Cheaper rail fares mean train travel is the now most popular way to journey between Edinburgh and London

• Rail travel is now the most popular way to travel between London and Edinburgh
• This is due in part to a cheaper rail service between the two capital cities – Lumo 
• Train operator Lumo, with average prices of £37, has been running for a year 
• From April to August, 57 per cent of journeys between the cities were by train 

Rail travel is now the most popular way to travel between London and Edinburgh, overtaking flight journeys.

The triumph of trains over planes is due in part to a cheaper rail service between the two capitals.

Train operator Lumo, with average prices of £37, has been running for a year, while its rival company LNER also saw an increase in passenger numbers.

From April to August, more than half (57 per cent) of journeys between Edinburgh and London were by train, compared to 35 per cent pre-pandemic, according to analysis of figures from the Civil Aviation Authority and Lennon, the rail industry’s ticketing system.

The Government said increasing train passenger numbers would help ‘decarbonise’ travel as they produce lower levels of greenhouse gases than planes.

The triumph of trains over planes is due in part to a cheaper rail service between the two capitals and train operator Lumo, with average prices of £37, has been running for a year

In the past ten years, the share of rail for trips to Edinburgh has ranged from 25 per cent in 2012 to 32 per cent in 2019.

The trend appears to be growing, with 66 per cent of travellers choosing rail over domestic flights in July, according to an analysis of figures from the Civil Aviation Authority and LENNON, the rail industry’s central ticketing system.

Turmoil in the aviation sector has also contributed to the shift, with British Airways and easyJet cancelling flights this year.

In recent years travellers have shared horror stories about the high price of rail tickets in the UK.

Manchester mayor Andy Burnham recently tweeted that for the cost of a £369 return rail fare for the two hour trip between London and Manchester, it would be cheaper to fly to India, Brazil, the Ivory Coast and Jamaica.

The cheapest Lumo fare currently available between London and Edinburgh is £26.90 with a maximum fare of £69.80.

Lumo’s rival company LNER also saw an increase in passenger numbers as the Government said increasing train passenger numbers would help ‘decarbonise’ travel

The company said its trains run on average at 86 per cent capacity.

Tickets between Newcastle and Edinburgh are just £9.90.

Rail minister Kevin Foster said: ‘The addition of Lumo’s electric trains to the East Coast Main Line is just one way our railways are leading the way in decarbonising transport. As we continue striving towards net-zero by 2050, operators like Lumo will help ensure we meet this ambitious target.’

Lumo launched in October 2021 after a £115million investment by FirstGroup and set its sights on converting domestic air travellers to rail.

Edinburgh to London remains the UK’s most popular domestic air route with nearly 500 flights every week between the capitals.

Source: Read Full Article