Birmingham - Cambridge with Cross Country - Advice Sought

[Bantamzen]

I'm booked to be travelling from Cheshire to Cambridge next week, with a section being Birmingham to Cambridge (13:22 from Birmingham on 10/12/25 & returning from Cambridge 16:00 on 11/12/25) with Cross Country (XC). Having just had a nosey on RTT, I notice that this route has been terrible for late running and cancellations over the last week or so. As I've got a fairly tight connection on the way back on 11/12/25 onto an Avanti towards Warrington, I'm just curious is this normal with XC on this route? I'm not too bothered about being late on the outward journey, so long as I'm in the hotel and changed at a decent time for a meal & drinks, but returning I'd rather be back in Warrington at a decent hour and not have to mooch around Birmingham for ages.

It seems that a 20-30 minute delay is quite normal, and on at least one day it looks like it tipped people off at Nuneaton. I'm honestly considering cancelling the booking (done through my work's provider so I have no other booking options at the moment), what's people's experience on this route recently? Should I hang the sense of it, stay at home and dial in on Teams for the meeting, or just take a hip flask and pray to the rail gods?

 

[MikeWM]

I'm booked to be travelling from Cheshire to Cambridge next week, with a section being Birmingham to Cambridge (13:22 from Birmingham on 10/12/25 & returning from Cambridge 16:00 on 11/12/25) with Cross Country (XC). Having just had a nosey on RTT, I notice that this route has been terrible for late running and cancellations over the last week or so. As I've got a fairly tight connection on the way back on 11/12/25 onto an Avanti towards Warrington, I'm just curious is this normal with XC on this route? I'm not too bothered about being late on the outward journey, so long as I'm in the hotel and changed at a decent time for a meal & drinks, but returning I'd rather be back in Warrington at a decent hour and not have to mooch around Birmingham for ages.

It seems that a 20-30 minute delay is quite normal, and on at least one day it looks like it tipped people off at Nuneaton. I'm honestly considering cancelling the booking (done through my work's provider so I have no other booking options at the moment), what's people's experience on this route recently? Should I hang the sense of it, stay at home and dial in on Teams for the meeting, or just take a hip flask and pray to the rail gods?

I use these services between Cambridge or Ely and Birmingham a few times a year, though not usually for time-critical journeys. I've had no problems so far this year (last time was at the end of September I think), but last year my experience was pretty awful (though good for generating some large delay repay claims!)

The figures for the last 4 weeks look pretty bad:

BHM-CBG



CBG-BHM

 

[bspahh]

There have been some cancellations from strikes but it looks like you will avoid those on the days that you are travelling.

CrossCountry customers advised of significant disruption due to planned industrial action​

November 26 2025

• Train operator CrossCountry will run a limited service on Saturday 6 December due to planned industrial action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
• Fewer services will operate and there will be no service on some parts of the CrossCountry network.
• Customers are advised to check the CrossCountry website before travelling.

CrossCountry customers are being warned of significant travel disruption due to planned industrial action by the RMT union on Saturday 6 December.
The strike – the first of four planned in December - will see RMT union members in customer service roles declining to work.
All CrossCountry routes will be impacted, with a limited service on some CrossCountry routes and no CrossCountry services on some parts of the network. Services will also finish much earlier than usual.
Trains that do run will be significantly busier than usual and services will also finish much earlier in the day - so passengers are advised to plan return journeys carefully.
There will also be changes to some calling patterns for services that do run, and planned engineering work will mean some journeys take longer than usual.
Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry’s Managing Director, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT has announced more industrial action that will disrupt customers over the busy Christmas period. We’ve worked hard to make a fair and reasonable offer that addresses the key points raised in this dispute, and we believe we’ve made meaningful progress in negotiations.
“Our priority is now minimising disruption for those travelling on Saturdays in December – but while we will try to run as many services as possible, there will inevitably be significant disruption.”
The strike coincides with many Christmas markets across the country, as well as other events and some football matches.
Passengers planning to travel with CrossCountry on Saturday 6 December should check their journey before travelling with National Rail Enquiries, or visit the CrossCountry website/app for the latest news and advice: www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-information/disruption/industrial-action
Information on delay repay and alternative travel options are available at the same link.
The RMT has also announced further industrial action on Saturday 13, Saturday 20 and Saturday 27 December. More detail on the impact of future strikes will be shared in coming days.

 

[Bantamzen]

I use these services between Cambridge or Ely and Birmingham a few times a year, though not usually for time-critical journeys. I've had no problems so far this year (last time was at the end of September I think), but last year my experience was pretty awful (though good for generating some large delay repay claims!)

The figures for the last 4 weeks look pretty bad:

BHM-CBG

View attachment 193333

CBG-BHM

View attachment 193332

Ugh, that doesn't bode too well for my connection on the way back through Birmingham. But thanks for that, it's useful to know & I'll keep an eye on it & maybe rebook for the 15:00.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Ugh, that doesn't bode too well for my connection on the way back through Birmingham. But thanks for that, it's useful to know & I'll keep an eye on it & maybe rebook for the 15:00.

I'd clear your evening diary on the return and travel anyway, and not worry another moment about it. The delays shown are frequent but not particularly severe. You could be delayed on any route at any time, so rebooking might not solve the stress.

If delayed you always have the option of the next service north (mindful of your ticket's operator restriction) without extra cost, and potential a fat delay repay claim, which you may or may not wish to declare when you submit your expenses. Cancelling will cost the company money anyway and they may well come back to you and ask why you cancelled or rebooked the trip for no concrete reason!

 

[Bantamzen]

I'd clear your evening diary on the return and travel anyway, and not worry another moment about it. The delays shown are frequent but not particularly severe. You could be delayed on any route at any time, so rebooking might not solve the stress.

If delayed you always have the option of the next service north (mindful of your tickets operator restriction) without extra cost, and potential a fat delay repay claim, which you may or may not wish to declare when you submit your expenses. Cancelling will cost the company money anyway and they may well come back to you and ask why you cancelled or rebooked the trip for no concrete reason!

Yeah that's the problem, my service north is the 19:07 Avanti up north, the last one from there on an Avanti only ticket. So I have about 22 minutes wriggle room at New Street!

 

[Royston Vasey]

Yeah that's the problem, my service north is the 19:07 Avanti up north, the last one from there on an Avanti only ticket. So I have about 22 minutes wriggle room at New Street!

Next Avanti only option the 2107, change at Stafford, delay 2 hours 11 minutes.

Plan a nice Indian meal near the station, claim it on expenses, claim the delay! That's what I would do

Plan for that and sod's law dictates that you'll be on time

 

[Bantamzen]

Next Avanti only option the 2107, change at Stafford, delay 2 hours 11 minutes.

Plan a nice Indian meal near the station, claim it on expenses, claim the delay! That's what I would do

Plan for that and sod's law dictates that you'll be on time

Ordinarily the curry, and a beer or two, would become Plan A! But I've got to be on another train at 6:30 on Friday morning. However the curry is definitely on Plan B!

Edit: Well in the end I opted for the 15:00 from Cambridge, which was running smoothly until it hit Leicester where due to a broken down freight ahead meant we had to swap units to the 14:00 which had been stuck at Leicester for an hour. We then had a further delay at Coleshill Parkway due to a medical emergency. We eventually pulled in at 18:33. As it happened the 16:00 from Cambridge made it in about 20 mins behind us, so I could have also got that but it would have been a closer call. Still made it to the platform for the 19:07 for Glasgow stopping at Warrington BQ, which was then also delayed for close to half an hour due to another medical emergency!