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TransPennine Express

The intercity operator of the north of England, running across the Pennines between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York, Newcastle and the Yorkshire coast, to Sheffield and Cleethorpes, and north to Glasgow and Edinburgh. It has been in public ownership since May 2023. Its Nova trains of 2019, Hitachi Class 802s and CAF Class 397s, run alongside the Siemens Class 185 diesel units it has had since 2006.

2023Current operator since
844 miles (1,359 km)Route miles operated
105Stations served
28.5 millionJourneys a year, ORR (2025–26)

Facts

Current operator since
28 May 2023
Main stations
Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport, Leeds, Liverpool Lime Street
Type
Intercity train operator
Depots
Ardwick, Manchester (Siemens, the Class 185s), Longsight, Manchester (Alstom, the Class 397s), with Polmadie, Glasgow, Doncaster and Craigentinny, Edinburgh (Hitachi, the Class 802s)
Main routes
North route: Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport over the Pennines by Huddersfield and Leeds to York and Newcastle, Scarborough, Middlesbrough and Saltburn, and Hull, with stopping trains between Manchester and Huddersfield and between Huddersfield and Leeds, and some trains between Manchester and York via Wakefield Kirkgate and Castleford; Newcastle to Edinburgh by the East Coast Main Line. South route: Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester, Sheffield, Doncaster and Cleethorpes. Anglo-Scottish: Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street to Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh.
Stations managed
19
Operating company
TransPennine Trains Limited, a subsidiary of DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DfT Operator), in public ownership since 28 May 2023. It took over from First Trans Pennine Express Limited, part of FirstGroup, which had run the trains under a franchise from 1 April 2016. Before that FirstGroup and Keolis ran them, from 1 February 2004.
Class 802, schematic side elevation, 2 cars
Class 802 · Hitachi Rail, Pistoia (Italy)

