Story perspectives

CrossCountry to add 8 Voyager trains, 60,000 seats weekly

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 11:58 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

CrossCountry will add eight Voyager trains, entering service in early 2027.
The new trains will provide almost 60,000 extra seats per week across the network.
Seats will be added on routes such as Manchester-Bournemouth, Edinburgh-Glasgow, Reading-Newcastle and Reading-Southampton.
Managing Director Shiona Rolfe said the trains will boost flexibility, cut crowding and support timetable improvements.

History

Historical Context

British Rail introduced the InterCity 125 in 1976, the first diesel-powered trains to run at 125 mph, cutting London-Bristol times and prompting a surge in passenger numbers across the network. Decades later, CrossCountry Managing Director Shiona Rolfe announced eight new Voyager units for 2027, delivering roughly 60,000 additional weekly seats and echoing the 1970s capacity boost.

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Story summary

CrossCountry will add eight Voyager trains, entering service in early 2027.
The new trains will provide almost 60,000 extra seats per week across the network.
Seats will be added on routes such as Manchester-Bournemouth, Edinburgh-Glasgow, Reading-Newcastle and Reading-Southampton.
Managing Director Shiona Rolfe said the trains will boost flexibility, cut crowding and support timetable improvements.

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