CrossCountry will add eight Voyager trains to its long-distance fleet, increasing capacity and resilience across Great Britain.
The first units will enter service from early 2027, with all trains expected by May 2028, according to the operator.
The expansion will add almost 60,000 seats each week across the network.
The additional trains will support routes connecting cities including Birmingham, Glasgow, Penzance, Bournemouth, Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield, Cardiff, Cambridge and Manchester.
CrossCountry currently operates 70 Voyager units, and the eight additions will increase the fleet to 78.
The trains were secured through an agreement involving CrossCountry, Arriva, the Department for Transport and leasing company Beacon.
Refurbishment and Fleet Flexibility
The first additional Voyager trains will undergo modification and refurbishment work at Alstom's Derby site before entering service.
CrossCountry said the programme is intended to improve fleet flexibility, reduce crowding and support future timetable changes.
The fleet expansion follows earlier additions of 12 trains during 2024-25 and is part of broader refurbishment work on its Voyager and Turbostar fleets.
CrossCountry said the new trains will provide additional capacity on busy routes, while the fleet work is designed to improve comfort, onboard facilities and customer experience.
Beacon CEO Adam Cunliffe said the agreement would bring all 78 Voyager trainsets owned by Beacon into service with CrossCountry.
The company said Alstom will maintain the fleet after refurbishment work.
CrossCountry Managing Director Shiona Rolfe said the investment reflects the company's effort to improve service reliability and strengthen its future operations.
"Our customers want a railway they can rely on, and these additional Voyager trains are an important step towards delivering that," Rolfe said.
"They will give us greater flexibility and capacity across the network, helping us reduce crowding, improve reliability and support future timetable improvements."
Arriva UK Trains Managing Director Amanda Furlong said the additional capacity would strengthen services and support more dependable journeys for passengers.
"The increased capacity will support a more reliable and resilient railway, helping CrossCountry deliver the dependable journeys customers expect," Furlong said.
The Office of Rail and Road data cited by BBC indicated CrossCountry punctuality fell by more than six percentage points between April and June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
