CrossCountry Trains Reviews 

Delayed trains over priced just getting worse by days 😕 never again using this train service

Friday 17th July Southampton to Manchester direct. Pleasant journey. Seats were fine, after reading reviews I was a bit worried.. staff all nice. Slight delay, 12 mins late. Over all very happy. Will do a return on Tuesday.

It was not CC’s fault that the train was late but as usual we waited on the platform dreading its arrival, as we have no other options but to use this truly appalling company. The oft repeated announcement ‘We should have 8 carriages but only have 4’ has become almost standard and the resultant overcrowding means that passengers cannot get to their reserved seats, are standing in the aisles with luggage piled up. Toilets are impossible to reach - should you wish to risk them - and people who have paid serious money for long nightmare journeys are expected to find this acceptable. Yesterday we had the added joy of no air con - indeed the system was pumping out hot air - during the current heatwave. There must have been a grave risk to the elderly. How are allowed to do this and still take profits but not be sued? The staff do their best and are pleasant, but helpless.

Travelled return off peak via Oxford from Stratford upon Avon to Goring on Monday 13 return 17 July. Cost nearly £90 for ticket. Had to stand near smelly toilets both journeys due to overcrowding on the Leamington to Reading (via Oxford ) stretch. Return was delayed over 2 hours due to points failure in Oxford area.

How can they get away with putting on 3 carriages to one of the biggest citys in the uk in birmingham when the trains are always overcrowded and never anywhere to sit , put on more carridges!!!

Will never travel with them again. Travelled first class 13.07.26. seats were not too clean. Nor are they comfortable. There were passengers who had been double booked. No catering on train until trolley service 2 hours in to journey. It's obvious any profits made are not going in to upkeep of trains and in to owners pockets who are a Miami based infrastructure investment Manager I SQUARED.

This has got to be the worst train company in the country. Grubby, overcrowded, hardly any room for luggage so people having to have their luggage in the isles and many people standing I have never experienced such CHAOS!!! So overpriced. From York to Dundee, no refreshments available to purchase at all.

I WILL NEVER BOOK A TRAIN WITH THIS COMPANY AGAIN!!! I WILL PAY MORE TO AVOID THEM.

Horrible journey
Edinburgh to Penzance.
Insufficient carriages (only 4)
Too many passengers for the number of seats.
Only 1 of 4 toilets working.
Air conditioning not effective in summer heat 30 degrees
Late arrival - more than 1 hour delayed

As usual, pay loads extra for 1st class so that not having lots of standing people accidently bashing into your face while you sit squashed in. Edin to Birm - no hot water, no food, excuses everytime. do this journey 4 times p/yr. Same every time. How am I meant to struggle with lots of luggage and bring food and drink for a very long journey. Rude staff said bring your own. I wld if I couold manange to carrydrinks & meal for a long jouney. Told that no coffee/food - its complimentary. But they manage to get food/water inot the paying section but u cant get there as train overcrowded. And the toilets stink.

I'm 75 years old & missed the return leg on a prebooked journey from my Chesterfield home to Leeds @ £10 to Leeds via Northern Trains & back @ £13.50 via CrossCountry Trains. I missed the return train due to confusion firstly to find the entrance to Leeds Station obscured & disguised by a maze of construction barriers & cones & secondly by that Leeds has 'multiple platforms' on one platform. e.g. 17, 17a, 17b, 17c. At the Ticket Office, despite best efforts by the staff, there was no CrossCountry compromise, alternative or sympathy & I was compelled to pay the extra £21.90 for a ticket to get home. So £21.90 + £13.50 for a little over an hour ride. Next journey I'll try the options to rail!

Cross country trains have a serious problem with overcrowding and its been going on years .
You need more capacity.

Saturday 11th July the Liskeard Cornwall to Birmingham train had only 4 of its 8 coaches. Spent 10 minutes getting onto the train because of the numbers of passengers standing and the complete lack of adequate luggage storage to reach my occupied booked seat. Return journey on 13th even worse with many people standing through all the 5 carriages right through to Liskeard. I will drive to Scotland on my next trip rather than go through this horror again.

Train between Cheltenham and Exeter broke down south of Gloucester . Stationary for about 3 hours before a relief train arrived which took ages to board from the broken down train. The train returned to Gloucester before continuing to Plymouth.

I missed a graduation ceremony in Exeter, so I returned to my home station of Kemble. Train crowded and looked tired. Toilets not working. A miserable experience

Really poor service between Stamford and Peterborough, my train is late most mornings making me late for work and often up to 25-30 minutes late or cancelled when trying to get home. All this for around £50 a week for a season ticket which is a disgusting price considering the really awful service. Half that price would still be a stretch if your trains are only going to be on time every one in 4-5 trains in my experience.

They really need to run more than one train per hour between these stations,I find it baffling they don’t offer this already considering this train travels between Stansted Airport and Birmingham, two major destinations.

Without any explanation train stopped at station partway through journey. On board info screen said it was going whole distance but driver said no further without any reason or explanation. Station staff not their employees so couldn't explain. Finally got another train after 60 minutes wait. No apology, no customer service...an utter disgrace. Later discovered no guard available hence the cancellation . But train, now empty apart from driver, continued to my destination without passengers. It's why railways in England have such a rubbish reputation.

Here we go again. 4 hour journey. Paid first class and guess what no catering available- again

No drinks - assumed it would be provided

Many old people using this train it’s just a disgrace

Awful
Always cancelling trains
Trains delayed
Trains over crowded
Over priced tickets
Hard to get a refund
I use to take train to see family every 2 weeks but cut it down to every two months due to how awful the trains are

My 80+ year old mum has to travel 6 hours back to Aberdeen in heatwave. No choice on transport options or timing. No aircon. I travelled in last month’s heatwave, aircon not working on many carriages. Inhumane. Why can’t they just fix it.

Overcrowded, woeful air conditioning, so bad toud think there was none . Nothing else needs to be said in the height of summer when it's 33 degrees outside.

Consistently awful. Always massively overcrowded, usually some lame excuse for it but always the same. No seats, you shouldn’t have to pay!!
Exeter to Edinburgh, get your act together!!