Nothing beats musical routes

Discover Britain's Musical Heritage by Train

From London's Grime scene to Liverpool's Beatles, Britain’s got deep roots in music history.  But, did you know that 1 in 3 Brits didn’t know that Oasis are from Manchester, or that two thirds of the Beatles fans have never been to Liverpool?

To get our knowledge back on track, the rail industry has teamed up with Jo Whiley to create a series of short audio guides telling the stories of British music scenes, past and present. Train passengers will get geo-targeted stories about the music of the places they’re passing through, with Jo covering everything from the origins of genres to uncovering lesser-known spots with music heritage, like Nottingham or Widnes.

How do you listen to the guides?
You can listen to the audio guides for free on the Window Seater app, which you can download on Google Play or the Apple App Store. They’re also available at the bottom of this page, as well as through Spotify and on the National Rail website.

How does the geo-location work?
Once you’ve downloaded the free Window Seater app, make sure you turn on your phone's geo-locater. You’ll then get a push notification when you are within a certain distance of the musical cities, alerting you to a short story you can listen to. The app requires an online connection to play the audio guides.

What destinations can I learn about?
Some of the most popular destinations on the TransPennine Express network are included in the audio guide series, including Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, York, Leeds and Liverpool. Here's all the locations the guides will cover:

Is this free?
Yes, the app is free to download and the stories are free to listen to.

Are there any offers or deals on the destinations that are in the guides?
You can save 1/3 off most train journeys with a Railcard and you can save over 50% by booking in Advance. If you’re keen to explore few different destinations in one trip, why not check out Rover train tickets for unlimited travel in your chosen area over multiple days.

Don't want to wait?
We recommend listening to Jo's audio guides while you're out and about to really get a feel for the destination! But if you can't wait for a trip, you can listen to all the audio guides below.

Intro

Ready to jump on a train while you learn about Britain’s music history? Book your train tickets in advance on our website or on the TPExpress app.