Great Northern Reviews 

252
TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

1.5

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 53 reviews, most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Travelers frequently report that regional trains are constantly delayed or cancelled without proper warning, leaving daily commuters stranded on dark platforms for extended periods. Consumers also strongly emphasize that standard ticket prices are extremely expensive considering the consistently poor quality and inefficient management of the entire railway network. Though some customers experienced severe disruptions, a few reviewers praised individual staff members for offering exceptionally kind and helpful assistance during difficult travel situations. Passengers additionally noted that unexpected schedule changes frequently ruin daily commutes and consistently cause missed professional appointments across the entire region.

What people talk about most

Service

Reviewers highlight negative aspects of service, consistently reporting widespread unreliability, frequent... See more

Staff

Consumers express deep frustration and dissatisfaction regarding the staff and general crew availability.... See more

Cancellation

Customers consistently note negative experiences with cancellation, pointing to an unreliable service and... See more

Location

Clients share ambiguous opinions on location, experiencing long journeys from London stations like King's... See more

Price

Customers had negative experiences with price, consistently reporting that train tickets are far from cheap... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

A company ran by the most clueless useless members of staff. Good luck trying to get an answer out of an easy question like "excuse me is this train running?" or "does this train stop at ____?". Inste... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Trains from Cambridge to Kings Cross are often delayed. The information board will say that a train is running just 3 or 4 minutes late, but when it does arrive slightly late at Cambridge, it just sit... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Less than zero. Abysmal in every way, trains service is unreliable, expensive and utterly inefficient. We pay a kings randsome for an unfit, poorly managed service. They could not arrange a piss up i... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Shockingly bad service from this train operator. Trains mainly late or cancelled with regular claim that either staff haven`t turned up or signals faulty. Andy Burnham has completely failed in impro... See more


1.5

Bad

TrustScore 1.5 out of 5

252 reviews

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1.5

All reviews

(252)

54 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Great northern disaster

Paid £31 for no seat. My 10 and 7yr old kids sat in a luggage rack. Train was rammed. This is a massive warning to never get a peak time train with “great”Northern trains. DARE:travel on the 5:10pm service to Ely don’t reserve a seat. You will understand why.

October 20, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Negative 10

If I could give this a negative 10 I would. Unbelievably bad and the amount they charge for tickets and for near daily delays and cancellations is almost criminal. Commuting into and out of London is bad enough, but this service makes it a hundred times worse.

October 14, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

So bad it's almost indescribable.

The only thing reliable about this pathetic excuse of a train service is its unreliability. Delays and cancellations to services are so common they're always expected, the train fares are absolutely extortionate especially given how terrible the services are, the quality of the trains are atrocious and staff are often rude and unhelpful. This is coming from someone who has had the misfortunate of using this abomination of a train service for the past 15 years.

September 27, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

16.39 Kings Cross to Cambridge/Kings…

16.39 Kings Cross to Cambridge/Kings Lynn Monday 30 Sept 2024 was diabolical. Everyone was kept waiting at Kings Cross with no platform announcement as the minutes ticked by, past the timetables departure time. Then told to go to Platform 8 (no extra tickets gates open to cope with sudden rush, no staff on hand to help less able passengers) where there were lots of locked carriages. Then queued up again outside locked train while more minutes ticked by. Then platform staff walked up the platform, initially saying front coaches were for Kings Lynn - OK, no need to move as I was only going to Cambridge. More minutes tick by as we queue up outside locked doors. Then another staff member wanders by now saying only the front four coaches are going to depart. Unholy rush up to far end of platform to now grossly overcrowded front four coaches. Squeeze on, along with lots of other poor fellow passengers. Our little half train finally departs about 15 minutes late with everybody packed in tight. Train driver gives incoherent non-apology about not enough carriages having left the depot. No apology whatsoever for delay, lack of clear and timely info from platform staff, locked carriages or severe overcrowding. Absolute rubbish experience for a huge ticket price. Operational problems happen but why do they have to be so nasty to passengers on how they handle these problems, always sending the message that they don't care and we don't matter. They can only get away with it because we have no choice.

