Watch as we take you on board one of the brand new trains coming to the Merseyrail network

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced the official handover of the first new train to the Liverpool City Region from manufacturer Stadler.

The new fleet is a key part of the Metro Mayor’s plans for a London-style transport system that will make it quick, easy, and affordable for people to travel around the region.

The handover of the first train is a significant milestone in the project that will see the whole existing fleet, which is more than 40 years old, replaced by state-of-the-art, safe, reliable and comfortable trains.

Importantly the new trains will not only be publicly owned, but they’ve been designed in consultation with local rail users.

As part of the design process, the Combined Authority commissioned industry watchdog Transport Focus to carry out passenger research with a group of 40 people from across the region that placed them at the heart of the decision-making process.

The handover marks a huge step in progress for the new trains project but is part of an ongoing process.

The new Stadler Class 777 train was placed at Birkenhead North railway station on Thursday 7 September for people to have the first look at.

The new trains will have many state-of-the-art features and will have a larger capacity than the current models in use now.

The new trains will also be slightly faster than the current models, therefore it is hoped that journey times will be shorter for passengers.

There isn’t a specific date for when the new trains will start to be rolled out, but it is hoped that it will be in the coming months.

Book your train with Merseyrail here.