Extremely poor customer service, last-minute cancellation, and very poor value for money.”
Last-minute cancellation, rude staff, broken promises – not worth the money
I booked the Red Bistro Bus as a special celebration for my two sisters and arranged extensive travel from Birmingham to Edinburgh months in advance specifically for this experience.
Late afternoon the day before, while we were already travelling with limited internet, I received an email cancelling our 12 noon booking with less than 24 hours’ notice, initially stating it was due to a large party cancelling. The only alternative offered was 3pm, which meant changing train tickets at significant extra cost. Emails and phone calls went unanswered.
When I eventually got through the next day, I was spoken to rudely and even accused of lying about the travel and expense involved. A manager later claimed the cancellation was actually due to driver illness, contradicting the original email, and refused any compensation despite the disruption and additional costs.
We were then emailed an apology promising complimentary drinks and extra privileges, none of which were provided. The bus was almost empty, making the cancellation even more baffling.
The experience itself was mediocre at best: not enough food (two meringue nests for three people), no soya milk despite pre-ordering, and overall poor value for money. While the onboard staff were polite, they seemed unaware of the issues.
For such an expensive experience, the customer service was dreadful and the promises were not honoured. A huge amount of money spent for very little in return. I would not recommend this company.
It would have been nice also to have a map given when you boarded so that you could follow where you were going and pin point the places of interest.
January 28, 2026
Unprompted review