Trains, boasts and planes: Virgin bids to put rail on top [Scotland on Sunday]



02/04/2016
Borders Railway extension feasibility study views laid out [BBC News]
News Index
03/04/2016
Between 15 and 20 injured in Plymouth train crash [BBC News]


Date: 03/04/2016

A new fares war on Britains most fiercely contested route is in prospect after Virgin vowed to make trains more popular than planes for the first time in decades. Virgin Trains East Coast (Vtec) said it will increase rails share of the 3 million annual passengers between Edinburgh and London from one third to at least half within seven years.


External links

Ticket price war as Virgin targets Edinburgh to London rail route

Scotland on Sunday

A new fares war on Britain’s most fiercely contested route is in prospect after Virgin vowed to make trains more popular than planes for the first time in decades.

Related news items

Tags: x Virgin Trains

DateItem
07/12/2019Virgin Trains says 'Thank You' as last train set to depart [Virgin Trains]
07/12/2019From talking toilets to speed records: How Virgin Trains changed British railway travel [ITV News]
05/12/2019Virgin Trains becomes first train operator to trial onboard 5G Wi-Fi [Virgin Trains]
26/11/2019All aboard: bosses keep roles as Virgin hands over to First Group [The Guardian]
11/11/2019London-Glasgow passengers choose rail over air [BBC News]
20/09/2019Competition watchdog probes West Coast Rail franchise award [Scotsman]
14/08/2019FirstGroup replaces Virgin to run West Coast route [BBC News]
24/06/2019New app to help rail passengers when services are cancelled [ITV News]
31/05/2019Train firm announces split ticketing rail journey app [ITV News]
24/05/2019Virgin Trains takes government to court over West Coast route [The Guardian]
24/04/2019Standing on long rail journeys to be banned under Virgin Trains plan for airline-style fares [Telegraph]
10/04/2019Virgin Trains 'could disappear' after franchise bar [BBC News]
04/04/2019Passenger numbers up on Virgin trains between Glasgow and London [BBC News]
28/02/2019Virgin Trains rolls out Alexa feature to assist disabled passengers [Railway Technology]
23/12/2018Virgin Trains gets one-year extension to run west coast mainline [The Guardian]
05/09/2018Grayling pushes for Britain railway review amid commuter anger [Guardian]
28/06/2018Chinese rail companies in front to run HS2 trains as British Virgin Trains and First Group struggle [Daily Mail]
24/06/2018East Coast train line back under public control [BBC News]
23/06/2018Final day for Virgin Trains East Coast [ITV News]
19/05/2018The bad bet at the heart of the East Coast rail franchise implosion [Guardian]
14/05/2018East Coast rail franchise 'to be scrapped' by transport secretary [Guardian]
19/04/2018Legal threat over Virgin Trains East Coast rail franchise [BBC News]
19/03/2018Passenger train struck rail left on track near Inverness [BBC News]
10/03/2018Virgin Trains rival Grand Central applies to run more services on East Coast mainline [Telegraph]
02/03/2018ScotRail testing network in bid to get trains moving [Scotsman]
15/01/2018ScotRail ranks bottom in Scotland says consumer watchdog study [Herald]
22/12/2017Virgin Trains West Coast strike called off [BBC News]
19/12/2017New Azumas get inaugural Scottish Highlands run [RTM]
15/12/2017Virgin Trains staff hold 24-hour strike [BBC News]
30/11/2017Grayling misleading Commons on East Coast rail 'bailout', says Labour [Guardian]
16/11/2017Virgin West Coast rail workers to strike [BBC News]
10/10/2017HITRANS Autumn Newsletter [HITRANS]
15/09/2017West Coast main line: Long delays after Harrow fire [BBC News]
16/08/2017Virgin Trains Azuma crosses Border for first time [Scotsman]
04/05/2017Virgin unveil new ticketing structure to save customers £7.1m a year [RTM]
24/04/2017Virgin and Stagecoach join with SNCF on HS2 WCP franchise bid [RTM]
23/04/2017Rail royalty Flying Scotsman meets modern era trains [BBC News]
22/04/2017Flying Scotsman will measure up to modern trains in unique Yorkshire railway event [Yorkshire Post]
13/04/2017Virgin Trains East Coast staff to stage 48-hour strike [BBC News]
23/03/2017ScotRail's 'new' HSTs [Rail Engineer]
21/03/2017Four trains, four generations - history to be made on Yorkshires East Coast Main Line [Virgin Trains]
04/02/2017Virgin Trains acting like Gestapo, says businessman detained after exploiting ticket loophole [Telegraph]
04/02/2017Woman praises train guard after racist attack [BBC News]
01/02/2017Air passenger duty cut 'will reduce train travel' [BBC News]
25/01/2017Virgin Trains completes £40m East Coast fleet refurbishment [RTM]
10/01/2017Lancashire MP Mark Menzies to fight 'barmy' rail fares to London [BBC News]
10/10/2016Virgin Trains recruiting £57,000 drivers for east coast line [Scotsman]
03/10/2016Virgin Trains East Coast rail staff strike under way [BBC News]
