The Government has agreed to spend more than £500 million to electrify and upgrade the Midland Main Line.
Transport Secretary Justine Greening has included the electrification of the route between Sheffield and London, which serves Derby, in her spending plans for 2014 to 2019.
It will mean faster and greener trains operating on the route, which will be cheaper to run.
She said: “These plans to increase capacity and shorten journey times on intercity, commuter and freight services are, alongside our plans for high speed rail, absolutely key to securing our country’s prosperity in the decades ahead.”