Transpennine Express40 reviews
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07 and was told I’d need to pay another fare straight away — which fine, I paid, but the way I was dealt with wasn’t fine. The member of staff raised their voice, spoke to me in front of people like I’d done something awful, and even mentioned calling the police. I kept saying I wasn’t refusing to pay, but it felt like I was being accused regardless. It left me flushed and awkward for the rest of the journey. I travel with this operator now and then and have had okay experiences before, so this was especially disappointing — it ruined the start of the day. The practical bit: announcements need to be clearer, and staff should show a bit more patience during replacement arrangements, because people are confused and a bit stressed already. I’ve put in a formal complaint and I do hope they take it seriously. Not just about the extra charge, more about how it made me feel — embarrassed and slightly wary of travelling with them again.
A small victory after a faff
no option, stern message, felt like hitting a brick wall. I almost gave up, sulking, until I mentioned it to the booking desk on the day — and that’s the moment I knew I wasn’t going to be left stranded. A member of staff dug around, found a corner seat that wasn’t exactly roomy but was fine for my crutches, and even helped wedge them in so I could sit without worrying. It wasn’t perfect — the seat was a bit narrow and the announcement about “no space” sounded like policy, same old song — but having a human on your side made all the difference. Funny how a bloke at a counter can undo half an online system’s stubbornness. So yeah, still annoyed at the inflexibility, but grateful for the staff who sorted it in the end. Would have been nicer if the website showed it, though.
A relief, really
we stopped relying on the trains and honestly I’m glad we did. We only tried them because my girlfriend started coming over more often after some unexpected stuff, and at first I thought, “train’s fine, she’ll manage” — but it turned into a three-day saga that convinced us to change plans. To be fair, there were moments when things almost worked out, and I’m grateful she didn’t get stuck worse, but overall it was far from smooth. I live about an hour away and usually drive; she doesn’t, so we thought the train was the practical option. Monday kicked off with her morning train cancelled, so she had to take a later one and ended up late for work. That night her return was delayed by fifteen minutes which left her with two minutes to sprint across platforms to make a connection — she made it, but what a palaver. Tuesday the outward trip was fine, but the homebound service sat unmoving for over half an hour, which meant she missed her connection and then waited another thirty minutes on a freezing platform. It’s early January, north of England cold, you know the sort. Wednesday we got more of the same: a ten-minute delay on the way there, then another twenty-minute delay coming back. She only just caught a transfer because the other train was late too by a couple of minutes — that felt like luck rather than good planning. She finishes work at half five, catches a six o’clock train and it should be an hour home, but on some days she didn’t get in until eight. I’m not exaggerating when I say it got ridiculous. So yes, conclusion first — we won’t be using these trains again. I’d rather do the nearly three-hour round trip myself than leave her at a station hoping the next service is on time. Strange to say I’m almost grateful it pushed us to decide; less hassle for both of us now.
Mid-journey verdict
Halfway through the trip I realised it wasn't as stressful as I'd feared. First class was comfy, breakfast was decent and staff kept topping up drinks — friendly enough, slowly sometimes. Train was clean and arrived almost on time. Not flawless, but overall I'd pick a morning service again; still better than the reviews suggest.
Not worth the upgrade
Not worth the upgrade. No hot water for tea or coffee, and only a couple of cold options left. Breakfast choices were thin. Staff were polite but had to keep telling people what was available. Coffee finally came after about ninety minutes, after several complaints. I wouldn't book first class again. Bring a flask.
Sardine tin commute
I needed a proper seat because of a dodgy back and a long move. Train was overbooked and late — classic. Nobody told us about the extra 35 minutes until we were on board, and then another hold-up at York. Customer service was patchy, but oddly a member of staff helped me with my bag. A small win.
Trolley chat that cheered us
50 from Liverpool Lime Street back to Newcastle after a girls' weekend and I was a bit unsure if the on-board catering would be any good. The bloke with the trolley — John, I think — was great, proper chatty and made us laugh. First impression: warm and quick. Doubts cleared.
Sticky, sweaty ride
26 from Cleethorpes to Liverpool Lime Street on Tuesday 12 August and it was stifling straight away. I was heading back to Sheffield and had hoped for a cool trip. Instead it was warm, slow and uncomfortable, and staff didn’t seem to sort it. Quite disappointed, really.
A bit rude, still alright
maybe remind staff to say sorry sometimes.
Not quite first class
Booked the First Class upgrade after seeing it on the app and even tipped a mate to try it. At first I thought yes — big comfy seat, peace and quiet — and that’s when I felt it was worth something. But the drinks fridge was empty, only one breakfast between two of us, and the loo was in a bad way. Not awful — the ride was smooth and staff were polite — just not worth an extra £200, so I won’t bother again.
Not quite first class
33 from Manchester Victoria to York and booked the front carriage; seats were tired, crumbs everywhere and the floor looked like it hadn't been hoovered. Asked for a cold white and was told there’s no fridge so it came lukewarm. Food was just tiny crisp packets and a couple of biscuits. Oddly the conductor was friendly and the countryside views were lovely, so it wasn’t a total write-off.
