Virgin Trains has shrunk journeys between London and the regions on the West Coast route with the UK's first 125 mph tilting timetable introduced in 2004. Faster and more frequent services have accelerated journeys by more than 20%. Pendolino trains are able to exploit the 125mph line speed between London and Glasgow provided by completion of the West Coast upgrade. Their tilting capability enables them to take curves faster than conventional trains and has brought dramatic journey time reductions.

These are set to reduce further with completion of additional major engineering projects to increase the line's capacity and speed. Passengers have been given even more choice with an increase in daily numbers of services and a 22% reduction in journey time between London and Manchester, 19% between London and Liverpool and 18% between London and Birmingham.

Train frequencies have doubled between London and Manchester and a fastest 185 mile journey time of just two hours and six minutes at an average speed of 88mph is being achieved. The Pendolino trains are air-conditioned with an onboard shop, audio entertainment at every seat and at-seat power points enable mobile phones and laptop computers to be recharged. Complimentary at-seat catering is provided to customers travelling First Class.

With a simplified system of selling the cheapest tickets up to 18:00 on the day before travel, the new services are proving increasingly popular with customers. Rail travel between Manchester and London has increased by 40% and the route has seen a 50% shift from air to rail since September 2004. Numbers of rail journeys are now exceeding those made by air, a trend expected to continue as Virgin outperforms airlines with punctuality regularly exceeding 90%.

Record numbers of customers are enjoying Virgin Trains' Primo catering one year on from introduction of a continuously improving range of high-quality at-seat complimentary meals for those travelling First Class on West Coast weekday services. customer response Independent research has established that some 75% of customers are satisfied with the Primo offer and 82% felt that the selection of food on offer was appropriate.

The company has listened to customers, upgraded menus to meet their tastes and provided items such as a fresh cheeseboard selection in place of pre-wrapped portions – reducing packaging to help protect the environment.

The popular Primo menu, served on many of the busiest business trains to London Euston each weekday morning and from London each weekday evening, includes the freshly cooked Great British breakfast, smoked salmon and free-range scrambled egg complemented by alternatives including porridge with honey, kippers and a four-flavour selection of fruit Danish pastries. An additional speciality dish of Cherries & Berries cereal served with natural low-fat yoghurt has now been introduced.

The Primo luxury afternoon tea includes Gruyere and Mushroom Bloomer and decadently large slices of rich indulgence Jamaican ginger, banana and toffee or cappuccino cake as well as new sandwich platters including Wensleydale, beef and horseradish and chicken and sweetcorn. The menu also features fruit scones filled with cream and jam, luxury chocolates and a range of speciality teas and a new range of hot options and six new cakes has also been introduced.

A range of cooked full evening meals is available on selected Primo evening services from London Euston. The menus have been recently upgraded to feature an appetiser, a choice of freshly cooked main meals followed by dessert or cheese along with coffee, tea and luxury chocolates. Main meal options include sirloin steak, cooked to order by the chef on board, confit of duck, salmon fillet, shin of beef and meatballs, complemented every day with a vegetarian option. Vegetables, including broccoli, leeks, mange tout, French beans and spring onion are delivered fresh to be prepared in the kitchen onboard. Potatoes now include dauphinoise as well as wedges and roast.

A quick meal alternative, such as breadsticks with black olive tapenade and sour cream and chive dip and a light meal such as chicken and asparagus coulibiac, is offered for those who want to work or relax without having dinner. Each choice is accompanied by a range of quality alcoholic and soft drinks.

The Primo supper service north of Preston on journeys to Glasgow features an improved range including mixed bean and chorizo soup with bread wedge. Fresh cheeses include Stilton, Camembert, Shropshire Blue and Wensleydale, and the fruit basket will contain seasonal options such as bananas, peaches, Kiwi, figs and plums as well as a range of traditional apples. As well as the Primo service on 21 trains, the following complimentary menus are available to all First Class passengers on weekday Pendolino trains:

• The full Great British breakfast, already enjoyed by thousands of First Class customers each week, has been extended to all non-Primo trains departing from their origin station before 09:00.

• a cooked breakfast is also served on trains departing from their origin station between 09:00 and 11:00.

• from 11:00 a new all-day rotational menu is now served across all First Class services, offering hearty soups with rustic bread, deli-style choices such as goats cheese timbale with parsnip crisps or aubergine tagine. Alternatively, sandwich and wraps will offer a wide variety of new fillings.

• Hot and cold drinks all day and, from 11:00, alcoholic drinks to those aged 18 and over.

These enhancements to the onboard service come as business and leisure passengers are returning to the train in their droves and the new menus are a key development in the competition between rail and air travel.

Improved kitchen facilities on the 125mph Pendolino trains have opened up greater opportunities for Virgin Trains to develop new catering services, adding style – and substance – to train travel. This is the latest exciting development of the Pendolino train service.

After breaking new ground with high-technology trains, we are now leading the way with the best complimentary meal service available on Britain's railways, distinguishing our product even further from domestic airline and motorway catering, and we know from experience that passengers love it. Virgin has created rapidly growing business on its West Coast franchise.

The company has transformed rail travel in Britain and is determined to maintain and improve upon its world class status.