A new rail service connecting Birmingham with Manchester Airport will launch in 2025, as announced by London Northwestern Railway (LNR). This service will offer an hourly train route linking one of England's largest airports with the West Midlands, passing through stations in the Black Country, Staffordshire, and Cheshire. For the first time in decades, travelers will be able to reach Manchester Airport directly by rail, providing a more convenient option for millions of holidaymakers and business travelers. Currently, passengers traveling from Birmingham New Street to Manchester Airport must change trains at either Crewe or Manchester Piccadilly, with the journey taking about two hours. The new route will be introduced in two phases. The first phase will open on 13 December, connecting Birmingham to Crewe. The second phase, which extends the service all the way to Manchester Airport, is expected to start in May 2027. The initial phase of the route will serve 12 stations, including Wolverhampton and Stafford. Once the full service is operational, the route will continue to additional stops such as Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Wilmslow, and Styal before arriving at Manchester Airport. The airport is a major hub, handling over 32 million passengers annually and offering flights to more than 200 destinations worldwide. Denise Wetton, a managing director for Great British Railways West Midlands and LNR, emphasized that the new service will provide direct rail access from the West Midlands to Manchester Airport for the first time in decades. The project involves collaboration with several transport authorities, including Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, Northern, and Transport for West Midlands. The goal is to offer greener and more straightforward travel options for those visiting the airport, encouraging more people to choose rail over other modes of transport. This expansion will also enhance travel options for existing rail users across Birmingham, the Black Country, and Staffordshire.