HOW BAD ARE THEY? Crosscounty trains 1st class review Aberdeen to Edinburgh. 1ST CLASS COMPARISON

[@robinjones6999]

Charging a pound extra for ticket collection is obscene

[@DanFMDatabases]

that's why they want everyone to pick mobile/etickets which are free, so paper tickets go obsolete and they can close Ticket Offices

[@robinjones6999]

@@DanFMDatabases I take your point Dan but these tickets are not from a ticket office but an Un manned machine -

[@DanFMDatabases]

@@robinjones6999 that's what I'm saying, they are pushing you to use the free mobile tickets option when ordering online rather than collecting from the station (from the Ticket Machine or Ticket Office)

[@annabelholland]

You may wish to try EMR or GA (Greater Anglia), which uses the same UI as XC and Trainline (are they all related in some way?). They don't charge a booking fee and a ticket collection fee. Alternatively, just turn up at the machine or office. It feels odd booking thru EMR/GA for XC or another TOC, but remember that you can use one TOC for any UK train (except Eurostar).

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

@@DanFMDatabases Mobile tickets are not free to the passenger, we have to constatntly buy electricity to operate our phones. Well, those of us still mug enough to charge our phones at home!

[@steve-marsh]

A first class video in more ways than one! I like the idea for this mini series. I don't think I'd bother with Crosscountry First at the prices they charge, I think it's better to stick to Standard Class and just get through the journey as quickly as possible to be honest, although that being said, I've used them once on their longest journey and found it not too bad! Great video mate and a fair assessment.

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

I wont ruin the surprise, but of the five companies tested, only two had a decent service.

[@NGAF.]

​@@PlanesTrainsEverythingI think you just did...😊

[@NGAF.]

When is your next video Steve....tomorrow.?

[@yyyfffff33333]

Scott is becoming the Geoff Marshall of Scottish railways . Nice listening to someone you can trust !

[@DSTWizz]

"All the comforts of home" says the on-board sign; that'll be except for the carpets and the toilet pans, I suppose. Ah well. Thanks for taking us along, Scott. The views out were great!

[@andrewwilson6240]

I think that one of XCs biggest failures is acute / dangerous overcrowding. This shows up particularly in the Yorkshire sections and the Midlands. Imagine being in a sardine crush in the corridor by the very smelly toilet not knowing whether you can actually get through the crowds to alight. This is the reality for someone who commuted from New Street to Derby / Nottingham

[@Listenerandlearner870]

That's just what I found. When I go up north I avoid them.

[@wimcolet]

🤪 you so true. THis hell lol never pay more for 1 class. by cc and the food and drinking pffff... lol

[@buckstane]

I agree. I travelled from Taunton to Edinburgh on a Sunday 1st class - for most of the journey the overcrowding overspill extended into the 1st class carriage, making my journey most unpleasant. Even going to the toilet required you to step over bodies and push their luggage aside to allow entry to the toilet. Why the attendants did not eject the intruders is beyond me - that is surely a failure to provide a first class experience. I will never travel X-Country again. I subsequently found that travelling that same journey 1st class was £70 cheaper via London using GWR and LNER, and, 10 minutes quicker.

[@HSTHoward]

Even better now since they binned their 7 car HST fleet!

[@robertlanglands9161]

I agree with that overcrowding is an issue, the trains are too short. The two end units are marked A and F so there should be four carriages in between not the two or three they use. EMT can run proper six carriage trains so why not XC.

[@stephenmordey6371]

I recently travelled Cross Country first class from Newcastle to Birmingham. During the three hour journey over lunch time, nothing more substantial than crisps or biscuits was available to eat. Having got a cheap upgrade through Seat Frog I was left disappointed. Considering some of these First class seats are priced at hundreds of pounds, surely better catering should be provided.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

Once upon a time, most long- distance trains conveyed a Restaurant Car, available to ALL passengers, no matter what type of ticket they held. I would like to know whether starving passengers is a breach of the passengers' charter. Exceeding the seating capacity certainly is; it is also a breach of Health and Safety legislation.

