1.1 The Charter
This is the Passenger's Charter for West Coast Trains Ltd and CrossCountry Trains Ltd, which together operate under the name of 'Virgin Trains'. It sets out our commitment to give you the safe, high quality service you have the right to expect. Any passenger purchasing a ticket for use on services operated by Virgin Trains should enjoy:

• a reliable and punctual journey
• clean and safe trains and stations
• a Customer Service team member onboard each train to be available to provide help if required
• a refreshment service on most trains
• a seat if reserved in advance

Copies of this Passenger's Charter will be available at all major stations used by Virgin Trains, from our Customer Relations team and our website virgin.com/trains.

1.2 Virgin Trains People
We are committed to providing a welcoming customer service. Our people are our most important asset and have the opportunity to make a positive difference to your journey. At all times, we expect our people to be smartly dressed and to respond to passengers in an efficient, considerate and courteous manner. We expect them to carry out their duties in a professional manner and to make every reasonable effort to deal effectively with customer problems on the spot. We are all aware that without you, our customers, we do not have a railway.

1.3 Customer Care
We commit to bringing the high standards of service associated with the Virgin brand to rail. We rely on well motivated and fully trained people to realise this, and all Virgin Trains people will receive on-going full training in customer care and related issues. We are also committed to co-operation with other train operators to provide you with as seamless a journey as possible.

Independent market research is being undertaken at least every three months to obtain unbiased evidence of customer satisfaction levels. Information gathered is being used to guide service improvements and new product development, and is shared with Rail Passengers Committees (RPCs) and published at all major stations used by Virgin Trains.

1.4 Service Improvements
Since initial publication of this Passenger's Charter, we have introduced the following improvements to our service:

• introduction of our new £1 billion fleet of 78 new Voyager trains for CrossCountry services. The new fleet of 53 Pendolino trains for the West Coast route is being delivered. The new trains feature an at-seat audio entertainment system, power points for laptops and an onboard shop.
• introduction from 30 September 2002 of a new CrossCountry timetable providing many more trains and creating the most extensive high speed regional InterCity network in Europe.
• the ability to buy tickets over the phone on 08457 222 333 was introduced in May 1997 with textphone facilities for customers with hearing difficulties (tel: 08457 44 33 67).
• a facility has been introduced enabling customers to buy tickets on the internet at virgin.com/trains.
• investment of around £2 million in new self-service 'FastTicket' machines at selected stations, to ease ticket purchase and collection of tickets which have been bought on the internet or by phone.
• introduction of a half hourly RailLinks coach service between Watford Junction and Heathrow Airport, and another RailLinks service between Milton Keynes and Luton Airport.
• accreditation of the following as Secure Stations: Penrith North Lakes, Oxenholme The Lake District, Lancaster, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, Macclesfield and Wolverhampton.
• extension and upgrade of car parks to Secured Car Park standard at Rugby, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Wigan North Western, Lancaster, Oxenholme The Lake District, Penrith North Lakes and Carlisle.
• refurbished ticket offices, with extra sales counters, at London Euston, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Glasgow Central.
• installation of new customer operated lifts at Birmingham International and Runcorn, together with lift upgrades at Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Stockport, Lancaster, and Wigan North Western.
• Virgin Information Points - usually a freephone telephone - at over 100stations to enable customers to contact Virgin Trains people for advice and information, including new staffed Information Points at London Euston, Birmingham International, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Preston and Edinburgh Waverley.
• refurbished First Class Lounge at London Euston and new First Class Lounges at Manchester Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry and Birmingham New Street.
• provision of new Standard Class Lounges at Wolverhampton, Glasgow Central and Preston.
• refurbishment of toilets and waiting rooms at stations operated by Virgin Trains.
• Customer Service team members are available to help customers changing trains and to give advice about onward travel arrangements at principal interchange stations, including an additional 20 staff at Birmingham New Street.
• on all trains other than those to/from London Euston, a new Club Class service has been introduced. Available to all First Class ticket holders, Club Class will continue to feature wide seats, access to First Class Lounges, complimentary newspapers, and an improved range of complimentary snacks and drinks throughout the day.
• enhanced service standards in First Class on West Coast trains to/from London Euston, and more at-seat trolley services in Standard Class on these trains.
• improvements to the quality and range of products at the onboard shop and buffet.

We are also planning the following further improvements to our service:

• improved Customer Information Systems at all stations operated by Virgin Trains.
• continuation of the programme to upgrade all stations and car parks operated by Virgin Trains to 'Secure’ standards.