On Trains & Buses

Nox Mobility, a Berlin-based startup, aims to revolutionise night trains across Europe, and it plans to launch its first routes in 2027. The trains will feature fully private cabins, including single and double occupancy options, with prices starting from €79 for a private single cabin and €75 per person for a double cabin. The company aims to connect major Western and Central European cities with journey times of under 12 hours, directly competing with short flights, and intends to serve than 100 interconnected cities by 2035.

The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has announced a £15 billion investment in transport infrastructure across England, with a focus on tram, train and bus projects in mayoral authorities in the Midlands, North and West Country. The funding will be allocated over five years from 2027 to 2032, with major investments including £2.5 billion for Greater Manchester’s tram network and £2.4 billion for the West Midlands. Other regions set to benefit include South Yorkshire, Liverpool, the North East, West of England, Tees Valley and East Midlands, with projects aimed at improving road, rail and bus connections.

Changes are being made to school bus services for Calday Grange Grammar School and West Kirby Grammar School from 11^th May. The 670 route’s 08:00 journey has been renumbered to 670A and now follows a different path along Quarry Road East and Irby Road, no longer serving Delavor Road or Banks Road. Additionally, the 674 morning journey now begins at Borough Road, South Road, while for West Kirby Grammar School, the 672 afternoon journey has been extended to terminate at Borough Road, Prenton Road West.

Cheshire East Council launched an enhanced bus saver pass offering young people aged 16-19 a £1 flat fare for single journeys across the borough. This is valid all day on local bus services for journeys that start or finish within Cheshire East. Care leavers aged 16-22 are entitled to free travel with the pass. Young people can apply online via the Council’s website by providing proof of identity and age, with the only other requirement being residence in Cheshire East. The passes are valid until October 2026 or until the holder’s 20^th birthday (23^rd for care leavers). The scheme, delivered by the Cheshire East Bus Partnership with participation from all local bus operators, aims to encourage more people to use public transport.

A new complimentary hop-on hop-off shuttle bus service has launched in north Clare, connecting major attractions with local towns and villages. The Burren and Cliffs Explorer, jointly developed by Clare County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, aims to disperse over one million visitors across the region’s protected landscape. Running until August as a pilot scheme with a potential extension into September, this sustainability-focused initiative encourages visitors to leave their cars behind, helping to support local economies while protecting the environment for future generations.

From 17^th April 2025, a new bus route has been introduced linking Knockraha with Cork City, running to Parnell Place Bus Station and calling at places such as Crestfield and Hazelwood Shopping Centres, Glanmire Business Park, Glanmire Community College and John O’Callaghan Park. It replaces the previous Route 214 journeys that served Knockraha and increases provision to a 90-minute frequency with nine return trips each day across weekdays and weekends. The service also strengthens onward connections at Parnell Place and Kent Station for rail services and other bus routes, including the option to change at Kent Station for Route 205 to Cork University Hospital, University College Cork and Munster Technical University.

Bus Éireann has announced enhancements to Dundalk’s town bus service, effective from 13^th April 2025. Routes 174, 174A and 174B will benefit from expanded operating hours, including new early morning and late evening services, with all routes now offering comprehensive Sunday services. The improvements, funded by the National Transport Authority as part of the Transport for Ireland Network, will provide service every thirty minutes on each route, with Route 174 operating between Dundalk Bus Station and Grange Drive Muirheavna, Route 174A connecting the bus station to Fatima, and Route 174B running to Bay Estate.

Bus Éireann has announced adjustments to their Easter travel services for 2025. Services will run as follows: Good Friday will operate a normal Friday service for all Expressway, Commuter, City/Town and Rural routes; Saturday and Sunday will follow their regular schedules; and Easter Monday will operate a Sunday service across all routes.

Changes to D&G Bus services around Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire will come into force from 14^th April 2025. This includes two new weekday services supported by Stoke-on-Trent City Council using the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan scheme and a withdrawal due to low passenger numbers. In addition, one service, 8A, sees journeys retimed to improve reliability. The new routes are Service 27, serving Bentilee, Meir Hay and Longton and Service 96, which connects Packmoor, Turnhurst, Tunstall and Middleport. Service 40 will be withdrawn after Friday 11^th April due to low passenger numbers, though First Bus will continue to operate Saturday journeys on this route.

Changes are being made to Cheshire East bus services, notably the reintroduced 71, 72 and 73 rural services, which now provide a direct link between Nantwich, Wrenbury, Audlem and Leighton Hospital. Furthermore, the frequency of the northern section of the 391 and 392 services is being increased to run every hour, rather than every two hours, between Poynton and Stockport, following a significant rise in passenger numbers over the past year. These revised and restored services are due to commence on 31 March.