written by thelight on 16/10/2016
I use Cross Country primarily for the Newcastle to Birmingham route.
The main issue is not with customer service, the staff are generally very friendly and professional, but with the trains themselves.
They are cramped, hot, overcrowded and the seats incredibly uncomfortable. I compare this with the old trains which run the East Coast mainline from Newcastle to London which are airy and much more comfortable despite being considerably older.
The smell from the toilets often seems to drift right through the carriages as well which is pretty unpleasant.