A new Lumo train service between London Euston and Stirling will launch in June, a month earlier than initially planned, according to a company spokesperson. The first batch of tickets for the new Lumo route will be available for purchase from June 9, reports say. 90 between Preston and Stirling, according to Lumo.
Lumo will maintain a single-class model focusing on standard seating and simplified fares, the company said. The new route will stop at 12 stations: London Euston, Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds, Larbert, and Stirling, according to Lumo. It will be the first direct service to London for Whifflet, Greenfaulds, and Larbert, the company said.
The service was initially planned to launch on July 10, but has been brought forward, a Lumo spokesperson said. Tickets could be available as early as May, depending on driver training and rollout, the spokesperson added. The new trains will be refurbished six-car Class 222 trains with upgraded interiors and new seating, according to Lumo.
Lumo is also opening a new operational headquarters in Preston, creating around 100 jobs, the company said. A Lumo spokesperson said launching Lumo on the West Coast Main Line is an exciting step forward, and with the new base in Preston creating jobs and supporting the local economy, the service will benefit both passengers and communities along the route. 49, the company said.
FlixBus will exceed 100 destinations in the UK for the first time, according to a company spokesperson. Promotional fares are available until 30 April for travel between 13 April and 30 June 2026, FlixBus said. A FlixBus spokesperson said that five years ago they set out with a bold ambition to revolutionise coach travel, and with a network of over 100 destinations, it is clear passengers have fallen in love with FlixBus.
As of 1 April, FlixBus will launch in Doncaster, Blackpool, Halifax, Huddersfield, and Milton Keynes, the company said. It will add daily services between York, Heathrow Airport, and central London, as well as new connections between Bristol Airport and Plymouth, Taunton, Cheltenham, and Exeter, according to FlixBus. Brighton will see new services to Heathrow Airport, the company said.
Direct connections to Leeds and Sheffield from Gatwick will also be launched, FlixBus said. FlixBus will offer services between Manchester Airport and Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Huddersfield, and Bradford, according to the company. In May, the company will add Colchester, Chelmsford, and Ipswich to its network, FlixBus said.
It will also add more direct connections to London and Oxford from Birmingham Airport, and new services between Norwich and Heathrow, as well as to Birmingham and Plymouth, the company said. A FlixBus spokesperson said they are offering tickets for less than a fiver to bring even more joy to travellers using their affordable, comfortable and reliable services.