He cites the high costs of trains as a major issue – a new Intercity Express (ICE) train with capacity for 650 people is priced at around Ð30 million – which means newcomers are likely to use second-hand options. He also points to varying train standards across EU countries as another stumbling block.
“Although train revenue is less than airline revenue, the train stock is more expensive,” adds Gossel. “Only a European product standardisation will open up markets in full. You need to have a situa- tion where you can be guaranteed to run your trains everywhere and we are not at that point yet.”
With so many barriers, it’s tempting to ask why Trans Metropolitan is even bother- ing to undertake the seemingly Herculean task of taking on the titans of European railways? Gossel says this challenge is one of the reasons why his company is spend- ing plenty of time “doing our homework” before announcing any concrete plans.
Rail updates
• The government could scrap first-class carriages on UK commuter trains in an effort to reduce overcrowding on key rush- hour services. Transport secretary Chris Grayling says there should be just one “single class of travel” for shorter rail journeys.
• Virgin Trains has launched a service for group bookings of at least ten passengers, enabling groups to book tickets 52 weeks in advance for travel any day of the week. The operator is also offering a 20 per cent discount for groups of ten+ passengers.
This only applies to Virgin’s West Coast services.
• The government has confirmed its preferred route for the second phase of the HS2 rail development north of Birmingham, which will run in a ‘Y-shape’ to Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and the East Midlands. Travel times between Birmingham and Manchester should drop from 80 to 40 minutes. The line is due to open in 2033.
• Great Western
Railway is due to start introducing its first new Intercity Expresses from
this autumn. Initially, the new longer trains will be operating from Paddington to Bristol and South Wales, including Reading, Bath and Cardiff, before being introduced on routes to Devon and Cornwall next summer. The entire fleet of 93 trains, costing £500 million, is expected to be in service by the end of 2019.
• Heathrow Express tickets can now be provided within a 72-hour booking window through both Evolvi and Trainline online booking systems. The airport rail service station also achieved a 97 per cent
satisfaction rating – its best- ever score – in the latest National Rail Passenger Survey, which earned the operator joint top spot with Hull Trains.
• Rail passengers can now buy advance tickets on the day of departure if they are travelling with Grand Central, Greater Anglia, Northern, Trans Pennine Express and Virgin Trains’ East Coast and West Coast franchises. The move follows the lead set by Cross Country Trains. Cheaper tickets are available up to ten minutes before departure on certain routes.
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