[@TomCro73]

​@@andrewtaylor5984Not exactly - every train type is tested and certified to an additional standee capacity when fully seated. If you've evidence of regulations being breached, you should probably take it up with the H&S authorities. And if passengers choose to starve themselves, I hope there's no "charter" that compromises their right to do this! Even in the days of restaurant cars, supplies could run out or equipment fail. Personally, I board any train with enough provisions to last me the journey time and then some. Planning and self sufficiency are skillsets that serve me well.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

I am a retired Health and Safety officer, though not on the railways. Basically, an employer has to provide a safe working environment for everyone, including trespassers. Entry to stations can be restricted by the British Transport Police, or possibly station managers as well, to avoid overcrowding. Exceeding the seating capacity in cars, coaches, and aeroplanes is considered a danger to safety, so why should the railways be any different? I would say that exceeding the seating capacity breaches Health and Safety legislation. Something else needs to be considered. If you have a first-class ticket on a train scheduled to have first-class accommodation, and there is none, the difference between the two fares is refunded on the train. I have witnessed this. Standing passengers should get a full refund. As regards catering, bringing your own food is not a realistic solution. You are still restricted to cold snacks and finger food. You cannot carry knives in public, so that rules out a decent meal. I also find it offensive to be sitting next to people eating certain types of food. Stations are no better, with just a few exceptions. Who remembers the ghastly food hall at Euston? By contrast, you can get a decent meal at the Gare du Nord. Eating on the train is a good way of passing the time. Having to eat before or after the trip means extended journey times, or departure and arrival times may not coincide with normal meal hours. Buffet cars only serve cold snacks, and do not provide cutlery and crockery. There are times when prison inmates probably do better. We repeatedly read that train catering makes a loss. This must be because the product is wrong, the price is wrong, or both. With first-class ticket holders now getting free meals, receipts can only be going down. This can only make things worse for the majority. Weekend catering is drastically reduced; we all have to eat, no matter what day of the week it is. As you must be aware, the railways are in competition with road transport. Motorway service areas have a contractual obligation to provide a service every day of the year, including Christmas Day, although I will concede that facilities may be reduced then. And you can use all the facilities, irrespective of whether you arrive by car, bus, lorry, motorcycle, etc. The advantage of train travel is that you should be able to eat on the move. I think that the biggest mistake the railways made was to have catering on trains and on stations run by different bodies. The original set-up was eight levels of catering, three of which banned second-class ticket holders from the Restaurant Car, one other was almost non-existent, and the bottom level was the trolley.

[@harrygg8457]

Catering is subject to availability so you should be more grateful you received anything.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

@@harrygg8457 It used not to be like that. You could once get a decent meal on a long-distance train. The railways keep promising this, that, and the other, and never provide. Cold snacks off a trolley are not going to encourage people onto the railways.

[@gazuk2000]

I suffer from anxiety and depression and find your videos easy and relaxing to watch. You speck nice and softly and extremely understanding how you describe the service you resive. I enjoy mostly train videos as they are a massive passion of main. Thanks so much for making these videos. I'm looking forward to new videos, and I won't comment on all videos but will tick like button out of respect. But please rest assured your brilliant 👏 👍

[@harrierjames7727]

I have queried XC about the £1 ticket collection charge with them on Twitter. The response i got was it's because they don't manage any stations. Other TOCs that manage stations have a reciprocal agreement that customers can use whichever company's machine gratis. XC don't... Complete and utter privatised tosh.

[@SouthPaw1805]

More accurately, CrossCountry have to pay other train companies for ticket collection, but don't get any payments from other operators due to their lack of stations. They'd prefer you to use an e-ticket, which they offer free of charge because the cost is minimal.

[@watsonrail]

Easily pleased! As someone who regularly travels long distance in the UK by train Cross Country is one to be avoided wherever possible. The noise and vibration from the under floor power unit, the all pervading stench of urine and hot hydraulic oil, the uncomfortable seating and, in first class, the excuse for on train catering all conspire to make avoiding Cross Country where possible. As for the fares, more expensive than the competitors! Was once offered the "left over breakfast muffin" or a pack of crisps as the first class catering offering one evening from Derby to Waverley! When it comes to on train catering LNER come out on top (despite ever reducing standards from the days of GNER).

