CrossCountry from Edinburgh - What are my rights?

[trainmerchant]

Hi, I had booked to go from Edinburgh to Cheltenham on the 25th after the Fringe with an Advance Single. Obviously there's now strike action and everything's messed up.

What am I actually allowed to do? Crosscountry have said absolutely nothing, and here (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tick...tickets/advance-tickets-terms-and-conditions/) it just says

"If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or is delayed and you still decide to travel, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed)." which is completely meaningless tbh.

CrossCountry seems to work from York to Cheltenham, and their website on "Ticket Easement" says

"
Ticket Easement

CrossCountry only tickets for travel on Saturday 23, Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August are valid for travel on CrossCountry services between Thursday 21 August and Wednesday 27 August, and passengers are advised to travel either side of the bank holiday weekend.

For tickets with connections on other operators, we will communicate arrangements for ticket easement in due course
"

so I assume if I get to York I can get to Cheltenham easily as I can get any CrossCountry train. But am I allowed to use my Edinburgh to Cheltenham ticket to hop on an LNER to York?

 

[plugwash]

As I understand it, there are a few things potentially in play.

Firstly, under the national rail conditions of travel, in general, if your train is cancelled you are expected to use the next available train from the same operator. However there is a clause that if you would otherwise be stranded overnight, then any rail operator in a position to do so is required to assist.

So under the NRCOT if all the crosscountry trains from Edinburgh after your departure time are cancelled, or if the only available crosscountry trains from Edinburgh would make you miss the last crosscountry connection to Cheltenham then LNER are obliged to help you but if there is a limited crosscountry service running the NRCOT expects you to use it, even if it would mean hours of delay.

In large scale distruption, acceptance beyond this is often anncounced, but YMMV.

There is also in printicple the "passenger rights and obligations" we inherited from the EU. My understanding is that in theory if you would otherwise be delayed by more than an hour then crosscountry has the obligation to re-book you free of charge on competitors services. My understanding is that in practice the UK rail industry likes to pretend this law doesn't exist and afaict lacks mechanisms for such rebookings

Also my understanding is that guards have the authority to authorise travel on their train, so it pays to ask.

 

[Andy Pacer]

In large scale distruption, acceptance beyond this is often anncounced, but YMMV.

What is "YMMV"?

 

[PG]

What is "YMMV"?

Your Milleage May Vary.

 

[Tetchytyke]

They will still be working out the logistics of it, deciding what they can run and what they can’t run. I’d say hold tight.

If there is ticket acceptance, your may find it preferable to take Avanti to Birmingham New Street.

 

[TUC]

The more complex situation is where passengers quite understandably say 'I need certainty. I'm not prepared to wait till the rail industry gets around to advising whether my service will run, I need to make other arrangements now'.

 

[Starmill]

It looks like the only journey opportunity is the 1007 from Edinburgh. There's a change at York and you arrive at Cheltenham Spa at 1752.

Now I guess the question is what do you do if that doesn't suit you? I'd say there is probably not much you can do, they don't seem likely to make any other arrangements for you. You may need to arrange your own accommodation, at no doubt vast expense, and try to travel on Tuesday. Then you can ask them to cover the cost of the accommodation, but they're unlikely to pay up willingly, and it will have to go to the Ombudsman, or to a claim for damages in the County Court.

If you depart earlier than planned on the above, you also can't really claim compensation for the delay, unless you were booked into Cheltenham Spa earlier than 1752. There's an hour to wait at York too.

You are going to face a very difficult battle if you want some money back on your ticket for sacrificing part of your day in Edinburgh, although that would probably be a bit easier to claim than £400 for a hotel night in Edinburgh.

 

[plugwash]

Now I guess the question is what do you do if that doesn't suit you?

Unfortunately the crosscountry strick changes don't seem to be in the planners yet, but I just looked up Edinburgh to Cheltenham spa avoiding crosscountry on that date and last iternary the journey planner came up with was.

16:52 Edinburgh to Wolverhampton (Avanti)
20:48 Wolverhampton to Smethwick galton bridge (WMT)
21:41 Smethwick galton bridge to Worcester Shrub hill (WMT)
22:38 Worcester Shrub hill to Cheltenham spa (GWR)

The usual advice I've seen is to start by asking nicely, and if that doesn't work to pay for a new ticket and complain later.

 

[Starmill]

Unfortunately the crosscountry strick changes don't seem to be in the planners yet, but I just looked up Edinburgh to Cheltenham spa avoiding crosscountry on that date and last iternary the journey planner came up with was.

16:52 Edinburgh to Wolverhampton (Avanti)
20:48 Wolverhampton to Smethwick galton bridge (WMT)
21:41 Smethwick galton bridge to Worcester Shrub hill (WMT)
22:38 Worcester Shrub hill to Cheltenham spa (GWR)

The usual advice I've seen is to start by asking nicely, and if that doesn't work to pay for a new ticket and complain later.

Buying a new ticket may be a better option than paying for accommodation, yes. You may be charged £209.30 though.

 

[Merseysider]

Unfortunately the crosscountry strick [sic] changes don't seem to be in the planners yet, but I just looked up Edinburgh to Cheltenham spa avoiding crosscountry on that date and last iternary [sic] the journey planner came up with was.

16:52 Edinburgh to Wolverhampton (Avanti)
20:48 Wolverhampton to Smethwick galton bridge (WMT)
21:41 Smethwick galton bridge to Worcester Shrub hill (WMT)
22:38 Worcester Shrub hill to Cheltenham spa (GWR)

The usual advice I've seen is to start by asking nicely, and if that doesn't work to pay for a new ticket and complain later.

The OP could save themselves some hassle on this itinerary by alighting at Birmingham New Street and making the short walk to Moor Street where they'd have 22 minutes between trains.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Unfortunately the crosscountry strick changes don't seem to be in the planners yet.

CrossCountry's Industrial Action page says that journey planners have now been updated.

The only XC service from Edinburgh on the 25th is at 10:07, which only runs as far as York. The last XC calling at Cheltenham Spa is at 19:12 from Birmingham New Street.

 

[styles]

Not central to the question but if you get stuck in/near Edinburgh I can put you up for a night.