CrossCountry adds eight Voyager trains for more seats through New Street

Rail passengers travelling through Birmingham on CrossCountry should find more seats and less crowding from next year, after the operator announced eight more Voyager trains for its long-distance fleet.

The trains will enter service one after another from early 2027, with the last due by May 2028. CrossCountry runs through Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International, and also serves Wolverhampton and Stafford.

60,000 more seats a week

Along with 12 trains added in 2024 and 2025, the extra Voyagers will provide almost 60,000 more seats a week across the CrossCountry network, adding capacity on some of the busiest routes.

The trains were secured by CrossCountry, its owner Arriva, the Department for Transport and the rolling stock company Beacon. Before entering service each one will be worked on so it can run with the existing fleet.

Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry's managing director, said: "Our customers want a railway they can rely on, and these additional Voyager trains are an important step towards delivering that."

"They will give us greater flexibility and capacity across the network, helping us reduce crowding, improve reliability and support future timetable improvements."

"More seats, less crowding"

The rail minister, Lord Hendy, said: "Once these extra trains are in service, it means more seats, less crowding and greater resilience for services between major towns and cities across Great Britain, from Edinburgh and Glasgow in the north to Southampton and Bournemouth in the south."

"As we bring passenger services into public ownership through Great British Railways, we will bring track and train together to deliver the joined-up, reliable services passengers deserve."

Amanda Furlong, managing director of Arriva UK Trains, said the extra capacity would help make rail "a more attractive and comfortable option, encouraging more people to leave their cars at home".

Refurbishment too

Both the long-distance Voyager fleet and the Turbostar trains used on regional routes are being refurbished to improve comfort and facilities on board.

CrossCountry's network is built around Birmingham. Its trains run from New Street to Scotland and the north east, Manchester, Bristol and the south west, Reading and the south coast, and Cambridge and Stansted Airport, which means many of its busiest services pass through the city. Crowding has long been a complaint on some of these routes, which is what the extra trains are meant to ease.

Voyagers are diesel-electric trains that first entered service in the early 2000s. They can run on lines without overhead wires, which is why CrossCountry relies on them for journeys that cross several different parts of the network.