[@edf6607]

However bad it undoubtedly is, XC Voyager 1st class is better than Standard class....

[@suchcone]

So glad it's not just me that notices the noise and vibration. Sometimes I feel like I'm being overly picky not wanting to be carbonated on my journey. Awful trains - the 180 has the same engine and yet it glides (when it runs at all)

[@Glenn1967ful]

Had to use them once from York to Leeds, it was enough. Train was overcrowded, dirty and worn out. Actually the Northern Supersprinter from Leeds to Carlisle was better as it only had a few pasengers and had no pretentions like Cross Country and their glorified DMUs.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

The ECML catering went downhill after GNER lost the contract. The successors soon withdrew lunch from Restaurant Cars, because they said "nobody has lunch these days." Then we get the obnoxious situation which.gives first-class passengers a free meal, whilst second-class gets nothing but a buffet with a limited rage of grotty sandwiches, cakes, and biscuits. The Azumas have even less.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Very good Scott. On XC 1st Class I once made the mistake of asking for the scone and clotted cream, only to discover that the cream must have been clotting for half of my lifetime! I also used the lounge at Edinburgh Waverley - I was using an all-line Rover so was able to board any train I wished, and I said I hadn't decided yet. They let me in.

[@Gary85Paul]

I used to take Cross Country from Reading to Birmingham and Coventry pretty regularly for work. The route was always packed and I ended up using my own money to get out of the cramped standard class (where you'd often have to stand) and into first class. But even first class always felt unnecessarily cramped. I tried to get the airline style seats for a semblance of privacy and legroom. It was also always busy and the catering hit and miss. Sometimes you'd get a bacon roll, and sometimes they wouldn't even give you a smile - let alone any drinks or food.

[@Gary85Paul]

@@derektaylor2941 I must say that the Voyager and Pendolino seating is supremely uncomfortable. Narrow, no legroom, minimal padding.

[@Gary85Paul]

@@derektaylor2941 best seats I came across were in the 90s when we used to sneak into the separate first class cabins on old slam door trains! 😂 6 seats in their own little space.

[@LynnB_Ky]

An interesting video Scott. I’m not sure I would have given them such a high score, the toilet looked awful 😩 I thought your score was very generous. Thanks for sharing this. Always enjoy your videos by the way

[@shirleythurston4213]

The state of the washroom was so disgusting I would never travel with XC !! For First Class that is unacceptable to me, but Scott as always I love everything you do and I appreciate all your time and effort you put in to entertain us 😊

[@grangetowncardiff6935]

Its called a toilet.

[@shirleythurston4213]

Really?? How smart you are !!

[@grangetowncardiff6935]

Correct.@@shirleythurston4213

[@pnwlion9337]

That definitely made me want to get a coffee and a large sausage bap at the place in Aberdeen. Cruising altitude always achieved

[@prasenjitdey4222]

Watching it on utube is such a wonderful experience, enjoying the real journey must be at another level altogether!!! 🙏 Thank you sir.

[@Eurobazz]

Thanks Scott for the prolonged shot of the disgusting toilet bowl just as I was eating dinner.

[@kiwitrains]

Travelled with XC first class several times when in the UK and found them very good never found overcrowding in first class. 👍🇦🇺🇬🇧

[@ThamesShips]

Great video. Another advantage of LNER is that they allow you to choose your seat online so you won't be stuck with an aisle seat if you want to film!

[@walterfillingham]

If I travel say from Inverness to Edinburgh for the day, I always travel LNER First Class, it’s really good value when you consider you get a freshly cooked breakfast on the way down and hot meal coming back up along with loads of cold and hot drinks and snacks served throughout the journey. I would only ever travel LNER if going First Class, ScotRail and Crosscountry have a lot to learn from LNER. Having hot meals going down and back up gives me more time to enjoy exploring Edinburgh. the former entertainment system between the seats is from when these trains started life as Virgin Crosscountry, before mobile phones do everything they do now

[@JettTyler17]

Thanks for sharing Scott, I was meant to have done a video involving Cross Country from Bournemouth to Southampton, but the train was cancelled and I ended up on another train company. Nice to see what I missed out on... until the next time!!!

