New CrossCountry app - doesn't allow changes to older bookings

[embers25]

XC have emailed today to say that their new 'improved' app will no longer allow ticket changes. The email didn't say if they will now also charge for Advance changes.

This removes the main benefit of using their app (changing advances for free online)

Also, when you download the new app, all tickets held in the app will no longer display and you have to use the emailed pdfs.

 

[Watershed]

Yep, this will remove any incentive I had for using XC to buy Advances. I need to try out a few different fee-free retailers to see which other app provides the most frictionless experience for changing Advances near to departure.

 

[blimmo]

I *think* they meant that old tickets purchased before the change wouldn't be able to be changed, not that no changes were possible in the app any more. Certainly unclear though and I might switch to TfW for this reason.

 

[Russel]

I'm not bothered about being able to change tickets in the app...

But, can anyone confirm, will they now charge for changes made or not?

 

[td97]

I'm not bothered about being able to change tickets in the app...

It's both website and app that are being updated. Presumably Trainline are no longer going to be their retail supplier

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Oct 2025 ==

I *think* they meant that old tickets purchased before the change wouldn't be able to be changed, not that no changes were possible in the app any more. Certainly unclear though and I might switch to TfW for this reason.

It does say these can be changed by contacting customer support, which is clearly inconvenient

 

[akm]

Here's the email for reference (well, the one I got anyway)

Hi [redacted], We’ve got some exciting news to share. Our brand-new website and app are almost here, built to make planning and booking your journeys quicker, easier and, well, just a whole lot smoother. We’ve been listening to what you’ve told us, and here’s a little taster of what’s on the way: Get smarter journey info that makes planning easy - including crowd levels, station information, and the option to give yourself extra time when changing trains. Finding the right fare has never been simpler. Select your date and time on the journey search form, and we’ll highlight if a different day could get you a better deal. A slicker log-in with the option to use Google or Apple details. A quick heads up Upon your first login, you will be prompted to reset your password. CrossCountry will never request personal information via email, including your password. If you receive an email asking for personal details or your full password, please don’t respond. Simply report it to our Customer Relations team here, and we’ll handle the rest. Once our app launches you won't be able to amend any existing tickets in your online account, to make any changes please contact Web Support here. Any e-tickets you already have are still valid and can be found in your email confirmations (they just won’t show up in the new account) and your Smartcard will keep working as usual. We take your privacy seriously and appreciate your vigilance in helping us maintain a secure environment. We’ll share more with you soon as we get closer to launch, so keep an eye on your inbox. The CrossCountry team

 

[CyrusWuff]

It's both website and app that are being updated. Presumably Trainline are no longer going to be their retail supplier

Presumably they're switching to Arriva's in-house system, as used by Chiltern and Grand Central. Why it's taken them so long, given it was introduced pre-pandemic, is anyone's guess.

 

[Haywain]

Presumably they're switching to Arriva's in-house system, as used by Chiltern and Grand Central. Why it's taken them so long, given it was introduced pre-pandemic, is anyone's guess.

Perhaps because they had a contract with Trainline or whoever?

 

[Bletchleyite]

It does say these can be changed by contacting customer support, which is clearly inconvenient

I would personally see that as a material change to the contract which could mean it is frustrated (i.e. a refund could be obtained), however that rather depends on whether anyone would challenge it in Court.

 

[alistairlees]

Presumably they're switching to Arriva's in-house system, as used by Chiltern and Grand Central. Why it's taken them so long, given it was introduced pre-pandemic, is anyone's guess.

That is correct. They awarded it to their parent company.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I *think* they meant that old tickets purchased before the change wouldn't be able to be changed, not that no changes were possible in the app any more. Certainly unclear though and I might switch to TfW for this reason.

This is how ive read it too.
Basically the old and new systems arent going be linked and purchases / tickets are not going to be moved across (hence why they call out old etickets won't show in the new app).

 

[alistairlees]

This is how ive read it too.
Basically the old and new systems arent going be linked and purchases / tickets are not going to be mover across (hence why they call out old etickets won't show in the new app).

This is correct. The OP had misunderstood the email.

 

[Watershed]

This is correct. The OP had misunderstood the email.

I think the email could do with being clearer that this is how it will work.

 

[sheff1]

Any more news on when this will happen ?

I am looking to book an Advance for 28 Oct but there is a possibiity I might need to change it. If I can't change it because of the new XC website/app there is no benefit in booking with them.

 

[island]

I would personally see that as a material change to the contract which could mean it is frustrated (i.e. a refund could be obtained), however that rather depends on whether anyone would challenge it in Court.

I think that is quite a stretch. The contract is to be carried by train from A to B, and that will still happen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think that is quite a stretch. The contract is to be carried by train from A to B, and that will still happen.

