New ‘greener and cheaper’ rail service Lumo to launch next month - what you need to know

Lumo will run services between London and Edinburgh (Photo: FirstGroup)Lumo will run services between London and Edinburgh (Photo: FirstGroup)
Lumo will run services between London and Edinburgh (Photo: FirstGroup)

Travel service FirstGroup is set to launch its budget London to Edinburgh rail service, called Lumo, at the end of next month, in a bid to offer passengers a cheaper and greener alternative to flying.

This is everything you need to know.

What is Lumo?

Lumo is a new 100% electric rail service which will offer journeys between London and Edinburgh for as little as £14.90, in an effort to encourage greener and more affordable travel between the two capital cities.

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The new service is owned by FirstGroup, and Lumo trains will run on the East Coast Main Line and call at Newcastle, Morpeth and Stevenage.

Helen Wylde, Managing Director for Lumo, said: “Travelling in the UK should not cost a fortune and it certainly shouldn’t be the planet that pays. Whatever your preferred mode of transport, we are likely to be more affordable and kinder to the planet.

“We believe everyone has the right to travel in style. We are empowering people to make green travel choices that are genuinely affordable without compromising on comfort.

“The reasons people choose different modes of travel are changing. People are now considering their impact on the environment very carefully. They also expect better service and catering. Lumo is a new rail travel experience that is kinder to the planet and better value for passengers, while never compromising on service.

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“Travelling by rail is already the greenest form of long-distance travel in the UK. Lumo will take this further, being the ‘greenest in class’ with state-of-the-art electric trains and a service to match. We have a commitment to finding greener, smarter and more comfortable ways to get people from A to B – and we welcome anyone’s perspective on that.”

According to a press release from FirstGroup, “over 50% of the on-board catering menu is plant-based; staff uniforms are responsibly sourced and can be entirely recycled; and paper waste has been dramatically reduced by being a digital-first business”.

How much are tickets?

Lumo offers two kinds of tickets - either LumoFixed or anytime.

LumoFixed tickets are described as the service’s “best value ticket”, and are only valid on the date and train you have booked. These tickets can be changed right up to the time your train departs for any future journey, and there’s no fee to change your ticket if you’ve booked directly through Lumo.

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Lumo claims that, depending on what journey you’re making and when you’ve booked, LumoFixed tickets “can save you over 75% compared to our anytime fare (and even more than other train operator tickets)”.

The further in advance you book, the cheaper your LumoFixed tickets are likely to be.

The anytime tickets can be used on any Lumo trains on the date of your ticket, or for return tickets, to come back any date within a month.

The prices for Lumo tickets go as follows:

  • London to Newcastle, LumoFixed fares start at £14.90
  • London to Edinburgh, LumoFixed fares start at £19.90
  • Newcastle to Edinubrgh, LumoFixed fares start at £6.90

As part of an exclusive launch offer, all single fare journeys will cost £19.90 or less when booked between 25 October and 1 December.

How do I book tickets?

You can book Lumo tickets via the Lumo website.

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Alternatively, you can download the Lumo app onto a smart device via your app store.

Simply search “LumoGo” and you’ll be able to download the app for free on both Android and iOS devices.

When will services start running?

Lumo journeys will be launched on Saturday 25 October, with FirstGroup stating that the frequency of Lumo trains will increase over time to a maximum of 10 services per day by early 2022.

As part of Lumo’s launch, up to four Lumo trains will be operated from Monday 25 October until Saturday 11 December.

You can find the Lumo timetable on its website. 

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