Wales and Borders Trains

Advantages: Clean train, efficent booking, on time
Disadvantages: No refreshments on a five hour journey

...The journey provider was Wales and Borders Trains and I rang them direct to book my ticket as it was almost £10 cheaper than booking via www.thetrainline.com. I was very impressed with the booking procedure, which was handled quickly and efficiently, and the ticket arrived in the post two days later. This was a good start – an efficient member of staff in a railway booking office – not a common species at the best of times. The train ...
...Tenby right on time at 1440 hours and I made a beeline for the nearest café and ordered a pot of tea! Having said all that, I would travel with Wales and Borders again, but I would certainly make sure I took plenty of drinks with me next time. ... Read review

Advantages: Usually clean, efficient and good staff
Disadvantages: Could do with a couple more nice new trains

...at least partly justified. Now, Wales and Borders may not be perfect, but I'm still impressed. Up until late 2001, the lines from Birmingham to Mid Wales were run by Central Trains. They did the job and were better than pre-privatisation "Regional Railways" but not quite well enough. Trains were usually filthy inside and out. Reservations were never there and they'd put on just about whatever old train they could get away with. Since Wales & Borders ...
...themselves aren't bad at all. Wales & Borders upgraded the line to "Alphaline" standard which means that all our trains are now nippy, modern things with air conditioning (actually works now, too), a payphone, comfy seats and most of the day a refreshment trolley. Fares are very reasonable. Indeed, cheap day returns for the 3 hour journey from Aberystwyth to Birmingham are only about £16. Not bad for a day out over that distance. And during the summer, ... Read review

Advantages: You eventually get to your destination.
Disadvantages: Over crowding, often late, difficult staff.

...I have recently had a VERY bad experience with Arriva trains Wales, so I am sorry if this review sounds a little "ranting". I will try and deliver a fair and balanced review of their services. Firstly a little information about Arriva trains Wales. Arriva trains Wales took control of the franchise previously operated by Wales & Borders Trains on 7 December 2003. They have a fleet of aprox. 116 trains. Their route covers over 2,600 miles and they employ 1,860 members of staff. They also operate around 780 services a day on weekdays. Their website states that they are trying to achieve reliable train services, clean, attractive stations, good quality levels of information, local, effective, caring management and helpful, friendly employees. The URL of their website is: http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk. The website is in both Welsh... Read review

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Advantages: Prettier and nicer than other towns nearby
Disadvantages: Those hills!!

...Having been there on a number of occasions for holidays, I thought it was time I reviewed Harlech, a pretty town full of character on the west Wales coast. You may be wondering at the title of this review. Well, Harlech is certainly a nice place, but it's made to feel all the nicer because of the grotty towns nearby (Portmadoc and Barmouth being the main culprits). We always go there by train, and if you plan to, then be prepared for a long and achingly slow journey. The leg of the journey from Bimingham New Street alone takes something like four hours, and it doesn't help that Wales & Borders Trains (I believe they still have the franchise for that region) only put two carriages on the trains, making journeys quite cramped a lot of the time. So after hours spent in the company of screaming kids whose parents can't be bothered... Read review

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