Train operator CrossCountry has received the prestigious honour of being ranked Britain's worst train operator, based on a passenger survey that probably didn't require much debate.

In the three months to the end of March, only 72% of Birmingham-based CrossCountry's station stops arrived within three minutes of schedule, while 7% of its services were cancelled entirely, according to watchdog Transport Focus. The survey found that 79% of passengers were satisfied with the Arriva Group-owned operator overall, 77% were satisfied with punctuality and reliability, and a mere 46% were satisfied with how the company handled delays - suggesting the other 54% have some stories to tell.

Transport Focus has demanded CrossCountry improve the passenger experience, reduce delays, provide better information during disruptions, and tackle overcrowding. The operator acknowledged it knew it "must do more to deliver the service our customers rightly deserve," which is corporate speak for "we've seen the numbers and they're not great."

At the other end of the spectrum, Hull Trains achieved the best overall satisfaction score at 94%, followed by LNER at 93%. Overall, 87% of passengers surveyed said they were satisfied with their journey, though disabled passengers reported lower satisfaction at 85%.

More than 100,000 passengers were questioned over the six months to the end of March. CrossCountry runs long-distance trains serving cities including Cambridge, Cardiff, and Manchester.

Mark Anderson, CrossCountry's customer and commercial director, said refurbished trains were "transforming" journeys and a new timetable was "delivering better regional connectivity." He added: "We're always working to improve onboard experience - from cleaning to catering, better wi-fi and clearer information during disruption. In particular, we know that crowding is a challenge."

Transport Focus chief executive Alex Robertson noted: "More than nine in 10 people would report a positive experience if a delay was 'handled well' - a remarkably high figure given their train is late - but this falls to one in four when it isn't." So the lesson is: if you're going to be late, at least be charming about it.