A new budget rail operator, Lumo, has launched a direct service linking Glasgow and London, with tickets starting at £33.10. The inaugural train departed Glasgow Queen Street at 6.16pm on Tuesday and arrived at London King's Cross one minute early.
Lumo, part of FirstGroup, also connects Falkirk, Edinburgh and the northeast of England to London. Fares between Newcastle and Glasgow are as low as £10.90. The operator, described as the 'Ryanair of trains', aims to make travel more accessible with low prices and high customer satisfaction.
Two northbound and one southbound service will run each weekday. Lumo expects the new link to attract more visitors to Glasgow's 2026 Commonwealth Games in July 2026. Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, said the service will boost connectivity between Scotland and England and support sustainable travel and economic growth.
Lumo also plans to launch a route from Stirling to London Euston from May 2026, with five trains per day stopping at ten stations. The 'open access' service will compete with Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express and LNER.
