Extra seats signal rail deal for Doncaster train travellers

Virgin Trains is creating 850,000-plus extra seats for Doncaster customers with 30,000 additional £14 Saturday cash-saver fares from town to London.
Doncaster train travellers on track for extra seats and cash-saver faresDoncaster train travellers on track for extra seats and cash-saver fares
Doncaster train travellers on track for extra seats and cash-saver fares

The rail franchise will introduce ten new Saturday services between Doncaster and the capital, helping create more than 850,000 extra seats to town every year while increasing number of affordable fares available.

Virgin Trains introduced 21 new services per week in last timetable change in December 2016, including popular late night service from London to Doncaster and York, and earliest ever departure from town to the capital.

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The new timetable represents a significant investment in services and signals fact Virgin Trains has introduced 31 extra services to or from Doncaster in the past six months with more than 850,0000 extra seats per year now available to take customers to or from town.

New Saturday services, in response to growing demand by customers, will start from May 27 following May 21 timetable changes. From next month six extra services will leave Doncaster for the capital on Saturdays with four northbound from London King’s Cross to town.

As well as improving its timetable, the train company has also made more lowest fares available to encourage more customers to leave the car at home at weekends and let train take the strain.

Customers travelling between Leeds or Wakefield and London will be able to take advantage of 115,000 more seats available for £16 on additional Saturday services. An additional 30,000 seats will be available between Doncaster and London from £14 each way with 23,000 extra seats priced £12 each way between Grantham and London on Saturdays.

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East coast MD David Horne said: “We’re making significant improvements to our trains and stations as well as making journeys even more affordable.

"We know customers want further options to travel by train and we hope these additional services as well as budget-friendly fares will encourage even more people on-board one of our newly refurbished trains.

"We’ll be continuing to invest in improvements at stations and on-board ahead of the introduction of our ground-breaking Azuma trains next year.”

The news comes following Virgin Trains’ recent announcement customers will be able to take advantage of cheaper advance ticket prices and seat reservations on day of travel.

Based on number of walk-up fares currently bought by customers, Virgin Trains calculates such changes could save customers an annual £7.1 million.