bmi regional is partnering with Virgin Trains to add a train travel booking facility to its website, making it easier for customers to travel beyond Birmingham International.

The news comes as the carrier reveals plans to establish a new base at Birmingham with services to Graz, Gothenburg and Nuremberg.

Located directly at Birmingham Airport and the NEC, the deal will connect the airline’s new routes with Virgin Train’s extensive high-speed train network to the wider UK.

As of today, bmi regional customers will be able to find great value fares on Virgin Trains routes, through the flybmi.com website.

Jochen Schnadt, chief commercial officer of bmi regional explained: “At bmi regional, we pride ourselves on offering customers quality and convenience.

“The partnership with Virgin Trains allows us to develop this important niche further, so that flybmi.com becomes a one stop shop for all of our customers’ needs, whether business or leisure.

“This new partnership expands bmi regional’s reach in the UK and allows our customers travelling to/from Graz, Gothenburg and Nuremberg to conveniently connect on Virgin Trains to London, the North West and Scotland and the wider rail network.”

The Virgin Trains agreement continues the momentum of bmi regional’s growth and product development strategy, which saw the launch of highly successful partnerships with car hire company Sixt and Booking.com in September last year.

Customers are now able to book air travel, train travel, car hire and accommodation.

“We’re delighted to be able to partner with bmi regional to offer their customers even more choice when travelling to and from Birmingham Airport,” enthused Mandy Robinson, head of sales at Virgin Trains.”

Flights to Graz in Austria will start from bmi regional’s new Birmingham hub on February 27th, closely followed by the launch of routes to Nuremberg in Germany and Gothenburg in Sweden in on May 8th.