West Midlands Railway (WMR) has celebrated a major milestone as its new Class 730/0 electric train fleet surpassed 12 million passenger journeys on the Cross City Line—just one year after its full rollout.
The modern fleet began serving passengers in March 2024, with the complete deployment finalised on 26 September 2024. Operating along the busy Cross City Line, which links Lichfield with Bromsgrove and Redditch via Birmingham, the trains have quickly become a favourite among both daily commuters and leisure travellers.
In just 12 months, the fleet has averaged over a million journeys per month. WMR has also reported a 19% increase in customer satisfaction on the route since the new trains entered service. Passengers have praised the spacious interiors, smart air conditioning systems, and contemporary design features that enhance comfort and convenience.
Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said:
“This new fleet is the flagship for our £1billion investment into new trains and infrastructure.”
“We want to provide the best possible passenger experience, and we are so pleased that the Class 730/0s are making such a positive impact on customer satisfaction already.
“The Cross City Line is the busiest commuter route outside of London, so boosting capacity was hugely important to us. The new 3-carriage trains run in pairs, comfortably offering space for over 1,000 people on every Cross City Line service.”
As well as serving Birmingham New Street, the line includes the award-winning University Station, which saw over three million passengers in the first year first year following its multi-million-pound transformation.
As well as the Cross City Line, Class 730 trains run on routes connecting central Birmingham with destinations including Walsall, Wolverhampton, Rugeley and Birmingham International.
Image credit: West Midlands Railways
