Hourly Chester-Liverpool rail service finally set to return and with new trains

Transport for Wales (TfW) is set to reintroduce its hourly rail services between Chester and Liverpool next week using the new Class 197 trains.

The reintroduction of the train operator’s hourly service was initially scheduled to begin on 10 December. It was then put back to January, due to wheel damage to several trains, TfW said at the time.

The hourly rail service will now begin on Monday 12 February, it doubles the current service frequency, providing a total of 30 daily services – 15 in each direction – on this vital link.

Lee Waters, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, hailed the announcement as “great news” for the region.

He said: “This is great news. These new trains will provide a much-improved passenger experience with more regular services on modern comfortable trains, encouraging more people to leave the car at home and let the train take the strain.” Jan Chaudhry van der Velde, TfW Chief Operating Officer, said: “More deliveries of our brand-new trains mean we are now in a position to reinstate the hourly service between Chester and Liverpool via Frodsham and Runcorn.

“Services on this route were first launched in 2019 and provide good connectivity with Liverpool John Lennon Airport via the station call at Liverpool South Parkway.

“The investment in new trains, built at the manufacturer CAF’s factory in Newport South Wales, reflects part of an ongoing £800m transformation of the network.”