Explore the future of Intercity travel: EMR launch experiential Aurora pop up at Nottingham Station

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has created a special Aurora train experiential pop-up at Nottingham Station, allowing customers to discover the benefits that EMR and Transport UK’s new £400 million fleet will bring to travel across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

The pop up, which can be found in the main station concourse and will be in place until February, has been created to celebrate the arrival of Transport UK and EMR’s new trains.

There are currently two Aurora trains taking customers up and down the Midland Main Line and once the full fleet of 33 are in service, it will mean a substantial 46 per cent increase in the total number of seats available for customers.

Also, each train provides customers 24 per cent more seats and over 19 per cent more legroom in a typical five carriage formation, compared to the Meridian trains it is replacing.

The pods are designed to raise awareness of the fleet, highlighting the improved comfort, storage and connectivity, as well as the enhanced environmental credentials the bi-mode fleet brings.

Customers are able to go through each zone and discover what makes the Aurora trains so special.

The pop up, which will also visit Sheffield next year, includes hands-on displays where customers can try out the new larger luggage space, take part in interactive challenges and learn about the design innovations that make these trains more spacious, more connected and more environmentally responsible.

Visitors can take a virtual tour of the new train interior using the touchscreen experience, capturing what it will feel like on board once the full fleet enters service.

There is also a dedicated photo area where customers can step into the driver’s seat and take a picture, and a documentary zone where visitors can sit back and watch the story of how the fleet was built and what it means for the communities we serve.

Jenna Cowie, Head of Marketing and Revenue at East Midlands Railway, said: “We are delighted that the first two Aurora trains are now in service and have started to carry customers up and down the Midland Main Line.

“The new Transport UK and EMR trains are fantastic, and all the improvements they bring completely transform the experience we can offer our customers. The idea of these pods was to highlight some of these improvements in a more fun and interactive way.

“Customers can touch, feel and see for themselves the enhancements that the new trains will bring. So, if any customers are passing through Nottingham in the next few weeks, they should head over to the main concourse and try it out for themselves.”