In a significant blow to budget-conscious travellers, the low-cost rail operator Lumo has announced it will terminate its direct service between London King's Cross and Glasgow Central. The service, launched with much fanfare in 2021, will cease operations from April 2025.
The decision marks a dramatic U-turn for the open-access operator, which had promised to revolutionise travel on the East Coast Main Line. The Glasgow route was a key part of its expansion plans, designed to compete directly with airlines and offer a cheaper alternative to Avanti West Coast.
Why is the service being scrapped?
Lumo's parent company, FirstGroup, stated the service has proven to be "commercially unviable" in the long term. A perfect storm of factors led to this conclusion:
- Post-pandemic travel shifts: The expected recovery in business travel has not materialised to pre-Covid levels.
- Operational challenges: Running a reliable service on the congested West Coast infrastructure proved difficult.
- Financial sustainability: The route failed to meet revenue targets necessary for long-term survival.
Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director for First Rail, expressed regret but emphasised it was a necessary commercial decision to ensure the viability of their core London-Edinburgh service.
What does this mean for passengers?
The cancellation will leave a gap in the market for affordable direct travel between the two capitals. Passengers holding advanced tickets for travel after April 2025 will be contacted and offered full refunds or alternative travel arrangements.
Lumo has confirmed that its highly successful London to Edinburgh service will continue to operate, unaffected by this decision. The company will now focus its resources on this core route.
This move highlights the immense challenges faced by open-access operators in the UK's complex rail network, where securing paths and competing with established franchises remains a formidable task.
