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A new low-cost rail service connecting London and Scotland will launch this summer with tickets on sale for journeys from 10 July.
Operated by budget rail company Lumo, the service between London Euston and Stirling will travel along the West Coast Main Line via the north west of England.
The service will operate four daily return trains between the two cities, along with an additional Preston to London return service. Trains will call at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert.
The operator says the expansion will offer more affordable travel options while improving long-distance rail access for communities that currently lack direct connections to the UK capital.
Promotional fares start from £29.90 (€34.51) between London and Stirling, £23.90 (€27.59) between London and Preston and £14.90 (€17.20) between Preston and Stirling.
“These fares are about putting customers first,” says Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo.
“By offering simple, low-cost tickets and direct services between Scotland, the north west of England and London, we’re making it easier and more affordable for people to travel for work, leisure and family visits.
“Launching Lumo on the West Coast Main Line is an exciting step forward, and with our new base in Preston creating jobs and supporting the local economy, this is a service that will benefit both passengers and communities along the route.”
The new route will be operated using refurbished six-car Class 222 trains with upgraded interiors and new seating in some carriages. Lumo will maintain its single-class model, focusing on standard seating and simplified fares to keep prices low.
As part of the expansion, Lumo is also opening a new operational headquarters in Preston in north-west England. The base, which is due to open on 20 March, has already created around 100 jobs.