In case you missed the big news; Lumo – a new travel service covering the East Coast of the UK between Edinburgh and Newcastle – is on board as Gateshead FC’s official rail partner.
Since October 2021, this all-electric train operator based in Newcastle has been paving the way for affordable and more sustainable travel. Running ten services a day and calling at London, Stevenage, Morpeth, Newcastle and Edinburgh, Lumo has recently celebrated welcoming an impressive 1 million passengers on board.
Lumo has four key attributes that make them the preferred choice over air travel for customers travelling between Edinburgh and London:
- Affordability
Compared to other franchises, Lumo makes train travel more affordable, with fares from London to Edinburgh beginning at under £35. Customers can get the best fares by booking directly on Lumo’s website, which comes with the added bonus of no booking fees.
- Sustainability
As well as prioritising affordable and cost-effective travel, Lumo is committed to making its journeys greener and more sustainable. Operating a fleet of 100% electric high-speed trains, in its first year of service, Lumo saved the equivalent of 4,125 flights and continues to provide a service that is 40x greener than air travel. Lumo has a planet-friendly menu that is 50% plant-based and it is also proud to be a 100% digital and paperless rail operator.
- Inclusivity
Lumo believes that all passengers should be treated fairly and as equals and therefore its trains have a single-class system to ensure everyone experiences the same quality service.
Lumo’s Customer Experience Ambassadors are on board to provide a personalised service so that each customer has an enjoyable and relaxing journey.
Even Lumo’s food pre-ordering service, LumoEats, caters for everybody, offering a selection of hot and cold food from providers such as M&S, Upper Crust and Pastry Shop with a variety of gluten-free and plant-based options readily available.
Lumo is also dedicated to providing customers with the ultimate comfort throughout their journey, with seats that are ergonomically designed and crafted from premium fabric.
- Flexibility
To give passengers extra flexibility, unlike other rail operators, Lumo does not have ‘off-peak’ times and instead offers Anytime tickets which can be used on any Lumo trains running on the date of the ticket.
Lumo is also expanding connectivity beyond its core route network by offering connecting tickets with Scotrail and South Western Railway, bringing Lumo’s great value to more destinations. Passengers from London and Newcastle can connect via Edinburgh to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Perth and more, while passengers from Edinburgh and Newcastle can connect to Woking, Guildford, Southampton, Winchester, Salisbury and more via London, including transfer between London stations via London Underground.
Supporting the Heed Army on their travels
With a hub based in the heart of Newcastle city centre near Central Station, Lumo is a local company with a passion for supporting grassroots football.
Lumo operates frequent Saturday services at affordable prices for Gateshead FC supporters travelling to and from away games in London and the South East. For example, the 07:57-10:51 and 10:55-13:47 services from Newcastle to London give supporters plenty of time to enjoy pre-match revelries before connecting to other destinations such as Southend, Maidstone and Aldershot. The 18:27-21:18 return train also provides members of the Heed Army with ample time to get back to King’s Cross Station and travel home. A one-way ticket from Newcastle to London starts at just £24.90.
Lumo’s partnership with South Western Railway (SWR) also means that supporters can purchase one single ticket for entire journeys including those that require connections to the likes of Woking and Southampton Airport Parkway (if travelling to Eastleigh).
For more information on Lumo’s inclusive, sustainable and innovative rail services, visit the website here.
