Christmas and New Year Services on Virgin Trains

LONDON, December 13, 2010 - Virgin Trains is reminding passengers to check times and book seats in
plenty of time as services around the holiday period on all their routes are
likely to be very busy. Seats can be booked when purchasing tickets online at
virgintrains.com, by phone on 0871-977-4222, or in person at Virgin Trains'
stations. Train times can be checked by visiting nationalrail.co.uk or
calling 08457-48-49-50.

Apart from Christmas Day and Boxing Day when there will be no services,
trains will be running every day.

Day by day summary of services

24 December: Weekday service. Services reduced from early evening in
preparation for a mid-evening shutdown.

25 and 26 December: No services

27 December: Weekday service although some early morning trains will be
withdrawn. Route improvement work between Crewe and Preston all day will mean
Euston to Glasgow services terminating at Crewe and re-starting at Preston.
Birmingham to Scotland services via Carlisle will be diverted via an
alternative route between Crewe and Preston. Rail replacement coaches will
serve Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western. Passengers travelling
from London to Scotland with Anytime or Off Peak tickets can use East Coast
services from Kings Cross.

28 December: Weekday service. Route improvement work will be taking place
all day between Wigan North Western and Preston. Euston to Glasgow services
will terminate at Wigan and re-start from Preston. Birmingham to Scotland
services will be diverted via an alternative route, but between 12:00 and
19:00 will be able to run via their normal route. Rail replacement coaches
will run all day between Wigan North Western and Preston. Passengers
travelling from London to Scotland with Anytime or Off Peak tickets can use
East Coast services from London Kings Cross.

29 and 30 December: Normal weekday service.

31 December: Weekday service. Services reduced from early evening in
preparation for a mid-evening shutdown.

1 January: Saturday service. Some early morning services withdrawn. Full
service from mid-morning.

2 January: Normal Sunday service. No route improvement work.

3 January: Weekday service.

Ticketing

Time restrictions on Off-Peak tickets will be lifted from Noon on 23
December through to close of service on 3 January while First Class upgrades
will be available at GBP15.00 per single journey (GBP10.00 on the Euston -
West Midlands route) from 24 December through until 3 January inclusive.

Train catering in First Class

On 24 December there will be a normal breakfast service but after that
finishes the Light Bites menu will be on offer for the remainder of the day.

Although the full First Class catering offer will be withdrawn between 27
December and 3 January inclusive, First Class customers travelling on
Pendolino trains will receive at their seats a selection of hot drinks,
water, crisps, biscuits and fresh fruit. First Class customers travelling on
Super Voyagers can collect refreshments from The Shop between 27 December and
3 January.

Notes to Editors:

    - Images of Virgin Trains and the company's operations are
      available in the Image Library on our online Media Room website
      www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

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    - Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have
      operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the
      current franchise runs to March 2012.

    - Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49
      percent by Stagecoach

    - Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous industry awards. In
      2010 the company has been named Best Rail Operator of the Year
      at the Travel Globe Awards (voted for by readers of the Daily Mail,
      Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard), and Best Rail Operator in the
      Group Leisure Awards (which we also won in 2009).. In 2009 we were
      also voted Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller
      magazine for the second year running. Virgin Trains first achieved
      Investors In People accreditation in 2007and this was renewed in 2010.

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Desk on +44(0)845-000-3333 or visit www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/