Talk to Us...
Speak to one of our experts today.
Contact Us
+ 44 (0) 191 285 0346
business@travelb.co.uk
Grand Central launches new First Class lounge at Wakefield Kirkgate
Rail users in Wakefield can now enjoy a First Class travel experience as Grand Central Rail reveals its first ever First Class lounge at Wakefield Kirkgate.
Fully equipped with power sockets, USB ports, free Wi-Fi and task lighting, the exclusive lounge can accommodate at least 24 people and provides a number of areas for individuals and groups to relax in, as well as offering business travellers a flexible and dedicated space to work on the go.
The First Class Lounge is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm, as well as on Saturday from 7am to 3pm, closed Sunday and Bank Holidays.
The investment is part of the £5.6m development programme invested into the station to enhance the city’s image, boost the economy and bring new facilities to the district.
Grand Central and Northern now calling at Low Moor station
Grand Central Rail and Northern passengers in Yorkshire can now benefit from a new direct connection to London, Manchester Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds with the addition of the newly regenerated Low Moor station to their networks.
The station was opened by Northern on 2nd April 2017. The new station will improve connectivity and give greater accessibility to business hubs in Yorkshire and the capital for both the immediate and wider community.
The new station is conveniently located close to the M26 motorway and offers 120 parking spaces, which are free to rail users.
As part of its investment route, Grand Central will be expanding its fleet to 10 trains, boosting capacity and enabling the train operator to provide more services and additional destinations, such as Low Moor Station.
CrossCountry expansion and improvements
Following the successful award of CrossCountry’s franchise extension in October 2016, the business is working to deliver on commitments made to their customers:
– An additional 39,000 seats in peak periods on Edinburgh-Plymouth services from December 2017
– Cutting journey times from Birmingham to Manchester by up to 12 minutes at weekends and nine minutes on weekdays
– £20m investment to modernise CrossCountry’s HST fleet, including powered doors
– Free on-board Wifi and 4G connection upgrades by April 2018
– £1m of extra funding for Community Rail Partnerships across the network over a three year period.
CrossCountry’s new ‘58th Voyager’ is currently being prepared for service later this year, helping to deliver the promised additional seats. Last December the company was able to deliver journey time savings between Birmingham and Manchester, and from this December will be introducing new services to and from Morpeth.
Better information for rail passengers
Grand Central, Northern Rail and CrossCountry have all launched a new mobile website to provide clearer train information with fewer clicks, including more live information about train running times.
CrossCountry has extended its customer information team to a 24/7 operation, ensuring a member of staff is always available to provide advice and guidance.