[@Martycycleman]

Cheers Scott, but where was "what could possibly go wrong"😮

[@stogieguy7]

That “what a mistaka to makeah” remark cracked me up! Fellow fan of Allo Allo, eh? Great review series, btw. I can’t see the added value of first class on this line, but perhaps others do.

[@DrDSCT]

Great content as always Scott and a very interesting mini series. I have used Cross Country to travel between Exeter and Aberdeen and it was horrendous - could not recommend that to anyone. So it is very interesting to see the difference first class makes and if it is worth the extra. Looking forward to seeing the other first class offerings. Cheers.

[@colin.d]

That was a relatively easy route, but wait until the train gets south of Newcastle it will likely be rammed. XC Voyagers inadequate capacity for demand.

[@annabelholland]

Cross Country (XC) Trains are not the best TOC. They are often overcrowded (more people than seats) due to short train lengths (3 cars) and can be the case during off peak times. This is the case between Cambridge and Ely or Peterborough. EMR also experiences this. Taking Great Northern/Thameslink (part if GTR) or Greater Anglia may be a better option although GA trains are also short (3-4 cars) but also more modern. I may still enjoy standing if its a short ride (

[@BalwinderSingh-w9m]

I like the wet-fart decor on the cludgie. Very thought provoking.

[@shuheisuzuki2180]

Very beautiful scenery, view and old cross country train cabin..;-)

[@awild10]

I remember when the Voyagers first came in under Virgin Cross Country and they were actually a massive improvement on the HST sets which had become rather tired. That infotainment system used to work too!

[@telmas7183]

I thought they were a backward step on the HST's. Give me a mark 3 coach any day with comfortable seats and no engine noise with its accompanying vibration and those high density airline style seating of the Voyagers! All this favoured the operator - not the passengers!

[@awild10]

@@telmas7183 maybe it was because I was only 16 and didn't need such comfy seats. Or maybe it was just because they were shiny and new!

[@telmas7183]

I suppose it's down to whatever 'floats ya boat' 😄@@awild10

[@ianjames9166]

Great video, Scott, and I like the idea of comparing the various companies. I have a love/hate relationship with CrossCountry, mainly because on the routes I travel regularly, they are the only choice. Actually make that a hate/hate relationship, they are terrible and haven't improved their pathetic offering in at least 15 years. You have highlighted many of their failings. 👍

[@alasdairmackenzie905]

Hi Steve. Interesting. But I would have thought a BIG mark-down was due for that disgusting toilet. On a general note, we used to travel down fairly regularly when it was Virgin CrossCountry who operated the route but gave up on it when the current franchisee took over and the service deteriorated terribly with overcrowding all too often a major issue

[@darkwarlordgamer475]

Hi from livi love your KZbin videos and it makes my day watching them all the time hope one day we could do a challenge keep up with the amazing videos

[@ChrisH-1952]

I travelled from Glasgow to Bristol on CC 1st Class on a very warm Saturday and the trolley was only present for one pass through my unit (it was a 4+5 combination) between Edinburgh and Newcastle. Staff were great but my praise ends there. I think this is a great series. Thanks

[@richardlouisparker8177]

I like watching your videos I'm up to Aberdeen by train tomorrow the second attempt this time

[@kevinmcanulty2593]

interesting project look fwd to the final results stay safe

[@oliver206]

Great content as always. Hoping you’ll extend the miniseries to include all UK operators that have first class! I recently had a Seatfrog upgrade for just £10 Manchester to Bristol and FC was bliss compared to the overcrowded standard class on the outward journey, even if there was limited catering.

[@saragowen994]

The biggest issue with Cross Country is capacity, especially through the mid parts of the route. Sometimes (at peak times) you can't get a seat even with a first class ticket!

