Traveling by train along the west coast of the UK means traveling by the trains of Virgin Rail Group, which does business as Virgin Trains. Operating under the government-issued West Coast franchise, Virgin Trains transports some 28 million passengers across more than 400 miles of track between London and Glasgow, running through Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester. It claims to serve 80% of the air/rail passenger market between Manchester and London. The company is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, which owns 51%, and UK bus and train operator Stagecoach Group, which owns 49%.