Looking to travel by train from London to Scotland or north-east England? You’ve come to the right place! Launched in 2021, Lumo is a train company that runs between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh via the East Coast Main Line.
Read on for a complete guide to Lumo trains, including what exactly is on offer, from free WiFi to at-seat catering and much more, and how to book Lumo train tickets online with us.
Who are Lumo?
Lumo are an open access operator owned by FirstGroup that provide low-cost, fully digital, 100% electric travel across iconic cities on the route from Edinburgh to London and vice versa.
By offering low fares to people travelling between London, north-east England, and Scotland, Lumo aim to help people switch from coach and air travel to more eco-friendly long-distance rail travel. If you're headed to Hadrian's Wall, for example, you could start your trip by heading up to Newcastle with Lumo!
What to expect when you travel on Lumo trains
What's it like on board?
Lumo trains come with only one class – Standard Class – which offers the following amenities on board:
- Free WiFi
- Comfortable seating
- LumoEats at-seat catering
Which train stations do Lumo trains call at?
Operating on the East Coast Main Line, the new Lumo trains call at the following train stations:
- London Kings Cross
- Stevenage – only a limited number of trains stop here
- Newcastle
- Morpeth
- Edinburgh
Do I need a seat reservation?
Lumo highly recommends reserving a seat on all services. If you need to join their trains without a seat reservation, Lumo have some seats on every train which are not reserved- which will be marked will a green light above the seat, so please look out for these or ask a Customer Experience Ambassador on board for help finding a seat.
Please note that seat reservations are not available if you’re only travelling between Morpeth and Newcastle (or vice versa) - this is to make sure there’s plenty of seats for customers travelling longer distances.
Travelling with bikes on Lumo trains
Please be aware that you can only take folding bikes on Lumo trains. Unfortunately, other bicycles are not allowed. Folding bikes are welcome onboard Lumo and aren’t subject to prebooking requirements. Just pack your bike up before boarding the train and store it in the luggage racks. Find out more about bikes on trains in the UK.
How much luggage can I bring with me?
To help with the safety and comfort of passengers onboard Lumo trains, you’re allowed to bring a maximum of two items per person during your journey, made up of:
- One medium-sized suitcase (height 63cm x width 41cm x depth 27cm)
- One small bag, rucksack or holdall, that is small enough to fit either on your lap or under the seat in front of you.
Please note that luggage that exceeds the limits above are carried onboard at Lumo’s discretion and may be refused or you may be charged an additional fee.
Need to bring a lot with you, or just want to take the stress out of carrying luggage? Try LumoLuggage - a bespoke courier service designed to sustainably transport your oversized, heavy luggage from A to B! This door-to-door courier service means your luggage will be waiting for you when you arrive at your final destination.
LumoEats: Food and drink onboard Lumo trains
Forget about needing to stock up on snacks at the station or wandering up and down the train to find the onboard café, LumoEats means you can enjoy food and drink from a range of brands including M&S Food, Pasty Shop and Upper Crust* without having to leave your seat.
There are two ways to order food for your Lumo train journey:
1. Pre order before your journey
The most convenient way to keep those hunger pains at bay – you can order the food you’d like to eat during your journey up to 6 hours before your departure time. By pre-ordering, you’ll get the widest choice of food from well-known brands, and your meal will be served to you at your seat – how convenient!
2. Buy from their at-seat catering trolley
If you don’t manage to order food before your trip, there will be a cashless trolley service (card or phone payments only) on the train that offers a smaller selection of snacks and drinks.
How to pre-order with LumoEats
- Head over to the LumoEats website or LumoGo app
- Select your departure station
- Enter your arrival station and the date and time of your train
- Select the food you’d like from the menu
- Enter your contact details, coach, and seat number
- Pay online
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with all the details of your order
The LumoEats menu
Check out a sample menu of what to expect when you pre-order with LumoEats:
Breakfast: Breakfast bars, porridge, croissants, vegan breakfast burrito
Snacks: Yoghurt, chocolate bars (Milky Bar Buttons, Maltesers, Kit-Kats), Tyrells crisps, flapjack, cookies
Alcoholic and soft drinks: Wine (sparkling, white and red as a glass or half bottles), Brewdog Punk IPA, Edinburgh Gin and Tonic, San Miguel (single cans or pack of 4), Strongbow (pack of 4), Coca Cola, Still water, Apple juice
M&S food* (Pre-order): M&S Food Greek Style Yogurt with Five Berry Compote, M&S Food BLT Sandwich, M&S Food Roast Chicken & Salad Sandwich, M&S Food Plant Kitchen Hoisin No Duck Wrap, M&S Food Feta Cheese, Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad
Pasty Shop* (Pre-order): Bacon Roll, Sausage Roll, Large Mixed Steak Pasty, Vegan Vegetarian Pasty, Vegan Sausage Roll, Cheese & Onion Pasty
*Food orders from high-street brands are only available if you’re travelling from London Kings Cross or Edinburgh.