[@Scot-land]

I love these kind of videos definitely earned my sub 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@shanehall98]

The train seemed ok the voyagers are like the Poundland version of the Pendolino. TripAdvisor is full of Poundland travel “experts” aswell lol.

[@hazels27]

Amazed at the score 57/60. What about that disgusting toilet! Apart from that enjoyed the journey. Thanks for travelling.

[@SGtravelsEU]

Nice video once again. I hope there will be a video in which you'll sum up all 1st class experiences. Personally I like the Scotrail seats most, prefer the crosscountry and avanti/virgin ride quality (i haven't used avanti yet, but used the same units with virgin), the food on lner and transpennine's livery on the outside. But I'm curious to see how you'd rate them all in the end and how they compare to one another.

[@BLUEsurf63]

Love your videos Scott, really enjoyable.

[@JoolsBurke]

As I found out once on east coast, the food is 'complimentary' so if there are problems with catering they don't need to offer you a partial refund. You paid for the seat and the journey only!

[@keithparker1346]

That's kind of scammy

[@andrewp4172]

That toilet pan looked flipping disgusting. Surprised they don't have some kind of PAYG for sheets of toilet paper. One of my least enjoyable ever rail journeys was Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham, with Cross Country. Absolutely ram packed, felt like a cattle truck, admittedly minus the cow pats.

[@gregvideo07]

You were very brave to touch that toilet seat with your hand !.. Especially when you ate the roll afterwards ! Hope you managed to escape catching something horrible .. Eurgh. .. Surely the toilet was worth losing more points for ?! Thanks again for braving such things so we don't have to !

[@MrLobo76-]

I tried that run on XC in first class five years ago, they never had any onboard catering in first class until it got to Edinburgh

[@iainjones5002]

Scott. Commendable as you found that leg of Cross Country's service, you had it easy. Why not try one of their much longer distance services from say Edinburgh to Birmingham or further afield to Reading , then you might well see Cross Country at its best or at its worst. For three years between 2016 and end of 2019, I travelled regularly on the services running between Basingstoke and Doncaster in both directions, but the major issue was the problem of overcrowding on certain portions of the service. The northbound services all ran into Birmingham New Street, where one service ran direct up to Manchester, whilst alternate ones would run up to Sheffield, Doncaster and all points North. Thus the portion from Reading to Birmingham was usually jammed solid and because of the overcrowding of these services on that section of route, grew steadily worse in terms of timekeeping, with extra dwell times at stations en-route. Arrival into Birmingham could be up to 20 minutes late! If you had a seat reservation boarding at any station en-route, you'd zero chance of being assured to find your seat. Once I tried to board at Oxford, but as I had a leg injury and had booked via Passenger Assistance, the train manager put me onto the Trolley attendants "jump seat" at the front of the train! Just as others have mentioned, Cross Country only run 4 - 5 carriage trains, totally unsuitable for the lengths of their services. But it isn't Cross Country's fault or decision about these unsuitable train formations.... that is down to the Mandarins and Civil Servants within the Government who in awarding each franchise contract, also determine what train operators use, rolling stock wise. Thus, Scott, maybe we can look forward to a much longer trip on Cross Country by you and see what your impression is then? Oh, as far as Lounges go in stations, invariably they are supplied by whoever has the managerial contract or owns the station. Cross Country only have their services running through, starting from or terminating, but don't have any operational control in these stations.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

One can blame Cross-Country. These trains used to be formed of (at least) ten coaches, hauled by a Peak or Class 47, and extras could be added at busy times, such as Summer Saturdays. The rot set in with fixed formations; the HST only had seven (passenger) coaches, and the loco-hauled trains were also reduced to this length. Why? In the eighties British Rail went one stage further and arranged its loco-hauled trains into fixed sets, meaning that strengtheners could no longer be added. Then came the van trailers, making it impossible to add extra coaches to those trains.

[@BRae-r5f]

On the departures board at Aberdeen it stated Plymouth as the destination but the train annoucer called out stations all the way to Penzance.