The contract includes all the provisions for making changes to the ticket. If these cannot be exercised (which they may not be able to be very close to departure) and this causes material loss, then to me there is breach of contract.

 

[styles]

I think that is quite a stretch. The contract is to be carried by train from A to B, and that will still happen.

The contract includes much more than simply being conveyed from A to B. It includes stipulations regarding luggage, Delay Repay, class of accommodation, etc.

While I agree that being able to change then tickets fee-free would be included in that as it was advertised as such, as long as the email method results in a quick enough response to change them then I think a court would seem the consumer rights upheld. I'd be surprised if you'd manage to change the booking for a 6am train by emailing at 3am though. I'm also not sure how they're going to take payment for any difference in fares using this email method. It sounds faffy, but I haven't tried it so..

 

[island]

The contract includes all the provisions for making changes to the ticket. If these cannot be exercised (which they may not be able to be very close to departure) and this causes material loss, then to me there is breach of contract.

The contract includes much more than simply being conveyed from A to B. It includes stipulations regarding luggage, Delay Repay, class of accommodation, etc.

While I agree that being able to change then tickets fee-free would be included in that as it was advertised as such, as long as the email method results in a quick enough response to change them then I think a court would seem the consumer rights upheld. I'd be surprised if you'd manage to change the booking for a 6am train by emailing at 3am though. I'm also not sure how they're going to take payment for any difference in fares using this email method. It sounds faffy, but I haven't tried it so..

Because the provisions around possible changes to the contract do not specify what the price payable under the changed contract (the total cost of the new ticket) will be, they constitute an "agreement to agree" which isn't enforceable in English law (see for example KSY Juice Blends v Citrosuco [2024] EWHC 2098 (Comm)).

Even if I am wrong in this analysis, it would not "frustrate" the contract as suggested in post 9 or create an unfettered right to a refund of a nonrefundable ticket; the most that could be claimed would be the extra cost to a passenger who actually made a change that would not have been incurred in the event the original change mechanism had remained available.

 

[td97]

It has now launched.

Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online | Rail Fares | CrossCountry Trains

buy.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

I'm tempted to hold off updating my app as the previous app continues to work (for now) and I do value easy access to tickets.

Previous booking history and tickets are also still available using the previous web booking link, but presumably this will be taken down soon.

https://www.buytickets.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

 

[OscarH]

Previous booking history and tickets are also still available using the previous web booking link, but presumably this will be taken down soon.
https://www.buytickets.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

Looks to be gone already!

 

[styles]

Looks to be gone already!

Literally HTTP 410 Gone

 

[OscarH]

Literally HTTP 410 Gone

Made me smile! Don't think I've ever seen that one used in the real world before

 

[styles]

Made me smile! Don't think I've ever seen that one used in the real world before

I didn't peg CrossCountry as the kind of company to strictly use status codes for some reason. That's attention to detail from a tech team.

 

[Tom]

I didn't peg CrossCountry as the kind of company to strictly use status codes for some reason. That's attention to detail from a tech team.

Because that's Trainline's tech team

 

[Joe Paxton]

It has now launched.

Buy Cheap Train Tickets Online | Rail Fares | CrossCountry Trains

buy.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

But I don't want to buy Crosscountry Trains, I just want to buy a ticket!

Besides, I'm not sure XC is for sale...

 

[sprunt]

Because that's Trainline's tech team

Pretty poor just to have a standard HTTP code page at an address that people will likely have bookmarked isn't it? They should at least have a holding page with a link to the new page, if only to stop people thinking that they can't buy tickets from Crosscountry any more and going off to another site.

 

[Adam Williams]

Pretty poor just to have a standard HTTP code page at an address that people will likely have bookmarked isn't it? They should at least have a holding page with a link to the new page, if only to stop people thinking that they can't buy tickets from Crosscountry any more and going off to another site.

It's XC's domain name, they can set-up a redirect if they want to.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's XC's domain name, they can set-up a redirect if they want to.

It was a subdomain, so they'd probably have to pay the supplier to do it.

That said, given how competent they are at running a train service...

 

[sprunt]

It was a subdomain, so they'd probably have to pay the supplier to do it.

Whether they do it themselves or pay someone to do it, it still seems like it would be in their interests to do so rather than have people see it and then head off to somewhere else to buy the tickets. It's also not customer-friendly, but even if that's not their priority they've got a reason to do it.

 

[Adam Williams]

It was a subdomain, so they'd probably have to pay the supplier to do it.

Nonsense, they can just point the DNS at any webserver within their control (or at their new supplier if they're not technically competent enough to serve a redirect).