There has never been a better time to book with East Coast trains thanks to a new customer loyalty scheme, East Coast Rewards.

Customers who use East Coast’s website (www.eastcoast.co.uk) to purchase any train ticket worth more than £22* will qualify for points which are then redeemable against a number of rewards.

The rewards include money off eVouchers that can be redeemed against all ticket purchases, even on bookings made for other train operators, free First Class travel and free Wi-Fi on East Coast trains.  From November, East Coast will extend the variety of rewards available to include free Standard Class travel and a host of third party rewards.

Both new and regular East Coast travellers who sign up to the East Coast Rewards scheme will receive a special introductory bonus of 100 Reward Points.  Customers can then expect to earn one Reward Point for every pound spent with the exception of First Class tickets, which earn 1.5 points for every £1 spent.

East Coast Commercial and Customer Service Director Peter Williams said: “We are excited about the introduction of our new loyalty scheme, East Coast Rewards, and the added value it offers our customers, with points awarded for purchases made via our website.  This is for all train journeys, not just those booked with East Coast.

“The loyalty scheme, which has been especially designed to allow the Rewards members to access and manage their Rewards account online via www.eastcoast.co.uk, will help East Coast stand out from our competitors in the rail industry, and also to attract more passengers from domestic airlines.”

The East Coast Rewards scheme follows major changes that the train operator has made to its timetable, its First Class offer and customer service.

Peter Williams said: “The scheme complements other recent improvements including the introduction of a new Quiet Coach and complimentary food and drinks in First Class and a commitment to delivering a better and more welcoming customer experience.

“Our new timetable, launched in May, has also seen us expand into new markets in Lincoln and Harrogate, and provide 117 more services per week, with many faster journeys and a better frequency of service.”

For further information about East Coast Rewards, and to join, please visit www.eastcoast.co.uk

City.Mobi

Also in Europe today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.