[@nathan_ro]

Handy tip use seat frog for upgrades can usually get for £10

[@grapesodatravels]

Loving the little under-the-table can can dance! Why are train loos always so grim....?

[@christophernoble6810]

Used to use them between Leamington and Birmingham New Street when new. Dire then. My journey was short but wouldn’t have wanted to go any further.

[@gerrymckenna4878]

Another enjoyable video. That toilet was "bogging"..pardon the pun. I hope you had plenty of hand wipes! I remember the halcyon days of East Coast where First Class from Aberdeen to London was a real treat, full cooked breakfast , choice of 2 or 3 hot lunches plus sandwiches in the afternoon!! Now bacon roll or yoghurt! Still better than ScotFail.....sorry Scotrail.

[@StuAnderson90]

Hi Scott XC are going to upgrade their voyager and super voyager fleet so hopefully when that's done your experience is a lot better in terms of the toilets and the overall look of the interior.

[@Debbie.Andrews]

Recently travelled with LNER 1st class and it was excellent. Never on a train have had such excellent customer service and the food was delicious. Drinks were offered all through the journey. Cannot praise them enough. If only i travelled with them every 3/4 months instead of cross-country i would be very happy...

[@johnmacleod4481]

At that price scott i would have thought its not worth it but eqch trqveller and maybe including you will make up their own mind on that one meanwhile your videos cover indepth information analysis and beautiful scenery

[@andrewjones4006]

Great video. Isn’t it faster by car from Aberdeen to Edinburgh lol.

[@markhoman-pg6vt]

I found bit basic in first class if I rember straight from Plymouth to Manchester all they offered was tea and coffee Avanti do more when they bother to surve you that is

[@peterskegness3204]

Great video. Having watched this and your Aberdeen trip, unfortunately conclude it's not worth the extra cash to travel First in Scotland by either ScotRail or Cross Country Either end up with either a Lounge and very few refreshments on ScotRail, and no Lounge but refreshments on Cross Country 😂 LNER or Avanti might be the better option for the future! As to the Voyagers, they look ok externally, but certainly wouldn't fancy travelling in one - credit to Steve who endured being on one all the way from Aberdeen to Penzance 😂

[@terrykemp8131]

When travelling first class with GWR, from Exeter to London . They only serve cold snacks (crackers and biscuits(with no hot food or sandwiches. Looks like you have done much better with Cross Country. That toilet looked terrible.

[@LiftFan]

Yeah, the GWR catering offering is abysmal compared to every single long distance operator out there! Only Grand Central and South Western Railway do worse with their catering (or lack thereof), and at least both have much more comfortable seats for the journeys.

[@sarahdodds6307]

I use this service between Durham and Birmingham. Never a problem going but every time I get back to Birmingham New Street, the return leg is cancelled and I get rerouted via Manchester and York with 2 or 3 changes of train and many more hours of inconvenience.

[@paulkeay5032]

XC have dramatically cut the number of services - on most routes out of Birmingham they are now hourly to places like Reading and Bristol, where they used to be twice hourly, this means many services are absolutely rammed and standing is normal. Their fares (in England at least) are incredibly expensive. I have to travel a lot to Reading and Bristol for work (so usually starting my journey before 0900) and find it very difficult to buy tickets for much less than £5 quid less than full fare

[@Listenerandlearner870]

Voyagers are far more comfortable than Azumas but are often too short.

[@tamwestwater]

I don’t use CrossCountry, my fav is LNER- their first class is usually excellent except lest Sunday I was just an inconvenience to a member of staff! Waverley has an LNER lounge. Also used Avanti West Coast who I usually don’t like but their lounge at Euston and on board catering was proper first class!

[@bregawn]

They call the included food and drink 'complimentary' so there's no obligation on them if they can't provide this for any reason

[@craigsimpson6156]

Don't get Crosscountry at all. They are one of the most expensive operators (trip from Derby to Birmingham is at least £22 return), overcrowded with people standing frequently, trains are ageing and still have the Virgin Trains interior in most of the voyagers and seats too. I don't know why people aren't avoiding using them?

[@GARYINLEEDS]

Thanks for sharing, shared.

