Bits: Virgin Azuma trains named, 0% balance transfers and no fee with Post Office credit card
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UPDATE – JULY 2025: This is an old article, and the credit card information given is likely to be out of date.
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News in brief:
Virgin Trains names its new trains Azuma
Virgin Trains has announced the name of its new train fleet for the East Coast line – Azuma.
Currently being assembled by Hitachi in County Durham, they are due to come into service from 2018. The trains will have the same 1-2 seating layout in First Class, pictured below, as the existing fleet.
The top speed will remain at 120 mph until line upgrades are completed, albeit that improved acceleration is expected to reduce London to Edinburgh journey times by 20 minutes.
A variant of these trains will debut first, in 2017, on the Great Western line.
Get 0% fee and 0% interest for 18 months on the Post Office Money Platinum MasterCard
There are a handful of credit cards which are both FREE and have no foreign exchange fees on purchases abroad – Nationwide, Halifax Clarity etc – plus the Post Office Money Platinum Mastercard.
Whilst the Halifax Clarity card is marginally better than the Post Office one – because Clarity also has no FX fees on overseas cash withdrawals – there is a new reason to take a look at the Post Office card at the moment.
For a limited period, it is offering:
0% interest for 18 months on balance transfers, and
0% fee on your balance transfer
This means that you can move an existing balance from any other credit card, fee free, to the Post Office card and pay no interest until Autumn 2017. You should definitely clear your balance at that point, however, as the representative APR is 17.8% variable. This is NOT a card where you want to be paying interest.
More details of the Post Office Platinum card and this offer can be found here.
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Want to earn more points from credit cards? – July 2025 update
If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonuses.
In 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.
You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard
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Barclaycard Avios Mastercard
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You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 15th July 2025, the sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is TRIPLED to 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This would convert into 25,000 Avios or into 40 other airline schemes. It would also get you at least £300 of Marriott hotel stays based on our 0.5p per point low-end valuation. Other T&C apply and remain unchanged. Click here for our full card review and click here to apply.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 14th August 2025, the sign-up bonus on the Hilton Honors Plus debit card is TRIPLED to 30,000 Hilton Honors points. You will also receive Gold Elite status in Hilton Honors for as long as you hold the card. Click here for our full card review and click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card
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British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card
30,000 Avios and the famous annual Companion Voucher voucher Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express
50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard
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Earning miles and points from small business cards
If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

The American Express Business Platinum Card
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The American Express Business Gold Card
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Capital on Tap Pro Visa
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Capital on Tap Visa
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British Airways American Express Accelerating Business Card
30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review
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