Your pass is for First Class on any UK train. If you have a second class ticket you can upgrade to Standard Premium (A hybrid between Standard (2nd Class) and First Class ) onboard.

In Avanti First Class there is a food and drink service, varying on distance and time.

On Eurostar the equivalent for First Class is also called Standard Premium.

Do not expect to much from a ´hot´ meal- a bacon sandwich also classifies as that for brekkie. You wont get like airline -beeznes style. You can also have access to the 1st cl lounges on all main stations in GB-there might be a better offer thee, but this varies with company and time of day.

On the continent of EUR you may only get some free cf/T/OJ if lucky-limited to mostly the Scandin. countries.

https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/onboard/first-class/first-class-menus

Some more info on Avanti First Class menus.

Just reserved two first class seats on the outward and return leg (Preston to Euston -- Euston to Preston) , on Avanti West Coast. I have a first class Interrail Global Pass so assumed that would suffice for first class travel on UK trains. Just seen a post that suggests Avanti only allow Standard Premium reservation with a first class pass. What is also confusing is that the seating plan on the pendolino gives a number of carriages with first/sp above them apart from K. So, is first class and standard premium seating in those cars the same but you don't get the complimentary refreshments with SP. Or are there different seats in each carriage relating to the class one is travelling on?

Long winded I know but trying to avoid an embarrassing situation when seated and the train is in motion. As you might have guessed we are first time pass holders so any help/advice would be most welcome.

Bill Lowe.

No problem - your first class pass will be fine for a first class seat. Standard Premier is a hybrid for second class passengers paying a supplement - so they get first class seating with second class service.

The confusion with Standard Premier is Eurostar do not call their seats first or second class, and their equivalent for First Class pass holders is Standard Premier. 

There is no question over it, 1st class tickets including passes are valid for 1st in all UK trains that have it.

On the Avanti Pendolino sets there is 2 classes of seating standard and 1st, depending on the train there can be either 3 or 4 first class carriages, they use some of the 1st class coaches for standard premium, the number used varies by day/time/train.

The only way of telling the difference is the 1st or standard premium writing on the headrest covers on the seats which they change.

The only difference is the complementary catering, this is only offered in the designated 1st class coaches.

Thanks to Yorkie and Al _G. 

My appreciation for your input.

Bill L.

Today @Euston station I asked at the ticket office about the need to reserve a seat from Birmingham to Euston as the first part of our  European journey with a 1st class inter rail pass and was told I did not need to reserve a seat. Is this correct as the interrail pass says a seat reservation is needed. Has anyone experience of this?

Thanks 

Paul O

This is correct - in the UK reservations are optional, not mandatory.

However since they are free and many trains fill rapidly with passengers with reservation they are highly recommended.

There have been many posts on this and Interrail still haven’t corrected it in the planner.

@Yorkie thank you that’s really helpful

Avanti (and a few others such as LNER) still haven't corrected their timetable data either :/