Southwest Trains
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I had become more and more disillusioned and frustrated with the trains. They are generally quite efficient, their time keeping much better than it used to be a few years back and generally quite reliable. But I have become very dissatisfied with the quality of service that the staff provide. Although I have met many who are friendly, polite and helpful, in times of dire need and desperation for help, they can be extremely foolish, unknowledgeable, unreliable, destructive and all this can be served in a very rude and aggressive manner - and I am very serious about the latter.

Each year as their prices increase and so does the quality of their service that delivers the opposite.

They demand that we buy a ticket at every available opportunity otherwise they hammer down their fines on the spot. The ticket office at our station is only staffed a few hours each day and closes up well before lunch time. So the next stop is the ticket machine, this is many a times out of service and has been for several months now. Ok, I am already annoyed, frustrated and worried at the same time in case I happen to meet an unpleasant ticket guard who may not listen to my explanation of my lack of ticket. Anyway, I get on the train and approach the guard to buy a ticket, no surprise he questions why I have no ticket, he probes further as to why I didn't use the ticket machine. After my explanation he finally sells me the ticket, but at the higher price. I question this and he argues that I should have bought the before I got on the train - aggghhhhh!! Didn't I make myself clear in the first place about the closed ticket office and the faulty machine?! B***dy h**l! Of course, I was not erratic like this, I always try to maintain a polite manner but I was just burning inside.

Another time I had to get a ticket on the train I was charged the higher priced fare. It was fortunate that someone else had bought the same ticket just before me from the same station and I asked why I was charged more than him. This has actually happened quite a few times, it's like what is wrong with me?!

I rarely use the trains now. I feel really worked up just writing this review. So I'm going to cut it short. I try to avoid using the trains unless I have to, and I try to make sure I get the ticket in advance online to avoid any potential contact with a rude aggressive member of staff. It really stresses me out when I meet one of them.

If a member of South West Trains is reading this, please pass this on. Please train your staff to be friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and professional.


Thanks for reading.


©Leighsa 2010