written by on 27/09/2021
Someone was supposed to call my partners oap and disabled parents but has such a level of contempt for the passengers that pay to use his services that he seemed almost proud when he told me that buying a ticket doesn't mean you get to sit down on his trains!!! They miss handled the complaint and have ignored two oaps who got crammed onto one of these trains like cattle!!!
written by McNulty263 on 09/04/2018
You’re quicker walking. This train company is extremely consistent in its shoddy service and cancelled journeys.
written by jenniferhaz123 on 23/11/2017
5 weeks after my train was cancelled Ive still not got a refund. Takes them over 2 weeks to reply to an email so i have wriiten to them too. still no response disgusting customer service
written by DGETH on 28/10/2017
Arriva Trains Wales appear to have given up completely. Trying to get home from Crewe a few weeks ago, the train left the station and then shunted back into a bay platform. The reason? The driver was actually at Chester and was having to take a taxi to Crewe! You can't make this sort of thing up. Now tonight as I write, My wife is stuck at Shrewsbury with the same problem - no train crew. She's reported to me that the station was overrun with drunks while the staff were busy drinking tea. How has it come to this? Because Arriva got the gig on a projected forecast of 0% growth through the life of the contract, decided to provide the minimum in the way of infrastructure and using the service as a cash cow - maximum profit for minimum outlay. When a train is late, drivers make absolutely no attempt to regain time. If there is a problem outside of business hours, there's no one at Arriva in Cardiff to make any decisions, so the result is chaos - no-one takes responsibility or action. The customer service online department comes up with anodyne nonsense such as 'there are no quick or easy answers' - but they're lying. They could get more rolling stock (150 miles plus travel to Holyhead in a 2 coach knackered suburban set is truly third world) and get their drivers to pick up any lost minutes. The fact is that they don't give a fig any more. They've had the cheek to put in a bid to continue their franchise, but the evidence suggests that they don't expect it to be renewed in 2018. The rains are breaking down just about every other day somewhere on the system: inadequate maintenance and cleaning, and no spare capacity to cover anything. Staff morale must be in the toilet. One final thing: despite what they say on their website about complaints forms being available at stations that sell tickets (ie with a genuine human being there) my local station of Ludlow had two big boxes of them that went almost immediately. They haven't seen any since then, which sums it all up. They can't even give refunds competently!
written by Glenni229 on 05/09/2017
The guards have no compassion. They train is delayed they've reduced it to 2 carriages at rush hour. As a working parent trying to get home unfortunately the end of the line in Rhymney to be told to wait 30 mis for the next train despite childcare reasons to need to get home. Expensive service Unhygienic unhelpful UNRELIABLE. Each week its a new delay No response to complaints. If I had another way to get to work I would take it.
written by Michyloulou on 30/08/2017
Played over 75 pound on my ticket to stand by the doors with a three month old baby and a 2 year old for four and a half hours absolutely disgusting the train ticket prices are beyond and for what to stand all the way squashed next to people you don't know like sardines smelling a toilet that looks like it has never been cleaned never would I travel on train again
written by Mosesf317 on 07/08/2017
Very unhygienic the trays that you eat are disgusting and the floor Is very dirty with food rappers and the whole train smells
written by slightestvision on 18/07/2017
Dangerous overcrowding on dirty old trains from New Street. Standing all the way through the carriages, God knows what would happen if there was an accident. People pay for this, how they do it every day is beyond me. Fortunately I don't have to. No refreshments, no guard to be seen, a 7-month delay when claiming compensation for delayed trains caused by drivers not turning up for work. It's just depressing really and gives the impression they don't really care. Can't think of a worse company for customer service. Hope they lose the franchise.
written by train_user21 on 11/05/2017
Arriva trains Wales are by far the worst train company I have ever had to use. With shoddy excuses, to shoddy trains which break down causing delays to thousands daily. If you are lucky to get on the train, you are almost just as unlucky to be met by Transport investigations Limited (revenue protection) acting on behalf of ATW who will treat you like a pig. These are thugs with no power to detain or touch you in forcing you to remain. You are always urged to complain to customer relations, however please accept a 7 month wait for a response as cases from December 2016 are now being handled as confirmed by the companies twitter which is also run by glorified customer service parasites. With the cost of a ticket going up, the train capacity comes down with 2 carriages to be expected on most services.
written by Quinnv117 on 21/04/2017
No one could imagine how bad this company is. Late trains constantly. Cancellations too numerous to be genuine. Just a feeble excuse for Arriva being clueless on how to serve the paying public. Passengers treated with no respect. Just continue to pay and suffer. Passengers need to demonstrate and embarrass the Welsh Government to take action and give people a train service that can provide a service.