[@timdiggle5090]

When I had to travel from central Leeds to central Birmingham on business I tried XC (the only realistic option unless going via Manchester at vast expense in cost and time) a couple of times then gave up. Overcrowded, slow, uncomfortable, unpleasant smells, almost always delayed behind slower commuter trains; not a chance of a third attempt - took to driving to Tamworth and getting a local train from there. Once tried it again from Leeds to Edinburgh - not so crowded but as soon as you were north of York you were sharing the ECML with LNER so travelled at 125mph. With small wheels and underfloor engines on each coach it was noisy and the vibration was seriously uncomfortable - back to LNER and change at York (which was actually quicker owing to fewer stops!).

[@pryonic]

Ah they look like the old Virgin Cross Country carriages (which makes sense) - about 15 years ago they did used to have audio programmes and live radio you could listen to using those weird buttons between the seats. From memory they had some live BBC radio stations, and some music and comedy programmes from other providers played on a loop. Can't remember when they stopped but it was aaaaaages ago.

[@stewartjmurray]

Never travelled first class on Crosscounty, but have the misfortune of having to use them occasionally to go from York to Edinburgh and they are awful. Old trains will no leg room on the seats but you can book accessible seats that have a normal about of legroom. LNER are so much better

[@jackcrawford3921]

I travelled on CrossCountry once last year between Newcastle and Leeds (as I'd been up to see the rugby league at Newcastle and stayed overnight the night before) but don't think I travelled first class. However once last year, I travelled first class on LNER from Leeds to London (as I was making my way down to Brighton to see England in the Women's Euros) and it was a great experience, other than the fact we (me and my Dad) couldn't have any hot food, as the ovens weren't working

[@tony.mccall]

Totally agree about the ticket collection charges, it's becoming silly !

[@Bungle2010]

That can't be right. I'm sure it's a franchise infringement.

[@trevoringram4520]

What was that brown stuff on the toilet rim? I do not want to know Purley rhetorical

[@valuetraveler2026]

You do some things I would never do - I was on a cc once overcrowded akin to Northern - follow the money who owns them ultimately ?!!

[@pipandkitty2004]

We traveled by cross country trains 2 months ago from Derby to Plymouth utter chaos ,standing room only and that was with a reserved seats in which three other people had had reservations all along to Exeter in fact the driver said that was nothing compared with the other week we had to push people on the train like the Japanese do on those type 221/220 trains. On the way back we was thrilled that we got a h s t that has more comfort….sad to say cross country trains have got rid of them now sent them to Mexico and said words to the effect stuff the people here in the uk make do with cattle class

[@sprinterofficial8457]

honestly if the voyagers arent overcrowded and you get a decent seat they are really good units

[@paradisehotel5005]

3:36 Well said Scott.

[@creationinmotion4124]

I wonder if this old virgin stock because the entertainment module was on there back in the late 90s/ early 2000s. I remember plugging my headset in. Virgin radio, etc

[@davidbull1914]

I've done FC with XC a couple of times between York and Sheffield. They are OK but I wouldn't make a habit of using them because of the unreliability. The trains are actually quite nice if a bit dated, and of course lacking seats in standard particularly if you get a 4 car voyager! The price differential is mad, £44 v £23 for York to Sheffield, and it's over £100 from Newcastle to Sheffield in FC which definitely calls for a split ticket (or a split journey and a pint in the York Tap!). Also why not allow people to pick their seats, it looks like Scott was forced to sit next to someone else when most of the coach was empty.

[@BIGV710]

scot all the voyages class 220/221s was built in brugge belguim

[@harriscouwenberg139]

First class in the Netherlands never entails snacks, drinks, etc. unless you bring these yourself

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Many UK train operators - e.g. South Western Railway - also provide no extra service or catering in First Class.

[@andrewtaylor5984]

In the good old days, catering facilities on British Rail were available to all passengers, irrespective of whether they were travelling first or second class. ( I find the term "standard" offensive, and it is meaningless.) The two classes of travel on BR are really "standard" and "bog standard." The rot set in when BR was broken up into sectors. Catering on trains and on stations was run by different bodies. The former was run by a diktat on Paddington Station who decided what would be provided on trains, without passenger consultation, and it was the same menu everywhere. Half the menu was usually unavailable.

