Few things are known for certain when it comes to HS2. One minute the high speed railway will run all the way to Manchester, the next minute, its northern stretch is scrapped. One second, it’s announced that it will no longer stop at London Euston, the next, we were told that yes, it would. While most HS2-related updates are best taken with a pinch of salt, one thing we know for sure is that it is going ahead. And that means it’s going to need some new trains.
RECOMMENDED: First look at HS2’s vast new rail hub in west London.
Now, we’ve been given a sneak peak at what the interior of 54 new HS2 trains will look like. Perhaps in an attempt to win back public opinion on the project, the ambition is for the trains to have ‘the most comfortable seat on trains in the UK’.
A standard seat will have more legroom (87cm of it to be precise) and be able to recline without impinging on the space of passengers behind. There will be built-in reading lights, charging points, fold-up tables and racks to hold your phone or tablet to make for easier viewing. The trains will also have more headroom than usual, more room for pushchairs and buggies and bookable space for bikes.
Plenty of thought has been put into the on-board toilets too, particularly for parents of young kids. Every loo will have a changing table, a pull-down seat for toddlers and a pull-out rack to store bags on, instead of having to put them on the floor. There will also be an information screen in each cubicle to update passengers on the trains progress.
It will be a while before the trains actually appear – they aren’t set to go into production until 2026. In the meantime, here’s a peak at the plans.
Did you see that the UK’s first ever Greggs champagne bar is opening in a historic northern department store?
Plus: The UK’s 4 best pubs have been crowned for 2024 by CAMRA.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.