Better connections for CrossCountry customers from December

Rail passengers travelling between Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham will soon benefit from more frequent, more reliable train services.

From Sunday 10th December, an extra service per hour will be introduced between Birmingham and Nottingham via Derby as part of the rail industry’s twice-yearly timetable upgrades.

The changes mean more frequent connections between the West and East Midlands and more options for passengers travelling between Birmingham and Nottingham.

For the first time ever, a total of four trains per hour will operate between Derby and Nottingham with services operated by both CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway. CrossCountry’s long-distance customers will also benefit from faster journeys as services between the South West and the North East/Scotland via Birmingham will stop at fewer stations between Birmingham and Derby.  

The December timetable change is part of the regular drumbeat of upgrades to the national train timetable which help to ensure the best possible levels of service for customers across the country.

The additional hourly service between Birmingham and Nottingham has been made possible by the successful completion of work to repair concrete decks above the platforms at Birmingham New Street station.

John Robson, CrossCountry's Regional Director for the East Midlands and East Anglia, said: “We’re very pleased to deliver such a significant uplift in services for passengers travelling between the East and West Midlands as part of our regular timetable change this December.

“The new timetable will bring improved resilience and better train performance for passengers using this critical rail corridor, and we really look forward to welcoming customers on board.”

As well as an increase in services for the East Midlands, the new and improved timetable will also deliver smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers elsewhere on the network.

Dave Meredith, Customer Services Director for East Midlands Railway, said: “These additional services will complement our timetable to provide customers even more options when they make the journey between Nottingham and Derby.

“It’s great for the local economy of the region and will hopefully lead to more people choosing to travel by train rather than sitting in traffic on Brian Clough Way.”