Transpennine Express34 reviews
This score is based on 34 genuine reviews submitted via BritainReviews since 2019.
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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.
Train journey experience
I recently went on a train journey up to Liverpool, and I must say it was really nice. The staff on the train were brilliant, always so friendly and helpful. They had good food options, the wifi actually worked well, the seats were clean and comfy, and there was loads of space to move around. Plus, the train got to its destination right on time, which was great. But then I took another train with the same company down to Manchester, and it wasn't quite as good. The staff weren't as attentive, the food options were limited, and overall, it wasn't as nice as my trip up to Liverpool.
Travel from Manchester to Liverpool
So, I got myself this fancy ticket for the train ride from Manchester to Liverpool, right? But let me tell you, it was a nightmare. The seat was all wonky, kept sliding back unexpectedly - made me feel like I was on a dodgy ride at a theme park, rather than a train. And to make matters worse, not a single person from the train crew came round with any snacks or drinks. Can you even believe it? I mean, come on, not even a cheeky bottle of water for poor old me, stuck there thirsty. And the cherry on top - when I spoke to this guy called Adam in Customer Relations, he only offered me a measly refund, that was just plain rude. Honestly, do they have no sense of decency?
Ticket office people are nice.
The staff at the ticket office in Scarborough are really lovely and always willing to lend a hand. They're polite and give you that warm, fuzzy feeling. It's the ideal way to kick off your train journey.
Train ticket
I find it hard to believe how incompetent this company is. Everything from their messy website to their terrible customer service has made booking a simple train ticket a nightmare. Their "recovery plan" is a complete joke and it's clear they don't understand what customers need. It's as if they don't care about giving a decent service at all.
Late train cancellation
I'm absolutely fuming with the service I received! I was on the train when they suddenly decided to cancel it, no explanation or heads up. And then when I tried to claim delay repay, they flat out refused. It's just disrespectful to treat customers like that.
Train ticket purchase
My experience with the train service was absolutely shocking. My son accidentally bought a ticket for the wrong date, a simple mistake that he tried to fix when he was told by the staff. Instead of helping him, they publicly embarrassed him, treated him like a criminal, and made him feel terrible. The train itself was late and not moving, which gave the staff member even more time to be rude and aggressive. My son was so upset that he ended up in tears and had to pay a big fine for an honest mistake. It's really unfair that he was singled out when there were other passengers breaking the rules in more obvious ways. The inconsistency and unfair treatment of passengers is really appalling and not acceptable.
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.
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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: November 2025
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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