My Mother is currently travelling from Exeter to Leeds First Class with Cross Country as a treat....... I am so lost for words at what a joke this is that I would suggest to anyone having to travel with Cross Country would be better sitting on the roof of the Train. This is not first class. They have no stock of food, the seating is a free for all for anyone of any ticket status to sit at if they cant find a different seat. It is an absolute waste of money.... The management couldn't care less. I would suggest to anyone travelling with this service they they just travel on the cheapest ticket possible and then sit in First class anyway...apparently that's just what is happening today...

Imagine my horror and dismay at being turned away at the Virgin Business Lounge at Piccadilly Train Station for believing my ticket to Newton Abbot was actually a Virgin train ticket instead as I learned just merely a Cross Country train. The train journey was admittedly stress and drama dree wih oodles of legroom. It paid to travel by first class due to my height and the 5 hr trip. Staff very pleasant but any complimentary items more than biscuits and slices of fruit cakes they seemed to keep it under their hat that they can be ordered. Bit tight really eh?? But I kept asking and got my fill. A yoghurt, a cream tea and bag of crisp. Ha!!

I commute from Taunton to Bristol for work, first class. The catering is virtually non existent. The menu offers a range of hot and cold drinks, but only when they can be bothered to serve you. Most of the time you just get told "the catering trolley is in coach F, go and buy a coffee off that" If you ask the staff for something they look at you like you're something they have stepped in. And then give you a long list of excuses for why they can't do their job. The best one I have heard so far: I don't have the clearance to use the kettle!!! I did once ask if I could take a coffee to go, and the women who made it put the cup full of hot coffee in a paper bag, sideways!! So instead of drinking the coffee I got to wear it!! Now that is special treatment right?? Coming back I usually get told they have no cold drinks left or food. And the wifi isn't working. Again more than worth the £500+ a month I have to spend on the tickets. As for the timing?? One day last week my train home was on time, the shock nearly killed me!! And don't get me started on the dreadful overcrowding!! People sitting on the floor, on suitcases. While first class has 3 people in it, and they still can't serve those three people !! Their website "delayed by more than half an hour claim compensation here, don't bother I have submitted 5 In the last 2 months, they don't respond!! They do however have someone on twitter to "provide support" they will tell you a hundred different reasons for why theyre late/rude/useless/broken down, and none of it is ever their fault!! Worst company ever, I think their staff got jobs there after failing their Tescos exams !!!

I recently travelled between Southampton and Birmingham New St using Cross Country... what a mistake! The trains are only 4 cars which means you will likely have to stand for a good deal of your journey, if or when you manage to get a seat and squeeze in next to some other hapless traveler you will find a distinct lack of leg room, but don't worry by the time you reach your next stop you will probably be asked to move as "your" seat is probably reserved by another passenger up the line. Back to standing, oh well at least this way you don't get deep vein thrombosis. On the return leg the air conditioning wasn't working which affected my lunch. A dry cheese and ham sandwich, a melted aero bar and a cup of filter coffee... poor value at £6.30. The sandwich was "Hand Crafted" which I assume means it has been fondled by an immigrant or other low paid worker, it certainly wasn't Gordon Ramsey! I would recommend you either travel first class with reserve tickets or be prepared for a very unpleasant experience. I forgot to mention the noise of the train and the dirty toilets. Apart from that no complaints.

Just had the misfortune of travelling on the service between Birmingham and Derby. Overcrowded with the heating on full which appears the staff could do nothing about. In fact they were reduced to handing out bottles of water to cool people down. Not my first unpleasant experience travelling with this Company. If you can avoid them, do!

Should be zero. There is no aspect to the Crosscountry train service from Bristol Temple Meads to Leeds that I could commend. I have two complaints: 1) Primarily this is an intercity route but Crosscountry want to use it as a short-hop commuter run as well. The two types of sercice do bot mix well but Crosscountry want the business of both. They and up irking both sets of travellers. The bothered huffing and puffing of commuters as they shuffle along the narrow aisles to find a seats irritates the intercity travellers who have been on the train for hours. The intercity travellers who quite rightly have settled in to a seat for their journey irritate the commuters who are frustrated that there are no convenient aisle seats for them to plop into and they have to ask to sit near the window seats. Regular long distance travellers will know the limited air-conditioning on these trains only affects the aisle seats - which is why they choose to avoid the awkward and limited-space window seats. The solution to this first problem is simple - don't pick up passengers from the smaller towns: Burton on Trent, Derby, Chesterfield! Improve your service by leaving these passengers to the local commuter trains instead. Crosscountry should realise that Burton-on-Trent to Derby, or Derby to Chesterfield are commuter runs. 2) The second problem is litter. The solution Crosscountry have devised is to have an infrequent member of crew carry a plastic bag down the aisle shouting "any rubbish". These crew show no understanding of the cost of a ticket to ravel on this service and on two occasions I have been asked to pick up litter left behind by one of the short-hop commuters. On one occasion this was a sticky sweet wrapper from the floor, which I refused to do. The crew member then mutters some comment about how I clearly considered picking up litter a task beneath me. Well I pay over £230 for a ticket - I am not going to pick up another passengers discarded sticky sweet wrappers. Crosscountry would do well to recognise their behaviour of their crew is barely tolerable at times. I write this whilst travelling on a Crosscountry train and have just been asked to show my ticket for the third time. Usually it is only twice, on one occasion it was four times before Leeds. Crosscountry really know how to twist the knife.

