CrossCountry Unveils First Refurbished Voyager Train in £75m Upgrade

CrossCountry has revealed its first refurbished Voyager train as part of a £75m upgrade, aiming to improve passenger experience and refurbish its entire fleet within two years.

CrossCountry Launches Refurbished Voyager Train

Train operator CrossCountry has unveiled the first of its refurbished Voyager trains, part of a £75 million investment aimed at upgrading its fleet.

CrossCountry A refurbished CrossCountry train on some tracks at what appears to be a train depot. The train is painted red with a white cross near the driver's door.

The Voyager trains operate long-distance routes across Britain, linking the South West and South Coast of England with the Midlands, North West, North East, and Scotland.

Addressing Overcrowding and Capacity

CrossCountry has faced criticism in the past for overcrowding on its services. To address this, the company introduced an additional 12 trains to its Voyager fleet last year, enhancing capacity across its network.

Commitment to Passenger Experience

Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry's managing director, emphasized the significance of the refurbishment project, stating:

"This train marks an important step in our commitment to improving the experience for everyone who travels with us."

The refurbishment work was completed by staff at the Derby Litchurch Lane facility, where the newly upgraded train was revealed on Tuesday.

CrossCountry Image shows the inside of a refurbished CrossCountry train carriage. The carriage is empty and has black fabric seats with grey tables,

Fleet Details and Refurbishment Plans

Currently, there are 70 CrossCountry Voyager trains in operation across the UK, all originally built in 2000. The company plans to refurbish the entire fleet within the next two years. Upgrades include enhancements to both the interior and exterior, installation of new seating, increased legroom, and improved CCTV systems.

CrossCountry Image shows refurbished seats on the Crosscountry Voyager train. The seats are made out of black fabric and have red handles for stability.

Past Challenges and Service Adjustments

In 2024, CrossCountry faced severe criticism from then transport secretary Louise Haigh regarding its proposal to reduce services to manage a backlog in driver training. At that time, the company acknowledged shortcomings in its service and issued an apology for the inconvenience caused by the revised timetable.

Franchise Extension

In 2023, the Department for Transport extended CrossCountry's franchise until October 2027, with an option to extend for an additional four years thereafter.

CrossCountry The inside of what appears to be a first class carriage of a refurbished CrossCountry Voyager train. There are group seats with tables on one side of the train and a row of indivudal seats with tables on the other.

CrossCountry Rows of seats on an empty carriage on a refurbished CrossCountry voyager train. The image shows seats on either side of the photo, with red arm rest levers on the right and blue ones on the left.