CrossCountry Voyager (UK)

ShowMeTheJourney has anticipated what questions are most often asked about travelling on CrossCountry's Voyager trains and answered them below.

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These trains can travel at up to 125mph / 200kmh, though during a journey they more typically travel at up to 100mph / 160 kmh.

Seats are automatically allocated when booking any type of ticket* online and when booking Advance tickets at station ticket offices and ticket machines,
However, when booking other types of ticket at stations, you may be asked if you want to add a reservation - though reservations can now be added up to just 10 mins prior to departure.

No, you will need to accept the seats you have been allocated.
Though when booking you should be given options to select preferences, which include:

• forward facing seats
• seats at tables
• window seats
• seats with power sockets
• seats by the luggage racks
  You can combine this into whatever would suit you, but the seat(s) you will actually assigned will depend on what's still available at the time of booking.
  The booking screen won't blank out any facility that is no longer available.

No, but opting to reserve does not incur additional charges.

These trains do not have a bar/bistro cars, but a catering trolley should be taken through the Standard Class coaches which offers a range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches.
An at seat service of complimentary hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches is served in coach A, which is for exclusive use of First Class travellers

Yes, though in both First and Standard Class power sockets are only available at window seats.

Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available throughout the train

Despite the option to select a seat in a Quiet Coach on the booking path, they are not actually available.
So while keeping your fellow travellers in mind, it's possible to make or receive mobile calls from any seat.

The recommendation is to bring a maximum of one larger item which measures a maximum of 90cm by 70cm by 30cm - and additional space for items of this size is available in coach D.
A handbag, small rucksack or satchel bag can be stored under the seat in front of you or on your lap.
Soft bags and small cases are easier to store and will be more secure in the overhead racks.

Yes and they are available in both First and Standard Class - see the CrossCountry guide for further information.

Spaces for non-folding bikes can be reserved ahead of travel free of charge but one space per train is set aside for travellers without bike reservations - though inevitably it may be occupied when attempting to board.
If if is you won't be able to take that particular train.

The bike storage facility is located at one end of coach D, so pre-boarding it's worth confirming where coach D will be located before the train arrives at the station.

The bike storage facility is located at one end of coach D, so pre-boarding it's worth confirming where coach D will be located before the train arrives at the station.

Yes, up to two dogs can be taken on board without any need to book a ticket(s) for them.

Cross Country operates variants of these trains which have 4 or 5 coaches, but despite being comparatively short trains, they are used on some of Britain's longest railway routes, which don't serve London.

However, many travellers use these trains for short-distance trips between each of the stations they serve, and when Mondays to Fridays are working days, they can be popular with commuters.

So if you will be making a long-distance journeys by these trains, booking in advance, so that you can reserve seats is highly recommended.
If you book online you'll automatically have reservations and tickets can usually be booked on the CrossCountry booking service up to only 10 minutes before departure.

CrossCountry uses these Voyager trains on these four routes:

(1) Exeter - Taunton - Bristol – Birmingham – Wolverhampton - Stafford - Stoke-on-Trent - Manchester

(2) Bournemouth - Southampton – Winchester – Reading – Oxford – Coventry - Birmingham – Wolverhampton - Stafford - Stoke-on-Trent - Manchester

(3) Southampton – Winchester – Reading – Oxford – Birmingham – Derby – Sheffield – Doncaster - York – Durham – Newcastle

(4) (Penzance) - Plymouth – Exeter – Bristol – Birmingham – Derby – Sheffield – Leeds – York – Durham – Newcastle – Edinburgh – Glasgow
These Voyager trains share this route with the CrossCountry 125 trains.

If you will be boarding at a station the train calls at during a journey, there are now usually signs on the platform (track) which will show you where to wait for speedy boarding into each coach/carriage.

Don’t just check the coach/carriage numbers by the doors, also check the seat number info that’s on the outside of the train.
All coaches will have two doors, one at each end and the other door may be nearer to your seat.

If you don't have a reservation, seats may not be available when you initially board into Standard Class, but it's likely that seats will become available at the next station call.

Reserved seats:

Worth knowing is that you don’t have to occupy the seat you have been assigned, for your travel ticket to be valid - the train conductor will check the ticket, but not the reservation.

So if for any reason you want to travel in a different seat, you can do so, as long as you check that the alternative seat(s) you want to move to hasn't been reserved, so will be available for your journey.

Though it will be obvious if the train you are travelling by is busy and if that is the case, it's best to be thankful for the fact that you have a reserved seat and to remain in it during your journey.

Each First and Standard Class coach on the train offers a mix of table seats and airline style seats - though most of the seats in First Class are table seats, while comparatively few seats in Standard Class have tables.

All First Class window seats offer a good view, but as can be seen on the seat map, some 'window' seats in the Standard Class coaches have a more restricted view.

These trains have both wheelchair spaces and seats with additional leg-room and Assisted Travel requirements can be booked online.