Long distance train operator CrossCountry, part of the Arriva Group, has launched an innovative way for customers to familiarise themselves with a train’s interior before even arriving at a station.
During these difficult times some customers could be anxious about what to expect when stepping on board, or it may be a long time since they last travelled. Social distancing means they want the assurance of knowing where to go immediately on arrival without having to wander around. Even before the onset of Coronavirus led to different ways of behaving, CrossCountry’s long-distance customers would mainly travel for occasional leisure journeys and be unfamiliar with where everything inside a train would be, such as where to leave their luggage or how to find the toilets or priority seating.
To put its customers’ minds at rest, CrossCountry has made available virtual tours of the inside of all three types of train it operates for journeys between Scotland and Cornwall, the North West and South Coast and Wales to East Anglia. The tours can be accessed through CrossCountry’s website at https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/on-board-with-crosscountry/our-trains
Starting at one end of a train, the online tour allows a customer to ‘virtually walk’ through the train to become familiar with how it looks. Along the way, hotspots highlight key locations such as luggage storage, which carriage they are in and where the toilets are located. There are even short video clips, such as tips on the best way to prepare luggage for a journey and downloadable information including maps to know the destinations along the route. The tours will be particularly helpful for customers with disabilities or requiring a little extra space, by showing the locations of the spaces for wheelchairs and priority seats with extra legroom to make getting in and out easier.
CrossCountry’s Managing Director, Tom Joyner, said: “We’re delighted to make it possible for customers to become familiar with the inside of our trains before even setting out on their journey. We know that today, more than ever before, they want to travel with confidence and feel assured the railway is doing all it can to keep them safe and make their journeys easier.
“This innovative service means our customers can arrive at a station prepared for their journey by checking the carriage layout and seating area before leaving home. We’ll be listening to their feedback and adding more information in the videos to help them keep travelling.”
Photo credit: CrossCountry
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