FirstGroup Announces £76m Bus Order

2013-02-14 — /travelprnews.com/ — FirstGroup, the UK’s leading bus and rail operator, today revealed that its bus division has ordered 464 new vehicles worth £76m for delivery in the 2013/14 financial year. This order will bring First’s investment in new buses to around £240m in three years. First also confirmed that more than 95% of its… Read the full press release

Warrington Bank Quay station to get a facelift

2013-02-14 — /travelprnews.com/ — Warrington Bank Quay station, managed by Virgin Trains, is to get a facelift in a project costing some £600,000. Virgin Trains will work with industry partner, Network Rail to deliver improved facilities for customers, as part of the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP). Customers at this busy station on the West Coast… Read the full press release

SOUTH WEST TRAINS STATIONS ACHIEVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY

24 stations re-accredited with Secure Station status Passenger satisfaction with safety and security continues to grow 2013-02-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Passengers using South West Trains have been given a further boost after 24 more locations on the network were re-accredited with Secure Station status, taking the total number with the nationally recognised safety mark to more… Read the full press release

Riders can take Metrolink to 114th annual Golden Dragon Parade in downtown Los Angeles

Metrolink will pass out a limited edition paper train in celebration of Lunar New Year    LOS ANGELES – 2013-02-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Metrolink passengers will have the opportunity to travel to the 114th annual Golden Dragon Parade this Saturday. After arriving at Los Angeles Union Station, riders can transfer with no additional charge to the Metro… Read the full press release

VIA Rail on the upswing in the fourth quarter of 2012

Ridership increases of more than 10% on most popular routes:  Quebec – Montréal – Ottawa – Toronto Montréal, 2013-02-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — During a speech before the Canadian Club of Montreal today, VIA Rail Canada’s President and CEO (www.viarail.ca), Mr. Marc Laliberté, shared ridership results for the last quarter on the most popular routes in its… Read the full press release

ECTAA and Trenitalia working together

2013-02-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Recognising the increasing importance of rail transport in Europe, ECTAA has agreed to work closer with Trenitalia on the distribution of rail products through travel agents and tour operators. Trenitalia and ECTAA are implementing their strategic partnership agreement to help promote and distribute Trenitalia’s products through travel agents and tour operators in… Read the full press release

Support the North! Manchester Airport’s ‘Fly Manchester’ campaign launches

Support the North! Manchester Airport’s ‘Fly Manchester’ campaign launches 2013-02-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Manchester Airport, the global gateway to and from Northern England, launches a ‘Fly Manchester’ campaign today to win back the four million passengers from its catchment area that currently travel by road/ rail to London airports when routes operate a short distance away… Read the full press release

Get aboard the ’love’ train

Eurostar ‘woos’ its passengers with Valentine’s Day surprises 2013-02-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Eurostar, the high-speed passenger service that ‘marries’ the UK and the continent will treat its passengers to a host of romantic surprises to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. On the 14 February, Eurostar will ‘woo’ couples setting off for a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway, with… Read the full press release

Virgin Trains’ Cheshire stations are the best

2013-02-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — Virgin Trains has scooped two major awards at the annual Cheshire Best Kept Station awards held on 22 January 2013. Crewe station picked up an award for the fifth year running and Macclesfield station was also a winner. Crewe (Best Staffed Station Award) John Hulme, Organiser of Cheshire Best Kept Station, said: “Our… Read the full press release

We’re looking to build on the retention of train franchise

2013-02-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — In the article below Gary Iddon, appointed as General Manager, North and Scotland for Virgin Trains in January 2013, looks back on a dramatic 2012 for the company and sets out his vision for 2013 and beyond. The article is reproduced with the kind permission of the Lancashire Evening Post. It was published by… Read the full press release

Eurostar and the Young People’s Trust for the Environment launch national competition to recognise young environmental champions

2013-02-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Eurostar, the high-speed passenger rail service linking the UK with mainland Europe, today opens entries for its Have your say on sustainability competition, giving young people the chance to share their views with MEPs in Brussels. For the second year running, Eurostar and national charity ‘the Young People’s Trust for the Environment’ are inviting 11-18… Read the full press release

