The service was previously complimentary to travellers in First Class, but cost £4.95 an hour throughout the train.

It was made free for all passengers after National Express took over the line from GNER in December.

The switch to free usage has tripled the number of users to date, with numbers rising from 30,000 a month to more than 100,000 in January alone.

Alan Hyde, head of communications at National Express East Coast, said: "The popularity of the service has surpassed our expectations and we are delighted to have had such a positive impact on people's journeys."

National Express East Coast's pioneering Wi-Fi service has won a number of awards, including 'Innovation of the Year' at last year's National Rail Awards.

More than 85 per cent of customers carrying a laptop use the free service, according to research carried out by the rail company.

www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com

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