Anyone using the West Coast mainline from Preston and travelling with Virgin is set to get free Wi-Fi.

Virgin Trains currently charges for use of its Wi-Fi service (unless you travel first class) but this is to be scrapped and replace with a free service.

As the government announced a one-year extension to Virgin continuing to operate the West Coast franchise the company announcement a fit out of its Pendolino trains.

Passengers between Preston and London Euston and Glasgow are set to benefit.

All 56 trains should have the free Wi-Fi service by January 2019.

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Managing director of Virgin Trains West Coast Phil Whittingham said: “I’m delighted that we have secured a new contract to continue operating on the West Coast. The investment will see a big improvement in our on-board Wi-Fi and follows our industry-leading innovations such as automatic delay-repay and free films and TV on board via our Beam app.”

The first trains to get the free Wi-Fi will be in May this year.

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Virgin has also vowed to try to end ‘not spots’ on its West Coast route – where the mobile phone signal drops out.

Do you catch Virgin Trains to and from Preston? What do you think of the service? Let us know in the comments below