September 30, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

SO SO UNRELIABLE

Just awful customer service. Didn't inform that the train to the airport was cancelled. I had to go to the staff member at the ticket entrance to ask and they said its cancelled no driver........... I can't stand this system that charges travellers fares that are reasonable but steadily increasing all the time and soon to be unreasonable, but cannot invest is a more stable system. Pay more drivers! Ensure that the workers show up to work by paying more and creating better working conditions. Have systems in place to prevent entire journeys from being CANCELLED. Every day in London theres an issue with the train it's infuriating I can't faking stand it. I'm getting a faking car

September 24, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Minus five stars

The most annoying rail operator. Mysterious incidents of train traction occur mainly on weekends. Probably the broken traction is called 'John who had a good party'. Start hiring people who care about their jobs!

August 10, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Why is it whenever I take the Northern…

Why is it whenever I take the Northern line is there always an issue, always delays and yet when we pay more for our transportation than other country in Europe! Also never any explanation of why there's delays? To make this work I have to take an extra hour out of my day to compensate for their inadequacies! What a JOKE!!! and you want us to reduce driving ??!!!

July 31, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Quick & Efficient

My query was answered swiftly and efficiently by Abdul, and I was able to get everything I need without much hassle. I highly recommend Great Northern Railways to any and everyone... F.I.

July 31, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Chaos no explanation

There’s an incident - no problem, can’t be avoided. They took us off the train at Welwyn and told us to go to the basement where taxis will be provided.. got to the basement there’s no taxis, 100s of people, no explanation. Staff telling people to go away when they ask what’s supposed to be happening

July 25, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Must be a negative 5 stars review.

Daily delays and cancellations of trains. The most unreliable train company in UK. This company is the main reason that I am loosing money daily because I am going late on my work place, or I am paying 60£ taxi to return back home because they used to cancel the late night trains. Meanwhile, because they have the monopoly from Ely to Kings Lynn, they are asking double price for the tickets compared with other train company for the same distance routes. The government must shut their services.

July 22, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Pay up for delay-repay

Ok, affected by what was probably a nationwide screw-up by Crowdstrike, but to then withhold delay-repay (probably because their systems are giving them false data) is unforgivable.

A 20-minute journey took 2.5 hours.

July 18, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I would give 0 stars if it would be…

I would give 0 stars if it would be possible. Every day something is happening for cancellation or delay. It’s either shortage of staff, signal failure or the strikes that went on forever. Every morning we have to check if it’s working or not. If yes that’s a miracle. This week when it rained the train stopped working at Alexandra Palace. Today it’s hot outside they don’t work again. The worst train line ever. With a monthly travelcard no trains

July 18, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Appalling and useless

The seats are very uncomfortable and the trains invariably late. Last week my train from Cambridge was 45 minutes late into London but they have only compensated me for a 15 minute delay. Yesterday evening a broken down train at Hitchin meant it took more than four hours to travel from Cambridge to London. Promised replacement buses at Letchworth never arrived. Had to go back to Cambridge to get the (much better) Greater Anglia service to Liverpool Street. No doubt the CEO of Great Northern is getting a massive bonus. He (or she) should be made to travel on their own trains.

June 10, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

1 star is too generous

Genuinely the worst service I have ever experienced in my life. I am 19 and commute everyday and the ridiculous overpriced train fares take 1/3 of my entire salary. The are delayed or cancelled far more than they are on time, I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve had a whole day of on-time trains. Ticket inspectors are incredibly rude and unfair, they couldn’t care less if you have a reasonable excuse for having the wrong ticket/ railcard and will fine you anyway. For the insane prices you would expect a half decent experience in terms of comfort but the trains are dirty all the time and I can’t remember the last time I’ve got a seat at peak times. If you can avoid ever using this service then DO. Daylight robbery.

June 3, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This time last year I attended the same…

This time last year I attended the same event as today GNR cancelled my train back leaving me stranded in London and a £220 hotel bill for an over night stay. Today at 11.20, 3mins before my train wS supposed to leave they cancelled it due to a fault on the train! LNER for me in future!!!!

May 13, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Never on time

Never on time, staff on platforms have no idea and just use their mobile phones/national rail app that everyone has. Continuing failure and expensive. Really should be chucked off franchise.

April 29, 2024
Unprompted review

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