La SNCB et la NS agissent ensemble: train direct entre Bruxelles et La Haye à partir du 18 février

L’offre sera augmentée jusqu’à 8 connexions à partir du 11 mars Les chemins de fer belges et néerlandais proposent à partir du 18 février une nouvelle connexion directe entre Bruxelles et La Haye. La décision prise par la SNCB et NS intervient deux semaines après la suspension, pour une durée indéterminée, du train à grande… Read the full press release

CHEAP AS FRITES…Eurostar launches January sale with three fantastic offers

2013-02-01 — /travelprnews.com/ — Eurostar, the high-speed passenger service linking London and mainland Europe, is launching a twelve day express sale on the 3 January with three great offers to help kick-start 2013: 150,000 seats available from only £59 return for standard travel from London to Paris, Brussels or Lille. Travel in Standard Premier, where passengers enjoy… Read the full press release

First Great Western and First Capital Connect rail franchises

FIRSTGROUP PLC STATEMENT RE: FIRST GREAT WESTERN AND FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT RAIL FRANCHISES 2013-02-01 — /travelprnews.com/ — In response to the announcement by the Department for Transport (‘DfT’) today, FirstGroup, the leading transport operator in the UK and North America, confirms the following with regard to its First Great Western and First Capital Connect rail franchises. The First… Read the full press release

Hull Trains achieves record score for overall customer satisfaction

2013-01-31 — /travelprnews.com/ — Figures released today by Passenger Focus, the independent rail industry passenger champion and watchdog, reveal that First Hull Trains scored 95 per cent in overall customer satisfaction – a seven per cent improvement on the autumn 2011 survey, and two per cent better than the score achieved in spring 2012. The figures put… Read the full press release

First Capital Connect passenger satisfaction score rises for third year running

2013-01-31 — /travelprnews.com/ — Latest results of a survey by industry rail watchdog Passenger Focus show that overall satisfaction with First Capital Connect (FCC) services has grown for the third year in a row. Of those customers surveyed in autumn 2012, 81% said they were satisfied or very satisfied (a 1% increase year on year, which is… Read the full press release

Customers voice satisfaction for First TransPennine Express

2013-01-31 — /travelprnews.com/ — First TransPennine Express (FTPE) scored 88 per cent overall satisfaction in the independent National Passenger Survey. The research which canvasses the opinions of around 30,000 passengers was conducted in Autumn 2012. Results released today show that the train operator has improved in 19 of the 36 categories (since Autumn 2011) with customers particularly… Read the full press release

National Passenger Survey – ScotRail outperforms UK

2013-01-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — Nine out of 10 ScotRail customers are satisfied with their train services – equalling its highest ever rating. In the key category of overall customer satisfaction ScotRail scored 90% – up one percentage point on last year and five points higher than the UK average for train operators. The latest National Passenger Survey… Read the full press release

CBC/Radio-Canada, VIA Rail and Community Foundations of Canada present CANADA 150/2017 STARTS NOW a conference series in collaboration with leading canadian organizations

2013-01-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — Today ( January 28, 2013), CBC/Radio-Canada, VIA Rail Canada and Community Foundations of Canada, in collaboration with a number of leading organizations across the country, announced cities and dates for its CANADA 150/2017 STARTS NOW initiative, a conference series that will spark a national conversation about Canada’s upcoming 150th anniversary. The CANADA 150/2017 STARTS NOW conferences will inform,… Read the full press release

Come and try our record-breaking services says Virgin Trains CEO

2013-01-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — Virgin Trains’ customers have given Virgin Trains its highest ever score in the most recent national survey of rail passenger satisfaction. The rail watchdog Passenger Focus carries out large-scale independent research across the industry twice a year, and today released the results of its Autumn 2012 survey. 92% of Virgin Trains’ customers rated… Read the full press release

Merseyside in battle for most popular rail route

2013-01-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — Virgin Trains’ customers have given a massive thumbs up to rail services between Liverpool and the capital. With a 96% satisfaction rating, Virgin Trains’ Liverpool services have been rated the second most popular in the country, nudged into second place only by the unique service operated on the Isle of Wight. The rail… Read the full press release

