The first Avanti West Coast liveried trains featuring a bold green, white and orange triangle design pulled into Manchester Piccadilly this morning (Monday).
Passengers watched in anticipation as the Pendolino with its glossy new finish arrived at platform seven at 10.08am.
Avanti took over the running of the West Coast Mainline - the line connecting cities like Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London - from Virgin on Sunday.
The firm's parent company is a partnership between First Group and Italy's main train operator Trenitalia.
Virgin's white and red branding was immediately stripped from the trains, bringing the 22-year franchise to an end.
A large banner was hung up in the concourse, proudly announcing Avanti's takeover.
Signs promising the company would make journeys 'greener' and 'more entertaining' were fitted above the entrance to the platforms.
Each passengers who entered the station was given a free panettone as a sweetener.
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But many commuters will be more interested in issues like reliability, affordability, space and comfort onboard.
The takeover didn't come without its teething problems.
When passengers went onto the website to book tickets they were greeted with a message saying: "We're sorry, we can't take you to our website right now."
Passengers were redirected to a holding page to book tickets.
The issue was sorted by Monday morning.
There were other complaints too on Twitter - that there was no catering on a midday service on Sunday, and further frustration that the seat selector function had gone.
Avanti confirmed that the function has gone on Twitter, and there are no plans to reinstate it at present.
But what did passengers boarding the first liveried train, departing at 10.35am, think when they saw the train on Monday morning?
"I'm surprised they managed to paint a new coat over the weekend", Eric Gehlhaar, 64, said.
He travelled up from London on the last Virgin Train on Saturday, and had no idea they had lost the contract.
He liked Virgin, saying it had a good 'esprit de corps'.
"If it gets me to London, I'm okay. I've got a free panettone this morning which was an unexpected bonus. I hope for reliability and a workforce that turns up to work. If it gets me to London I'm okay."
A graphic designer, who didn't want to be named, said he thought the new design of the train looked 'cool'.
"For me it's business as usual. Hopefully it's the same, if not better. I assume the train is basically just the same, just a new bit of graphic."
It's only the outside of the train that has been refurbished, inside the Pendolino features the same red seats and blue carpets as before.
A spokesman for Avanti confirmed the Pendolino fleet is due to undergo a full 'refurbishment and refresh' next year.
"I can't tell the difference," a woman named Louise said.
"As long as it's on time. I used to travel Virgin whenever I could, but they were late by a couple of minutes every time I travelled in the last year."
Another passenger, Steph Tooby said she hadn't noticed much of a change either, but said she thought the train felt 'warmer and cleaner'.
"I'm hoping it's a better service," she added.
The train left at 10.35am bound for Euston as scheduled.
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