CUT-PRICE train operator Lumo, which runs services between Edinburgh and London, is set to announce plans on Wednesday to extend services to Glasgow.
The Scotsman reports that the expansion will begin from summer 2025 after the firm has ramped up its services from two to five a day in each direction between London and the Scottish capital.
Lumo’s Glasgow services would likely take around an hour longer to get to and from London than Avanti’s direct west coast main line, but said it would aim to attract passengers through lower fares.
Both operators are run by the Aberdeen-based FirstGroup.
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The plan for an unspecified number of Lumo’s trains to be extended to Glasgow comes despite east coast rival LNER looking to scrap its role return Glasgow-Edinburgh-London service from December.
However, Lumo has said a “significant” number of its London-Edinburgh passengers already travelled on to Glasgow.
Managing director Martijn Gilbert said the average Edinburgh-London fare is £46.70 – much cheaper than LNER’s.
He added that only a quarter of Lumo’s passengers had switched from other rail operators or were travelling by rail more, with a quarter switching from road, while half previously travelled by air.
Gilbert also said Lumo was discussing its plans for Glasgow with both Transport Scotland and Network Rail before applying to the Office of Rail and Road regulator.
No Edinburgh-Glasgow route has yet been decided, but the one via Carstairs to Glasgow Central has been used by LNER and CrossCountry in the past.
Other routes between the two cities include those which go via Bathgate and Shotts.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Gilbert said: “With our model of operation, Glasgow is another city we feel we can come into that won’t abstract from existing rail services, but will grow the market.
“We are not looking to compete with the west coast main line but grow a new tier in the market.”
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