Routes 13 routes · 105 stations

Manchester Airport – Glasgow Central 17
Manchester Airport – Glasgow Central: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green East DidsburyEast Didsbury Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road DeansgateDeansgate Salford CrescentSalford Crescent BoltonBolton PrestonPreston LancasterLancaster Oxenholme Lake DistrictOxenholme Lake District Penrith North LakesPenrith North Lakes CarlisleCarlisle LockerbieLockerbie CarstairsCarstairs MotherwellMotherwell Glasgow CentralGlasgow Central
Manchester Airport – Edinburgh 16
Manchester Airport – Edinburgh: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green East DidsburyEast Didsbury Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road DeansgateDeansgate Salford CrescentSalford Crescent BoltonBolton PrestonPreston LancasterLancaster Oxenholme Lake DistrictOxenholme Lake District Penrith North LakesPenrith North Lakes CarlisleCarlisle LockerbieLockerbie HaymarketHaymarket EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh – Newcastle 8
Edinburgh – Newcastle: schematic, not to scale EdinburghEdinburgh East LintonEast Linton DunbarDunbar RestonReston Berwick-upon-TweedBerwick-upon-Tweed AlnmouthAlnmouth MorpethMorpeth NewcastleNewcastle
Manchester Airport – Saltburn 40
Manchester Airport – Saltburn: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green GatleyGatley East DidsburyEast Didsbury BurnageBurnage Mauldeth RoadMauldeth Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Salford CrescentSalford Crescent Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield Church FentonChurch Fenton UlleskelfUlleskelf YorkYork ThirskThirsk NorthallertonNorthallerton YarmYarm EaglescliffeEaglescliffe ThornabyThornaby MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Redcar CentralRedcar Central SaltburnSaltburn
Manchester Airport – Hull 40
Manchester Airport – Hull: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green GatleyGatley East DidsburyEast Didsbury BurnageBurnage Mauldeth RoadMauldeth Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Salford CrescentSalford Crescent Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield South MilfordSouth Milford SelbySelby WressleWressle HowdenHowden EastringtonEastrington GilberdykeGilberdyke BroomfleetBroomfleet BroughBrough FerribyFerriby HessleHessle HullHull
Manchester Airport – Newcastle 38
Manchester Airport – Newcastle: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green GatleyGatley East DidsburyEast Didsbury BurnageBurnage Mauldeth RoadMauldeth Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Salford CrescentSalford Crescent Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield Church FentonChurch Fenton UlleskelfUlleskelf YorkYork ThirskThirsk NorthallertonNorthallerton DarlingtonDarlington DurhamDurham Chester-le-StreetChester-le-Street NewcastleNewcastle
Liverpool Lime Street – Hull 35
Liverpool Lime Street – Hull: schematic, not to scale Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street HuytonHuyton Lea GreenLea Green Newton-le-WillowsNewton-le-Willows Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield South MilfordSouth Milford SelbySelby WressleWressle HowdenHowden EastringtonEastrington GilberdykeGilberdyke BroomfleetBroomfleet BroughBrough FerribyFerriby HessleHessle HullHull
Manchester Airport – Scarborough 35
Manchester Airport – Scarborough: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Heald GreenHeald Green GatleyGatley East DidsburyEast Didsbury BurnageBurnage Mauldeth RoadMauldeth Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Salford CrescentSalford Crescent Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield Church FentonChurch Fenton UlleskelfUlleskelf YorkYork MaltonMalton SeamerSeamer ScarboroughScarborough
Liverpool Lime Street – Newcastle 34
Liverpool Lime Street – Newcastle: schematic, not to scale Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street HuytonHuyton Lea GreenLea Green Newton-le-WillowsNewton-le-Willows Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly Guide BridgeGuide Bridge StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield Church FentonChurch Fenton UlleskelfUlleskelf YorkYork ThirskThirsk NorthallertonNorthallerton DarlingtonDarlington DurhamDurham Chester-le-StreetChester-le-Street NewcastleNewcastle
Liverpool Lime Street – Scarborough 31
Liverpool Lime Street – Scarborough: schematic, not to scale Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street HuytonHuyton Lea GreenLea Green Newton-le-WillowsNewton-le-Willows Salford CrescentSalford Crescent Manchester VictoriaManchester Victoria Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne StalybridgeStalybridge Mossley (Manchester)Mossley (Manchester) GreenfieldGreenfield MarsdenMarsden SlaithwaiteSlaithwaite HuddersfieldHuddersfield DeightonDeighton MirfieldMirfield RavensthorpeRavensthorpe DewsburyDewsbury BatleyBatley MorleyMorley CottingleyCottingley LeedsLeeds Cross GatesCross Gates GarforthGarforth East GarforthEast Garforth MicklefieldMicklefield Church FentonChurch Fenton UlleskelfUlleskelf YorkYork MaltonMalton SeamerSeamer ScarboroughScarborough
Liverpool Lime Street – Cleethorpes 24
Liverpool Lime Street – Cleethorpes: schematic, not to scale Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street Liverpool South ParkwayLiverpool South Parkway Warrington CentralWarrington Central BirchwoodBirchwood IrlamIrlam UrmstonUrmston Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly StockportStockport Dore & TotleyDore & Totley SheffieldSheffield MeadowhallMeadowhall Rotherham CentralRotherham Central DoncasterDoncaster Kirk SandallKirk Sandall Hatfield & StainforthHatfield & Stainforth Thorne SouthThorne South CrowleCrowle AlthorpeAlthorpe ScunthorpeScunthorpe BarnetbyBarnetby HabroughHabrough Grimsby TownGrimsby Town CleethorpesCleethorpes
Manchester Airport – Cleethorpes 18
Manchester Airport – Cleethorpes: schematic, not to scale Manchester AirportManchester Airport Manchester PiccadillyManchester Piccadilly StockportStockport Dore & TotleyDore & Totley SheffieldSheffield MeadowhallMeadowhall Rotherham CentralRotherham Central DoncasterDoncaster Kirk SandallKirk Sandall Hatfield & StainforthHatfield & Stainforth Thorne SouthThorne South CrowleCrowle AlthorpeAlthorpe ScunthorpeScunthorpe BarnetbyBarnetby HabroughHabrough Grimsby TownGrimsby Town CleethorpesCleethorpes
Liverpool Lime Street – Glasgow Central 12
Liverpool Lime Street – Glasgow Central: schematic, not to scale Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street St Helens CentralSt Helens Central Wigan North WesternWigan North Western PrestonPreston LancasterLancaster Oxenholme Lake DistrictOxenholme Lake District Penrith North LakesPenrith North Lakes CarlisleCarlisle LockerbieLockerbie CarstairsCarstairs MotherwellMotherwell Glasgow CentralGlasgow Central

Schematic, not to scale. Ringed stations are interchanges. Each strip is one service route with its stops in order. Where fast and stopping trains share a route, the strip shows the one with most stops, and a route whose stops all lie on a longer one is left out. Station order from TfL open data.

StationZoneInterchanges
Manchester Airport
Heald Green
East Didsbury
Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Oxford Road
Deansgate
Salford Crescent
Bolton
Preston
Lancaster
Oxenholme Lake District
Penrith North Lakes
Carlisle
Lockerbie
Carstairs
Motherwell
Glasgow Central
Haymarket
Edinburgh
East Linton
Dunbar
Reston
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Alnmouth
Morpeth
Newcastle
Gatley
Burnage
Mauldeth Road
Manchester Victoria
Ashton-under-Lyne
Stalybridge
Mossley (Manchester)
Greenfield
Marsden
Slaithwaite
Huddersfield
Deighton
Mirfield
Ravensthorpe
Dewsbury
Batley
Morley
Cottingley
Leeds
Cross Gates
Garforth
East Garforth
Micklefield
Church Fenton
Ulleskelf
York
Thirsk
Northallerton
Yarm
Eaglescliffe
Thornaby
Middlesbrough
Redcar Central
Saltburn
South Milford
Selby
Wressle
Howden
Eastrington
Gilberdyke
Broomfleet
Brough
Ferriby
Hessle
Hull
Darlington
Durham
Chester-le-Street
Liverpool Lime Street
Huyton
Lea Green
Newton-le-Willows
Malton
Seamer
Scarborough
Guide Bridge
Liverpool South Parkway
Warrington Central
Birchwood
Irlam
Urmston
Stockport
Dore & Totley
Sheffield
Meadowhall
Rotherham Central
Doncaster
Kirk Sandall
Hatfield & Stainforth
Thorne South
Crowle
Althorpe
Scunthorpe
Barnetby
Habrough
Grimsby Town
Cleethorpes
St Helens Central
Wigan North Western

Stations, zones and interchanges from TfL open data (2026-10-07). National Rail interchanges are listed where TfL groups the stations together.