written by Kallie207 on 23/02/2017
Unfortunately the third time I have travelled on this line - Crewe to Cardiff (return) and also Chester to Cardiff (return. On each occasion there has not been enough room for passengers with them being forced to sit on their cases or on the floor. Sometimes there isn't even enough room to sit on the floor and people have to stand in order to allow other passengers onboard. As the length of journey time is roughly three hours you can imagine how uncomfortable this can be. On my return yesterday I did note that a member of Staff was recording the number of people on the train so I hope in the future they will realise that a third carriage on this Service is an absolute necessity. On a brighter note the member of Staff who was serving drinks and snacks on the train was an absolute star. He had a lovely disposition and helped to raise the passenger mood. I think it would be helpful if you could be advised if any train is available with three carriages instead of two.
written by Alannahk120 on 21/02/2017
I have travelled 3 times to Cardiff from either Crewe or Chester. On all occasions the carriages are very packed out with passengers many of whom have to sit on their own cases. On other occasions I have seen that people have to sit on the floor and in extreme cases they have to stand to allow further passengers to board the train! I travelled from Cardiff to Crewe yesterday and saw that a member of Staff was counting the number of passengers onboard. I hope that this was an indication that Arriva are finally realising that another carriage needs to be added to the train. On a brighter note the member of Staff who provided hot drinks and snacks was an absolute and he was the only thing that could manage to lift the mood on a depressing journey.
written by Alannahk120 on 21/02/2017
I have travelled 3 times to Cardiff from either Crewe or Chester. On all occasions the carriages are very packed out with passengers many of whom have to sit on their own cases. On other occasions I have seen that people have to sit on the floor and in extreme cases they have to stand to allow further passengers to board the train! I travelled from Cardiff to Crewe yesterday and saw that a member of Staff was counting the number of passengers onboard. I hope that this was an indication that Arriva are finally realising that another carriage needs to be added to the train. On a brighter note the member of Staff who provided hot drinks and snacks was an absolute and he was the only thing that could manage to lift the mood on a depressing journey.
written by KaylenHowe on 15/02/2017
Very poor all round. Late and cancelled trains. Old rolling stock. Not fit for purpose. Badly run.
written by Marco75uk on 02/01/2017
Really terrible service..I have been everywhere in the world, India, Pakistan, anyone else have a better rail company. Atrocious..how can they charge you?
written by 96Curtis on 11/12/2016
Arriva trains is the worst train company out there . Trains never run on time always delays. And a absolutely waste of money and they rip people off . For the rubbish service they give to there customers. Travel ever day on ebbw vale train . Trains never run on time . Always cancelled trains . Delays absolutely rubbish service. Sick of wasting hard worked money on rubbish. And arriva train service is that . I give them not even half a star for there service
written by MylesBrown on 24/11/2016
Your train service is the most unreliable public transport! I get a train daily from Barry to Cardiff bay even though I have now had to get a new job because your lack of timekeeping got me sacked! You're trains are hardly ever on time so you have to get the train before the one you actually need all because you find it so hard to keep to a schedule and then you occasionally get that train that is so late it's cancelled and when you're stood at the train station absolutely freezing the train drives past with only a handful of people on its just a joke! You know how busy the morning trains are yet still choose to only put 2 carriages on making everybody stand so close together that if you so much as move you'll be pushing someone out of the way! You also pay your train staff God knows how much money to do what? Sit at the back or front of the train doing absolutely nothing yet if you don't have a valid ticket you get fined? Why don't you concentrate on making sure your staff are doing what they are paid to do rather than getting revenue people to try catch people put because at the end of the day if the staff were doing what they are paid to do then people wouldn't be getting fined!
written by cpurpuri on 06/11/2016
I'm writing on behalf of my Father. The trains from lisvane / thonhill to Cardiff bay and vise versa are frequently late. I'm countless occasions he has been over an hour late for work in the morning. Returning home he is often very late making him late for his second job, not mentioning how much money he has lost. What's makes matters worse is that after writing to arrive trains wales I had no reply. With the amount the trains cost I think the service is appalling.
written by flShields186 on 03/11/2016
Got onto the train from treforest to pontypridd, card was not working in the ticket machine so jumped on the train expecting the train guard to come around he went straight back into his cabin. got off in pontypridd queuing to pay for my ticket when a man came behind me, refused to let me pay for my ticket Evan though i was in a paying que he was trying to make out as if i was train jumping. Shambles its disgusting how they approach you he made me out to be a criminal, never use trains again. and i will be taking this further, the guy was rude and had disgusting behavior. shocking
written by Gamwtatrenasas on 02/11/2016
Filthy coaches, overpriced tickets, trains leaving earlier or much later.
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Nothappypersonage's Response to Michyloulou's Review
Written on: 01/09/2017
I agree, my train journey on Norhern trains was the same, I had to stand all the way to my destination and was squashed in like a sardine, conductor was not able to issue tickets as he was confined to his cabin and was only able to open and close the doors!! Still waiting for a reply from Northern trains since sending in my letter cheque and a copy of the e mail customer solutions sent me, have phoned them, customer services must have been half awake when I called. I suffer from GAD and thanks to them I am having to seek counselling.
Michyloulou's reply to Nothappypersonage's Comment
Written on: 01/09/2017
Absolutely disgusting and the cheek to charge what they do to travel on a train to stand and be be squashed all the way never again for me hope u get better soon so awful