commenced operations and merged together the operations of the two previous franchisees - Thameslink and WAGN. The passenger journey, passenger kilometre and train kilometre data below is the combined total of Thameslink and WAGN for 2005-06

First Capital Connect Passenger Train Routes

First Capital Connect Trains operates trains between London, Brighton, Bedford, Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn over the UK’s busiest rail network.

The principal train routes serviced by First Capital Connect are:-

• Bedford to Brighton via Luton, St Albans, central London (Kings Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge stations), East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Haywards Heath.
  
  
• Luton to Wimbledon and Sutton, via St Albans and Central London.
  
  
• Bedford and Luton to Moorgate via Kings Cross Thameslink and Farringdon (peak hours only).
  
  
• Peterborough to London Kings Cross via Huntingdon, Hitchin and Stevenage.
  
  
• Kings Lynn to London Kings Cross via Ely, Cambridge, Royston, Letchworth and Stevenage.
  
  
• Letchworth to London Kings Cross (and also Moorgate) via Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North

First Capital Connect plans to overhaul trains on all their routes with new liveries and on-board services as well as an £8 million programme of upgrades for several major stations.

First Capital Connect Passenger Service

First Capital Connect has embarked on one the biggest customer comfort and safety improvement campaigns in British railway history. Amongst their most notable project to improve passenger comfort, safety and satisfaction are:-

First Capital Connect Trains Cyclist Passengers

First Capital Connect is committed to encouraging greener and more sustainable transport and interchange modes. Many of their customers are choosing to cycle to the rail station to catch their train because it is free to park, environmentally friendly and healthy.

In response to increasing demand, First Capital Connect are investing heavily in partnership with local authorities to enhance cycle parking facilities at 33 of their stations by increasing capacity and improving security. The first tranche of investment saw 10 stations completed by the end of June 2007.

First Capital Connect Trains Special Needs Passengers

First Capital Connect is committed to helping customers with restricted mobility or special needs in planning and making their train journeys and operate a dedicated telephone and textphone service (see contact details below) where special needs passengers can get information, book tickets and make arrangements for assistance.

It is recommended that arrangements are made in advance whenever possible to ensure that they are able to meet your needs. If you telephone to make arrangements at least 24 hours in advance, First Capital Connect will help you to find your nearest accessible train station, plan the easiest route to your destination, book your train tickets (this will require three working days notice in order to post your ticket to you, or 24 hours notice if collecting from a fast ticket machine) and ensure that their staff and (where relevant) other train companies are aware of your needs and journey details.

First Capital Connect Special Assistance Helpline Telephone 0800 058 2844 Textphone 0800 975 1052. The helpline is open seven days a week, from 0700 to 2200, except on Christmas Day.

First Capital Connect Trains Delay Repay Scheme

The aim is to operate simply and efficiently by getting the basics right and providing a service which is punctual and reliable, clean and safe. Regrettably there are occasions when this is not possible, and it is important to First Capital Connect to understand your concerns.

To make a claim for train delay compensation make your claim within 28 days of the delay. Should you encounter any difficulties completing and/or submitting the claim form to them, please call Customer Relations on 0845 026 4700 (opening hours 0700 - 2200 Monday to Sunday)

First Capital Connect Station Enhancement

First Capital Connect is implementing a five-year, £8 million, network-wide Station Improvements Programme that will see extensive upgrading across all their 78 stations in London and the South East.

First Capital Connect Toilet facilities Upgrading

It may not be the most glamorous aspect of railway management, but the fact remains that providing decent washroom facilities is a crucial part of service to customers. First Capital Connect know because they asked them and the improvements they ’ve made as a result form our biggest station investment since they took over the franchise in 2006.

The new toilet facilities mark the beginning of a five-year, £8 million, network-wide Station Improvements Programme that will see extensive upgrading across all their 78 stations in London and the South East.

Early 2007 saw the opening of refurbished toilets at two stations – Welwyn Garden City and Elstree & Borehamwood – designed with the environment and the customer experience in mind:

• The use of sensor flow taps could mean a drastic overall reduction – up to 50 percent – in the stations’ annual water consumption. And they reduce the likelihood of toilet closure due to flooding or blockages.
• Motion sensitive lighting could cut station energy use by 40 per cent a year.
• The toilets have been completely stripped out, and new panels, flooring and ceilings installed.
• All paintwork has been refreshed, and customers are guaranteed an entirely new look to enjoy when nature calls!
  

First Capital Connect Heritage Protection

First Capital Connect was delighted to win the National Railway Heritage Restoration Award for its work on Downham Market station.

Downham Market was built 160 years ago, and up to a couple of years ago lacked facilities. With much hard work, the station has been transformed into a real asset to the local community.

A number of major improvements have been made to the station, including the opening of a cafe and sub-post office, the introduction of 50 additional car parking spaces and landscaping works. The station now boasts a plaque commemorating the excellent new facilities and the teamwork that made it happen.

Further improvements include the installation of an additional ticket machine, better signage, extra customer information poster boards, CCTV and Help Points linked to a 24/7 monitoring centre.

First Capital Connect Reducing Crime

Although crime on the railways is actually very low first Capital Connect are always looking for ways to reduce crime, and the fear of it, on their stations and trains. As part of this effort:

• They invest nearly £1m a year in funding 24 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and five police officers to patrol the network.
• They ’re installing ticket gates at 14 stations and recruiting an extra 65 staff.
• They also work closely with the British Transport Police (BTP) on issues ranging from theft to personal security and anti-social behaviour.
  

First Capital Connect Automatic Ticket Gates

In 2007, First Capital Connect installed automatic ticket gates at Blackfriars, City Thameslink and Stevenage stations, as part of their ongoing effort to reduce ‘ticketless travel’ across the network.

‘Ticketless travel’ may sound harmless, but it costs the industry a whopping £200m a year. The gates ensure that customers who’ve bought the right ticket for their journey don’t end up subsidising those who haven’t.

The gates include one wide aisle to give easy access to customers with pushchairs, luggage or bicycles.

First Capital Connect Station Cleaning

To further improve standards of cleanliness at their stations, First Capital Connect have outsourced this important function to a specialist company. The company provides daily, high-level and periodic deep cleaning, enabling us to increase the number of cleaning hours and accelerate the delivery of noticeable improvements for our customers and staff.

No member of their existing cleaning staff was made redundant as a result of the new arrangement and all were able to transfer to the new company with no change to their terms and conditions.

First Capital Connect and Eurostar

First Capital Connect and Eurostar, the international high-speed train operator, announced the introduction of through rail fares to mainland Europe that will be available to customers travelling from 15 First Capital Connect stations.

First Capital Connect customers travelling from certain stations will be able to buy through tickets for return travel to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Resort Paris, and 75 connecting destinations in France and to any station in Belgium.

City-centre to city-centre journey times by train will, in many cases, match or even be faster than travelling by plane. Customers can enjoy the time-saving advantages of no longer having to travel to and from out-of town airports, only half-hour check-in (10 minutes for business travellers) for Eurostar services, and no need to wait to collect baggage.

The First Capital Connect stations offering this service from 14 November 2007 will be Hitchin, Huntingdon, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Royston, Letchworth, St Albans, King’s Lynn, Ely, Cambridge, Bedford, Stevenage, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway.

Return fares to Paris/Brussels from these stations will start from between £67 and £79.