[@stewartrivers4208]

57/60 for this first class experience. You are easily pleased Scott. 😉

[@andyhughes5885]

I`m wondering just how bad the toilets need to be on your train journeys Scott for you to give a realistic point score. I would never have used that toilet even if i was bursting, it looked disgusting. I feel these train companies will do anything to the barest minimum for the maximum profit to just above the point of being sued. Overall, another good video though.

[@Alan..W]

Try getting a train from Durham/Newcastle to Liverpool. Nigh on impossible without them either being cancelled or diverted so you have to change trains. Plus well over £100 one way ...

[@pshearduk]

I used to take cross country from edinburgh to Leeds each Thursday... shoddy to say the least and £50 more than LNER where you got decent food, alcohol etc... if you asked for a can of coke they gave you the worlds smallest can... and looked at you with disdain if you dared ask for some of the complimentary sandwiches etc.

[@benjaminmack7567]

I avoid cross country as much as possible. I often travel long distance with my bicycle and you can't book your bicycle at the same time as buying your tickets infact they don't release bike reservations until about a month before your journey so it just adds an level of stress not knowing if you can actually get a bike reservation!

[@colinblick8946]

I wonder how many driver changes between Aberdeen an Penzance…… that’s quite a trip……I don’t mind tea in paper cups, but I wish they were fluted cups(reinforced) I’d feel better about paying 1st class😂

[@keithparker1346]

Will there be a summary video comparing all five 1st class services?

[@lindakantes873]

That toilet looked absolutely filthy!

[@barbaram5214]

The toilet seat was gross. Otherwise the train looked pretty nice. I’ll be interested in your LNER review. Great series.

[@truebrit3578]

My experience has been that their routes are interesting but that the product (including the rolling stock) is tired. Fares for longer distances, particularly in First can be eye catching. As always an interesting review but I think to judge them properly a longer journey might have been more useful.

[@PaulGodfrey]

The problem is the further you go the more the difference between first and standard increases. It's 3 or 4 x more on longer runs.

[@ADAMEDWARDS17]

That other guy who lives in Montrose has of course done the 08:20 all the way to Penzance. How much would that cost 1st class and how much food would you actually get up to 21:30?

[@The-Anxious-Traveller]

Hey Scott, when are you going to do the Lisbon to Singapore journey by train :)

[@tsr207]

What I enjoy about this series is that before Scott starts we know how he is going to mark it - some jaded travel videos I have seen they appear to have made up their mind before they start. Not Scott- he weights the whole journey - not just if one thing is wrong. Both Scott (and Steve Marsh - another excellent traveller) take the time to talk to people to ask them questions to pass that extra little bit of information that would help you make up your mind on which train company to choose. Excellent !

[@GenialHarryGrout]

Aberdeen to Penzance on that service, even in first class sounds like hell. Their colleagues on board will do anything. For that price I will be expecting food and drinks to be served at my table by Ozzy Osbourne

[@stuartscott7097]

I try to avoid them whenever possible. I once booked first class for a journey from Birmingham to Reading, only to discover that the train was so crowded they had declassified it. The train was so full that I couldn't even reach my seat and I ended up standing all the way. On top of that they completely ignored my complaint.

[@GodAtum]

you're very very lucky. i don't this this is a fair review of crosscountry. normally you cant even get on these trains let alone get a seat!

[@Lee_303]

The prices they charge they could easily have got some long distance loco haulage in with some kind of driving luggage thing up front. The units they have are only suitable for linking up to the mainlines, not for Aberdeen to Penzance!

[@kazzicup]

I am enjoying your videos, Scott. Those sandwiches look delicious. 🍔🥪 I am about to make myself a large coffee ☕, so that " I can get to cruising altitude" .

[@Patchow]

You remind me of my grandad. ❤

[@noahstrainadventures3031]

I’m on first class on a voyager right now