26/09/2016Virgin East Coast rail staff to strike on 3 October [BBC News]
21/08/2016Services resume after West Coast Main Line derailing [BBC News]
18/08/2016Virgin Trains East Coast August strikes suspended [BBC News]
09/08/2016Virgin East Coast rail staff vote to strike [BBC News]
12/05/2016First Group to run Edinburgh to London budget rail service[BBC News]
20/03/2016Virgin Trains East Coast Azuma Train In Action! [Citytransportinfo]
18/02/2016How much for a private rail carriage from Edinburgh to London? [Scotsman]
15/02/2016Extra trains launched linking London with Edinburgh [Evening Standard]
10/01/2016Virgin unveils first train of refurbished fleet [Rail News]
06/01/2016Virgin to by-pass West Coast Rail Line blockage [BBC News]
14/12/2015
14/12/2015First Sunderland Virgin train arrives in London King's Cross [Sunderlad Echo]
08/12/2015West Coast Main Line reopens after Carlisle flood [Rail News]
24/11/2015Virgin East Coast plans £21m refurbishment for trains [BBC News]
29/10/2015New livery for Flying Scotsman train unveiled [Evening News]
22/06/2015First Virgin liveried HST enters service on East Coast [Rail News]
21/05/2015Rail unions call off national bank holiday strike [BBC News]
25/03/2015Edinburgh rail workers to strike on Good Friday [BBC News]
01/03/2015East Coast rail back in private hands [BBC News]
12/01/2015Virgin Trains reports surge in cross-border travel [BBC News]
14/12/2014New Shrewsbury to London rail service begins [BBC News]
24/09/2014Major rail disruption | Virgin Trains driver injured by electric shock en route to Liverpool Lime Street [Liverpool Echo]
23/09/2014Blackpool and Shrewsbury direct rail services to London approved [BBC News]
17/08/2014ScotRail and Virgin ‘trusted’ by passengers [Scotland on Sunday]
19/06/2014Virgin Trains to run west coast mainline until 2018 [Guardian]
13/06/2014Network Rail grants access rights to new WCML operator [IRJ]
03/12/2013Railway changes to benefit passengers [Blackpool Gazette]
16/11/2013Direct Shrewsbury-to-London train services to restart [BBC News]
01/10/2013Richard Branson's Virgin Trains tops fares league with 210% increase in prices [Evening Standard]
07/06/2013Network Rail faces action over late and cancelled trains [BBC News]
30/05/2013Virgin Trains expands for Glasgow 2014 [BBC News]
05/12/2012Virgin Trains to run West Coast Mainline for extra 23 months [BBC News]
19/09/2012Government team in place to run West Coast Main Line [Telegraph]
30/08/2012Plans to transform railway station [Lancashire Evening Post]
28/08/2012Virgin Takes Legal Action Over Train Deal [Sky News]
26/08/2012Virgin Trains offers to run West Coast 'for free' [BBC News]
15/08/2012Richard Branson attacks Government 'insanity' after Virgin Trains loses West Coast rail contract [Telegraph]
16/07/2012FirstGroup vies with Virgin in west coast rail bidding war [The Guardian]
23/06/2012Trains disrupted by heavy flooding on West Coast main line [STV]
23/03/2012Virgin just the ticket but ScotRail lagging behind, say travellers [Scotsman]
14/03/2012Longer trains to boost Virgin Trains capacity [Rail.co]
29/10/2011Train firms blame thieves for lateness [Scotsman]
05/10/2010Preston station improvement plans
03/01/2010Virgin Trains staff begin strike [BBC News]
19/11/2009Virgin staff strike is called off [BBC News Article]
27/05/2009Rise in on-time trains but Virgin complains of delay [Guardian]
25/01/2008Virgin is best for customers [Evening News]
16/10/2007Virgin trains end on best punctuality
10/07/2007Virgin loses Cross Country rail [BBC News]
15/05/2007All change for train [Scotsman]
22/09/2006Virgin train speed record attempt [BBC News]
21/09/2006Wireless web for Virgin trains [Scotsman]
31/05/2006Cornwall train link gets back on track [Scotsman]
28/02/2006Rail operator trumpets success after best month [Scotsman]
11/01/2006Fare response to rail strike [Scotsman]
01/10/2003New Pendolino train named 'City of Edinburgh'
07/01/2002Virgin Voyagers replace 158s
16/09/2000Polmadie Open Day

Quick links

Home
News
Contributors
On this day
Latest
Articles
Slideshows
Maps
Companies
Sitemap
Panoramic views
Image tags

The Big Five

Caledonian Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
Great North of Scotland Railway
Highland Railway
North British Railway

The Big Four

Great Western Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Southern Railway

Photographs

Search
Latest
On this day
Notes and Queries
News in pictures

Share

Facebook
Twitter

Scenic Lines

West Highland Railway
Mallaig Extension Railway
Callander and Oban Railway
Dingwall and Skye Railway
Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Girvan and Portpatrick Railway
Strathspey Railway
Edinburgh and Hawick Railway
Far North Line

Contact

News and picture editor
Technical issues

Content © Copyright 1995 to present