Lumo train ticket types
Keep reading for more information on all the ticket types offered by Lumo.
LumoFixed tickets
LumoFixed tickets are Lumo’s brand for Advance tickets. These are their best value tickets and are only valid on the date and train booked but they can be changed up to departure.
Anytime tickets
Anytime tickets can be used on any Lumo train on the date on your ticket (or for Return tickets, to come back any date within a month).
Unlike most rail operators, Lumo don’t offer Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak tickets. However, all their Anytime tickets are cheaper than the lowest alternative Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket for the journey being made.
How to get cheap Lumo tickets
If you're after cheap train tickets for Lumo routes, check out our top tips below and see how you could bag yourself a bargain. We'll even highlight the cheapest prices for you! To view the latest offers on UK train travel, visit our train deals and discounts page.
Book in advance
If you want to snap up the cheapest fares, look out for Advance train tickets and buy them as soon as possible, as they tend to be cheaper when they’re first released and sell out quickly on the busiest routes. Check out our Advance train tickets page for more information.
Sign up for Ticket Alert
To get the cheapest fares further in advance, why not sign up for our handy Ticket Alert tool – we will send you an email as soon as Advance tickets become available for your preferred route.
Learn more about our Advance Train Ticket Alert tool.
Get a Railcard
If you’ll be travelling more than a few times a year to the East Coast, we recommend you get a Railcard – you’ll save up to 1/3 on eligible journeys. Railcards cater to different age groups and circumstances so, from the Senior Railcard to the Disabled Persons Railcard and the 26-30 Railcard, you'll be sure to find your match. Check out our Railcards page if you want to buy one online or see the different eligibility requirements for each type.
Lumo train timetable
Check out the latest Lumo train timetables valid from 15th May to 10th December 2022. Please note that timetables are subject to change due to engineering works, (A) means arrival time and (D) means departure time.
Northbound trains
|
Departing from |
Monday to Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
London Kings Cross |
05:45, 10:45, 12:18, 14:48, 20:27 |
05:45, 10:25, 12:18, 15:48, 18:27 |
08:52, 10:23, 12:09, 16:24, 19:24 |
|
Stevenage |
06:10, 12:41 |
06:10, 12:41 |
09:13, 10:45, 12:35 |
|
Newcastle (A) |
08:39, 13:44, 15:15, 17:47, 23:04 |
08:38, 13:15, 15:15, 18:47, 21:19 |
11:40, 13:12, 15:00, 19:15, 22:06 |
|
Newcastle (D) |
08:42, 13:47, 15:17, 17:50, 23:08* |
08:41, 13:18, 15:18, 18:50 |
11:46, 13:16, 15:10, 19:25, 22:09 |
|
Morpeth (A) |
08:54, 13:59, 15:30, 18:02, 23:20* | 08:53, 13:30, 15:31, 19:02 |
11:58, 13:28, 15:24, 19:37, 22:22 |
|
Morpeth (D) |
08:56, 14:01, 15:31, 18:03, 23:23* | 08:54, 13:31, 15:32, 19:04 |
11:59, 13:29, 15:25, 19:39, 22:23 |
|
Edinburgh |
10:08, 15:13, 16:41, 19:13, 00:47* | 10:06, 14:41, 16:43, 20:15 |
13:10, 14:42, 16:37, 20:56, 23:34 |
*Calling points do not operate on the following Mondays and Tuesdays:
- 4, 5, 25 and 26 July
- 15 and 16 August
- 5, 6, 26 and 27 September
- 17 and 18 October
- 7, 8, 28 and 29 November
Southbound trains
|
Departing from |
Monday to Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
Edinburgh Waverley |
06:23§, 09:11, 11:19, 16:13, 19:58 |
05:36, 08:56, 12:56, 15:25, 17:56 |
10:53, 13:55, 15:49, 18:53 |
|
Morpeth (A) | 07:36§, 10:27, 12:31, 17:25, 21:15 | 06:45, 10:05, 14:05, 16:37, 19:07 | 12:02, 15:04, 16:59, 20:02 |
|
Morpeth (D) |
07:38§, 10:30, 12:34, 17:26, 21:16 | 06:48, 10:06, 14:06, 16:38, 19:08 | 12:03, 15:05, 17:00, 20:04 |
|
Newcastle (A) |
