Passengers using the east coast mainline will soon be able to enjoy universal free wi-fi, be able to reserve specific seats online and use their mobile phone as a ticket, according to National Express, which has this week been awarded the franchise for the line.

The Department for Transport announced yesterday that National Express East Coast, a subsidiary of the group, had been awarded a seven and a half year contract to run the line from 9 December this year. The franchise was up for grabs after current franchisee GNER was stripped of its ten-year contract by the government last December following financial difficulties at GNER's parent company SeaContainers.

National Express Group chief executive, Richard Bowker, said: “We have an exciting package of innovation and investment aimed at making these services attractive to many more people. We will offer improved reliability, more trains and seats, easier ways to purchase tickets and an updated catering offer.”

The company says it will extend free wi-fi throughout its trains, rather than charging for it in standard class as is presently the case. It says it will also offer passengers who have pre-booked tickets and have a seat reservation and are then unable to find a seat a refund. The firm will also change the way people reserve and buy tickets, offering print-at- home, mobile phone and smartcard ticketing. To finance the changes, the firm says it will raise unregulated fares by an average of 2.1% over the rate of inflation.