First-class glad I upgraded
I spotted the First Class option while booking on the Transpennine website and, on a whim, nudged my colleague to upgrade too — glad I did. The extra legroom and the quieter carriage won me over, but the moment I knew I was satisfied was when the conductor popped by, chatted and made sure we were comfortable. Tiny hiccup with the trolley not turning up, but it didn’t spoil the trip.
Ticket mix-up cost me extra
always double-check your tickets, seriously.
Stranded at Leeds, not impressed
Not worth the stress. I was told my Liverpool–York train would finish the trip, so I left thinking it was fine. It wasn't. Signal problems at Leeds meant the train stopped and I had to sort my own way home. No staff updates at the station. No replacement coaches or taxis. I ended up taking an Uber for about £50. As a disabled traveller that was pretty grim and frustrating. I’ve tried to get compensation but the replies felt evasive and slow. Feels like poor organisation and weak customer care — writing this at least helps warn others.
Solid trains, poor follow-up
Seats and carriages feel solid. Not flimsy like some — I’m looking at you EMR and Northern. The ride was smooth and reasonably clean. Booking was straightforward, trains ran on time. But the aftercare ruined it. I left a suitcase on board and, after three weeks, still no meaningful reply. Staff in person were dismissive and pointed me to MissingX, where there’s no record of my bag (lost in May). Other operators usually answer faster. I’m annoyed and had to consider police involvement to get anywhere. Not what I expected from a company that otherwise feels reliable.
Platform hiccup, friendly staff
It was one of those mornings on the platform with a battered cardboard box and a back that was complaining — moving day, so I really needed that ticket to arrive. I ordered online from TransPennine and, erm, it never showed up, so I ended up buying another at the station. That was annoying but the station staff were really helpful, even offered to put my bag on the luggage rack — proper decent people. Online support asked for a photo of my bank statement, which I thought was fair, I sent it and felt sceptical, then their tone warmed up. No refund yet, but delivery and on-the-day service were actually very good.
South Route surprise
surely they'd check? But as the miles slipped by, that little relief set in, I relaxed, watched fields go past and even laughed at myself for clutching the paper. That was the moment I knew I was satisfied — the trip turned out easy and low-stress. Still, the official replies I've seen feel a bit dismissive, but overall glad it worked out.
That small moment of relief
Standing on the platform with my back knotting up, I was dreading the trip. We’d booked seats together weeks in advance but the usual mess—people in our allocated seats—started straight away. It’s annoying, yes, but what made the day was the train manager who actually bothered to sort us out. He came over, apologised, and pointed us to two spare seats not far off. At that point I relaxed properly; I could feel it. The journey wasn’t perfect — 23 minutes late, no trolley, the loo in our carriage out of order and a whiff of something unpleasant, plus the Wi‑Fi didn’t work — but having that seat together and a sensible explanation changed things. We needed to get to a hospital appointment for my back and that little bit of human help mattered more than I expected. So overall I’m pleased, a bit surprised even, and grateful it didn’t turn into a complete nightmare.
Delayed train with no air conditioning
I was on the 20 train from Liverpool Lime Street that got delayed because of a trespass incident. I get that these things happen, but what really got to me was the fact that the air conditioning on the train wasn't working. It was just so frustrating to sit in a hot and stuffy carriage for hours. The delay was bad enough as it is, but the heat made it even worse. It was incredibly uncomfortable, and I don't think it's fair to make passengers deal with those conditions. Please sort out the air conditioning or at least switch it on so that the journey is more bearable for everyone.
Manchester to Edinburgh return journey
I made a booking for a round trip from Manchester to Edinburgh with this train company because it was a direct route. However, to my dismay, both my outgoing and return trips got cancelled out of the blue. After looking into it, I discovered that this particular train service is notorious for having the highest number of cancellations up North. It was really disheartening to come across such poor service, especially considering that the government had to step in due to the inadequate operations. I will definitely avoid using this train service again in the future.
About Transpennine Express
TransPennine Express is a British train operating company that provides intercity rail services between major cities across the North of England and into Scotland. Established in 1998, the company operates as part of the TransPennine Express rail franchise and is currently managed by FirstGroup. Serving key urban centres such as Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool, as well as extending to destinations including Edinburgh and Glasgow, TransPennine Express plays a crucial role in the regional transport infrastructure. The company is committed to delivering efficient, reliable, and high-quality rail services to its passengers.
Details
Contact Information
Bridgewater House, 60 Whitworth Street
M1 6LT Manchester
United Kingdom
📧 tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
Categories Transpennine Express
Services | Other Services Reviews & Experiences
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Last update: April 2026
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Review with most votes
Makes things easy as to book t
Booking from Transpennine Express is easy, fast and most of the time, cost-efficient as well.Its the best option to buy railway tickets which are highly conivienet for some par... Read onBy: Mauli Norris