TransPennine Express sets up direct service to Santa at Manchester Airport station

The TransPennine Express (TPE) Christmas post-box can be found next to the booking office at Manchester Airport station, with the train operator guaranteeing that letters posted will be delivered safely to the North Pole.

Nella Peill, 8, Enzo Peill, 5 and Bruno Peill, 2, couldn’t contain their excitement as they lined up to be the first to post their letters into one of the special post-boxes.

Customer Experience Director for TransPennine Express, Kathryn O’Brien said: “We’re so excited to have set up our TPE Christmas post-box at Manchester Airport and we hope that any children who have letters that need posting will use our special service so that Christmas lists and wishes can be delivered safely to Santa.

“It’s a magical time of year, and now more than ever we want to encourage people to get out and about and make those human connections that we all need. As a provider of travel, we know we can make a difference and our trains can help make those connections this Christmas.”

Claire Peill, mum of Nella, Enzo and Bruno said: “It’s great that TPE have installed these special post-boxes in their stations, Nella, Enzo and Bruno spent a while perfecting their letters to Santa and couldn’t wait to finally post them.”

In addition to the post-boxes, trains across Manchester may now be carrying an extra passenger, a Christmas Elf. Selected TPE services will have an elf keeping an eye on children in the build up to Christmas

With an increase in travel expected during the Christmas period, TPE is continuing to keep customers safe across Greater Manchester. The rail operator has 20 teams of sanitation busters that are continuing to clean key touch-points in their stations and on board the 100 plus carriages that operate across their network.

Customers can travel with confidence onboard TPE’s services with enhanced cleaning in place to keep everyone safe. Face coverings must be worn on trains and at stations (unless exempt).

For those looking to travel, tickets can be purchased online via our website or using the TPExpress App where people can pay using Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. E-tickets are also available allowing customers to use their phone instead of a paper ticket.