La SNCB suspend l’achat des rames Fyra et met en demeure AnsaldoBreda

La SNCB met la priorité sur le voyageur 2013-01-22 — /travelprnews.com/ — En raison des importants problèmes techniques qu’a dû affronter le train à grande vitesse Fyra au cours des dernières semaines, la SNCB a décidé de suspendre l’achat des trois rames chez le producteur italien AnsaldoBreda. Le Conseil d’Administration a en outre pris la décision d’imputer… Read the full press release

ORIENT-EXPRESS TAKES TRAINING TO ANOTHER LEVEL

2013-01-21 — /travelprnews.com/ —  This week sees Orient-Express Trains & Cruises steaming ahead with the launch of a series of brand new product training films. The films, a creative educational tool for travel agents and tour operators worldwide, are intended to provide a 360-degree insight into the Company’s intricate rail and cruise experiences from check-in, the journey… Read the full press release

airberlin non-stop Berlin-Abu Dhabi flight celebrates one year anniversary

Only non-stop service between Berlin and the UAE provides transfer guests with even more flights to worldwide destinations in 2013  2013-01-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — On 15th January 2012 at 21:35, an airberlin Airbus A330-200 set off for the first time from Berlin to Abu Dhabi, the hub of the airline’s strategic partner Etihad Airways. As the only… Read the full press release

VIA Rail renews its lease at Place Ville Marie and consolidates its activities on two floors

MONTREAL, 2013-01-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — VIA Rail Canada (www.viarail.ca) announced today that it has renewed its lease for its headquarter offices at Place Ville Marie in Montréal. The Corporation, which has been located in the building since the early 1980s, will take advantage of this agreement to consolidate its activities on two floors by 2016. This decision… Read the full press release

SNCB : des bons points pour l’aide aux personnes à mobilité réduite

Score convenable de 77 % avec encore des points à améliorer 2013-01-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — La SNCB a reçu des bons points pour son assistance aux personnes à mobilité réduite. C’est ce qui ressort d’une enquête indépendante effectuée par des “mystery shoppers” qui ont analysé l’entièreté du processus d’assistance de la SNCB. Les résultats de l’étude… Read the full press release

Virgin Trains launches biggest ever Standard Class seat sale

2013-01-18 — /travelprnews.com/ — Up to 50,000 Virgin Trains standard class seats are up for grabs at knock down prices with prices starting at £5.50 for a journey between London and Birmingham Between 16 and 19 January 2013 customers will have the opportunity to bag these incredibly cheap tickets but they will need to be quick… Read the full press release

Third Railroad Blockade in Marysville Forces VIA Rail to Stop Trains

MONTREAL, 2013-01-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — A railroad blockade in the Marysville area between Belleville and Kingston affects the movement of VIA Rail (www.viarail.ca) trains and its passengers between Toronto-Montréal and Toronto-Ottawa in both directions. Although this situation causes substantial additional expenses and forces our employees to work long hours, VIA Rail’s foremost priority is to ensure that our customers… Read the full press release

Fyra entre Bruxelles et Amsterdam de plus en plus à temps

Près de 3 Fyra sur 4 roulent suivant l’indicateur Le plan de récupération et d’amélioration de la SNCB et de NS Hispeed toujours très actif Le 9 décembre dernier, Fyra prenait du service entre Bruxelles et Amsterdam. Après ce premier mois, la SNCB et NS Hispeed font un premier bilan. 2013-01-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Après des… Read the full press release

ORIENT-EXPRESS TO LAUNCH ASSOCIATE HOTEL PROGRAMME FIRST MEMBER HOTEL ANNOUNCED

2013-01-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. www.orient-express.com, owners or part-owners and managers of 45 luxury hotel, restaurant, tourist train and river cruise properties operating in 22 countries, today launched the Orient-Express Associate Hotels programme. At the same time, Orient-Express announced that the founding member of the new programme is the iconic Hôtel du Palais, Biarritz,… Read the full press release