Fleet

ClassUnitsFormation and notes
Class 80219Nova 1: five-car Class 802/2 bi-mode trains built by Hitachi and owned by Angel Trains; 342 seats, 24 of them first class
Class 397 Civity (Nova 2)12Nova 2: five-car electric trains built by CAF and owned by Eversholt Rail; 286 seats, 22 of them first class
Class 185 Desiro51three-car Desiro diesel units built by Siemens and owned by Eversholt Rail; 169 seats, 15 of them first class; most Liverpool to Cleethorpes trains run as six cars

History 12

  1. FirstGroup and Keolis start the new TransPennine Express franchise: intercity trains between the North West and North East of England, taken over from Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western.
  2. The first Class 185s enter service: 51 three-car Desiro diesel units built by Siemens at Krefeld-Uerdingen in Germany, for 100 mph running over the Pennines.
  3. FirstGroup alone takes over, as First Trans Pennine Express Limited, on a seven-year franchise that brings in 220 new carriages: 44 trains worth more than £400 million.
  4. Locomotive-hauled trains return to the Pennines: the first Nova 3 set, a Class 68 and Mark 5A coaches built by CAF, carries passengers, almost a year late.
  5. The first Hitachi Class 802 (Nova 1) carries passengers, from Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street: TPE's first 125 mph train and its first electric train into Liverpool.
  6. The CAF Class 397 (Nova 2) enters service, from Manchester Airport to Edinburgh. It replaces the Class 350/4 electric units, which go to West Midlands Trains.
  7. TPE starts five trains a day each way between Newcastle and Edinburgh, calling at Morpeth, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar.
  8. After months of cancellations, the government does not renew the contract: TransPennine Trains Limited, owned by DfT OLR Holdings, takes over the trains.
  9. TPE withdraws the Nova 3 sets to simplify its fleet and driver training, and starts trains between Manchester and York via Wakefield Kirkgate and Castleford, made possible by Transpennine Route Upgrade works.
  10. A new timetable restores four express trains an hour between Manchester Victoria and Leeds, after a reduced timetable from December 2023.
  11. TPE's former Mark 5A coaches return to passenger service with Chiltern Railways, as the Chiltern Explorer.
  12. TPE orders 29 five-car Alstom Adessia Stream battery-electric trains, to be built at Derby, in a £1 billion deal with maintenance and charging at Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn. They are to replace part of the Class 185 fleet, carrying passengers by winter 2034 at the latest.

Sources 36

How we source figures →

unverified route strips: TfL's route data has no Castleford trains, so they aren't drawn. The Newcastle to Edinburgh strip is from TPE's May 2025 route map: Reston and East Linton aren't in TfL's data, so they're shown without interchanges, and Cramlington, a limited-service call, is left off, route strips: TfL's data mixes in diversions, which are left out: Liverpool trains via Widnes and Hunts Cross, Liverpool and Manchester Airport to Sheffield via Huddersfield, and Scarborough to Manchester Piccadilly via Brighouse, route strips: TfL's Anglo-Scottish routes to Manchester Airport call at both Wigan North Western and Bolton, which no train can; they are drawn via Bolton, as TPE's map shows, and Wigan North Western only on the Liverpool to Glasgow strip, route strips: TfL's data has calls that TPE's map (May 2025) doesn't show, kept as they are: Salford Crescent, Deansgate and the Styal line (Mauldeth Road to Heald Green) on Manchester Airport trains, and Liverpool to Newcastle trains via Manchester Piccadilly and Guide Bridge rather than Manchester Victoria, seats on the Class 397: 286 with 22 first class (Railway Gazette 2019, TPE 2024); TPE's Nova 2 page says 288 with 24 first class; Eversholt gives 24 first, 266 standard and 8 tip-up, depots: TPE names Siemens in Manchester for the 185s and Hitachi in Doncaster and Edinburgh for the 802s; Ardwick (Siemens, 2007) and Craigentinny are inferred, not named by TPE, 1 February 2004: FirstGroup's results give the date and Keolis as partner; the company First/Keolis TransPennine Limited (Companies House) and the take-over from Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western are from Wikipedia, journeys and stations managed are ORR's for 2025–26; ORR's 19 stations managed is fewer than TPE calls at, as most of its stations are managed by Northern, Network Rail and others

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