Travelled from Leeds to Markinch, fife today with my mum nearly 80 years old.. Rubbish on table when we boarded. Staff were mostly friendly but not overly so. Air conditioning switched fully on. Had to wear jacket most of way. Asked member of staff if they could turn air conditioning a notch or two. She said all you have to do is ask. Fine - it got a touch warmer for a short time but was soon up to full again. I booked tickets in Feb. Won't bother to do that again as most people were just upgrading on Tain paying an extra £20. I would do that in future. So glad I did not pay the full whack on way down and decided on standard fare. First time first class and definitely not worth it! Must add on way down no hot drinks until finally all passengers had to go to back of train to buy overly priced not even nice coffee off the trolley. No buffet car. Bring back virgin trains

Arrived at Berwick station to find my train cancelled (& the following Cross Country service); had to wait whilst TWO Cross Country trains sailed through the station (one presumably the 'cancelled' train, the other the following service - no attempt to stop this to pick up waiting passengers; no mention of Delay & Repay at any stage; return journey 50 minutes late (for a 40 min trip - not bad); tickets checked, but no mention of compensation either.

Got on one there quite a few times. Seats a vile and smell. I pay for internet and it never ever works. If only I could pick train company to get each time otherwise I'd never ever get a cross country train sgain

Took a "crosscounrty train" from Leeds to Cheltenham Sheffield to Birmingham the Coach F on Sunday 19th arriving Chelt around 10pm The coach was like a sauna! sweating people taking of jackets and jumpers. Train manager made a joke about it, but did not sort out water for the coach when asked. It was truly terrible They take your money for bad service

Travelled on the 14.02 tamworth to cheltenham spa. Tried to get the 10.02 but delayed then cancelled no further trains until 1pm...finally got the 14.02 when it turned up at 14.20. First class seat had someone else sitting in it...no reserved signs. Only two tables dirty. Sandwich and cup wrappers on empty seats and rubbish on the floor. I took photos. So far...been on train half an hour no drinks or snake offered. Not Seen a member of staff yet... Appalling.

Once you realise the entire carriage stinks to high Heaven of the chemical toilets at the end, you can apply your mind to little else.

Most businesses need customers and work hard to delight them and win their ongoing custom. Not westcountry trains. Miserable experience thanks to their staff..

Travelled with a a family member on the 17:05 Manchester to Cardiff train in first class. Train manager and staff member heard saying "they are looking at the menu, they are going to be a nightmare" - considering the rest of the cabin was empty it was clear who they were talking about. One of the members of staff was the train manager who acted like a child when caught out - rolling his eyes and frowning while stating he would get a manager - strange thing to say when you are the manager, absolutely disgusted.

I was on the Birmingham new street service to Manchester picaddily line 3 passengers including myself in the first class carriage I was offered one drink and no snacks, no staff came round for snacks, the staff sat behind me and had conversations amongst them selves and where eating the snacks Awful behaviour

We were on the Edinburgh to Ncle evening train on 05.12.16. The staff were apologetic to a certain degree. What did they apologise for? Understaffed, very little snacks, the disgraceful state of the train (uncleaned) to name but a few. We travelled 1st class but there was absolutely no benefits to this. Toilets were smelly and messy aswell. I will never travel on cross country again. Will we get a refund or compensation? I doubt it. We pointed out to the staff a few things and they said that we should complain, it is the only way for things to improve. Shocking. Absolutely shocking service. Were they bothered? Not really. The staff know how bad cross country actually are.

I travelled on the 9.44 train from Derby on Sunday 27 November 2016. It was quite busy when the train departed but at the next calling point and onwards many many people boarded. One of the passengers told me the previous train had been cancelled. People were standing and lying on the floor of the carriages. People were becoming very cross as then the seat indicators seemed to have stopped working and the train manager was uncontactable - somewhere on the train but couldn't get through the train, similarly refreshments - none available. People were tripping over luggage being helped by passengers, and it was a relief when I reached my distination and could disembark. An horrendous journey - the worst I have seen for some time.

Just boarded X country to Aberdeen. Waited for a train that was running late at what I thought was the stop for coach A. It wasnt so had to fight the length of the train with luggage because A was at the rear end. Complained to the ticket inspector about this only to be told the lettering was for Virgin trains but despite what he said this is not clear on the platform nor is it on the ticket reservation. Clearly a complaint he'd heard before because of the smug grin he had. Poor attitude. That said won't make the same mistake twice and will ensure I do travel Virgin next time. Journey just started so maybe more.

I was on my way home after purchasing a return ticket with my friends, with 20 minutes left until the train arrived. I carried the proof of purchase on the app on my phone carrying all details of payment, the seat, the carriage, the train and time. Even though, I had that proof I wasn't allowed through because I needed it on paper - not the app that they provided. The help desk were too busy on their phones to help, whilst the queue grew even larger. With 10 minutes left the help desk was finally functioning, yet they offered no help as the full information was not good enough- they only told me to buy another ticket. Unfortunately I only had £10 on me, which wasn't helpful since their ticket cost £15,thankfully a woman nearby saw me crying my eyes out and panicking and helped me. My friends were already over the barrier so they weren't able to help but I am thankful to them for waiting. The man on the tills then told me that I would have to rejoin the queue because even though the queues were joined, he only dealt with credit card payments of which I didn't have one. If it wasn't for a nearby woman helping me with the extra £5, I would still be stuck in a train station with no way to come home, as my family is far away. In the end the cashier workers took so long that my friends and I missed the train we were going to take. I had to pay extra for the ticket since it was made there and then, even though I had bought another ticket. In the end I bought 1 return ticket and 1 peak time ticket... even though there were no peak times after the time I would get. They left me in a crying, panicking mess with the only comment of 'go to the help desk' even though the help desk was literally no help whatsoever. I hope somebody has enjoyed the priority seat that I had payed for though, whilst I hopefully even get a seat on the train.