07:52§, 10:48, 12:47, 17:41, 21:30 | 07:02, 10:20, 14:19, 16:52, 19:24 | 12:17, 15:19, 17:13, 20:17 |
|
Newcastle (D) |
07:57, 10:51, 12:50, 17:47, 21:33 | 07:13, 10:22, 14:22, 16:55, 19:35 | 08:20, 12:20, 15:21, 17:16, 20:21 |
|
Stevenage |
15:18, 20:19, 00:24 |
12:48, 16:48, 22:02 |
17:52, 19:52, 22:58 |
|
London Kings Cross |
10:51, 13:47, 15:45, 20:45, 01:05 |
10:04, 13:14, 17:14, 19:48, 22:29 |
11:16, 14:56, 18:17, 20:15, 23:20 |
§Calling points do not operate on the following Tuesdays and Wednesdays:
- 5, 6, 26 and 27 July
- 16 and 17 August
- 6, 7, 27 and 28 September
- 18 and 19 October
- 8, 9, 29 and 30 November
Popular Lumo train routes
Have a look at some of the most popular routes served by Lumo below – simply tap the route you’re interested in to check train times, compare ticket prices, and learn more about the train journey.
Assisted travel
If you need some help for your trip, you can plan it in advance with the help of a dedicated Passenger Assist team. Assistance can be arranged to help you with accessing the station, where staffed, getting on and off the train and carrying your luggage. Read our guide to accessible train travel in the UK for more details.
Dedicated wheelchair user spaces and priority seating are available on Lumo trains and can be reserved by contacting their Passenger Assist team on 0800 031 8542. We recommend booking assistance before 22:00 the day before travel or six hours before your journey for same day travel to make sure you’re given the best service and are notified if there is anything that will affect your journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered some of your most frequently asked questions about Lumo trains below.
Where do Lumo trains go?
Lumo trains run between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh via the East Coast Main Line.
Are food and drinks available on Lumo trains?
Yes. Thanks to LumoEats at-seat catering service, you can order food and drinks on board. You can choose your order from a wide range of cafes and shops you already know, pre-order it from Lumo’s trolley service or buy it from their at-seat catering trolley and it’ll be brought straight to your seat.
Is First Class available on Lumo trains?
No, unfortunately First Class is not available on the new Lumo trains. However, their Standard Class offers plenty of amenities on board that will make your journey super comfortable.
Which tickets can be used with Lumo?
When travelling with Lumo, you can use a ticket that shows “Lumo Only”, “AP Lumo Only” or something similar. You can also use a ticket that allows you to travel to destinations off Lumo’s network – these will include both Lumo and the other operator name, such as “Lumo and SWR Only”. If the route shows anything else, you’ll need to check carefully whether you can use it on Lumo’s trains.
Can I use a Season ticket with Lumo?
Yes. Although Lumo don’t offer their own Season tickets as they’re mainly taking customers on long-distance journeys for business or leisure, you’re welcome to use a Season ticket that covers their journeys, as long as it doesn’t say it’s only valid on a specific train operator.
Can I travel with my pet on Lumo trains?
Yes. Dogs will need to be kept on leads and other small domestic animals must always travel in a fully enclosed basket that does not exceed 85 x 60 x 60 cm. Please bear in mind that you cannot make a seat reservation for animals, except for assistance dogs. Water bowls and stool bags are also available upon request, please ask a member of staff if you need any.
Find out more about UK train travel
Want to learn more about the UK rail network? Click on one of our UK train travel guides – we’ll provide you with all the information you need about UK train and ticket types, deals and discounts, popular destinations, and more.