The rail industry is limbering up for the 2012 London Olympics with ambitious plans to run extra trains and sell tickets a year in advance.
Spectators travelling by rail to Olympic sporting venues throughout Britain will benefit from special Olympic Games train tickets. A special website for booking tickets will be developed covering all the country’s train operators. Tickets will qualify for railcard discounts.
A special games trains timetable is being developed by train companies and Network Rail. The new timetable, including short sprints and long distance services will be posted prior to train tickets going on sale this summer. Network Rail has suspended all improvement works on rail routes serving venues for almost three months next summer. Work will cease four weeks prior to the Games through until the end of the competition.
As well as travel to London, 2012 Games train fares will be available for travel to and from all other cities hosting Games events, including Coventry, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff and Weymouth.
Says Virgin Trains 2012 Games Co-ordinator, Natasha Grice, ‘It’s great that people will be able to plan their travel to Games venues when they buy their event tickets. 2012 suddenly seems much closer. Virgin Trains will be carrying on with detailed planning to ensure that spectators and visitors to Coventry, Glasgow, Manchester and London have quick and comfortable journeys to their destinations.’
Rail transport is seen as crucial to the success of the Olympic Games. Says ODA Transport Director, Hugh Sumner, ‘We have worked with the train operators to stage a Games built around public transport. Spectators will benefit from a service that will help them book their journey well in advance. This demonstrates how the transport industry at large is focussed on bringing all travel modes to life for the Games.’
