PUNTERS who want to hit the finishing line in style during Royal Ascot at York are being told train operator GNER is their best bet.

The York-based train company has announced plans to provide extra services when the horse racing festival hits Knavesmire between June 14 and 18.

GNER said it is to put on an extra five trains each way between London and York on every one of the five days of the festival.

That will add an extra 5,000 seats to boost capacity during what is expected to be a busy week on the East Coast Main Line.

Details of ticket prices and bookings for the special services will be released in the next few days, but two of the northbound trains will be designated as Race Day Special Services.

They will run non-stop from London King's Cross to York which will mean a journey time of about two hours.

On board, First Class passengers will be given a champagne brunch prepared by GNER's chefs as they travel north. When they arrive in York, a special coach service will ferry them to the racecourse.

Standard class passengers will also be given a special service - relaxing in a reserved seat and soaking up the atmosphere with fellow racegoers - while they will receive a voucher giving them free return bus travel with First between the station and the racecourse.

All those who board the Race Day Special Services will also receive a complimentary Ascot souvenir pack, including an official Royal Ascot Race Card, and a special souvenir race day guide from GNER.

GNER's chief operating officer, Jonathan Metcalfe, said: "Royal Ascot at York promises to be the sporting highlight of 2005 for many, and GNER's fast and comfortable trains are the best way to beat the traffic and arrive in style.

"We expect strong demand for tickets on the two Race Day Special Services in particular - a lot of planning and thought has gone into creating a truly memorable experience on board."

Last week, GNER learned it had won a ten-year franchise agreement to continue running services on Britain's flagship rail route, which runs trains between Scotland and London.

Updated: 10:53 Wednesday, March 30, 2005