Brits will soon be able to hop on board and travel more than 400 miles from London to the historic city of Stirling, thanks to a new railway expansion slated to launch in 2026
A huge railway expansion touted as the ‘Eurostar of Scotland’ is slated to launch next year – spanning a whopping 425 miles from London.
Rail operator Lumo recently announced it had successfully secured five Class 222 six-car trains to link London Euston directly to Stirling – a historic city in central Scotland. The new route, which aims to be up and running as early as Spring 2026, will also stop at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
Lumo says the move will ‘enhance travel choice and connectivity’ for passengers along the central belt of Scotland, and that its new route will run five times a day each way. This particular route is already shared by Avanti West Coast, LNER and TransPennine Express – but Lumo will reportedly be the first provider not subsidised by the government.
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Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of East London, told the Metro that this will likely make tickets must ‘cheaper’. “The service enhancement will significantly improve the passenger experience, especially compared to air travel,” she added.
“Air travel requires an initial transit to one of London’s airports, followed by a two-hour wait for the flight, then a two-hour flight time. In contrast, rail travel involves just a quick journey to Euston station, followed by a five-hour train journey with WiFi, refreshments, and enhanced onboard services.”
At the time of writing, direct trains from London to Stirling cost as much as £206.80 for an ‘Anytime Single’ ticket. However, they can be bought for as little as £81.80 if you’re flexible with dates.
Purchasing a railcard can also help lower the cost of train fares. However, these tend to only offer discounts on Off-Peak times, weekends, and bank holidays – which doesn’t help out commuters reliant on the network.
In an online statement, Martijn Gilbert of Lumo said: “Today’s announcement underscores Lumo’s commitment to growing Scotland’s rail network, providing passengers with more affordable, fast, and convenient travel options. Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we’re proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services.”
Sue Webber MSP, a Conservative Transport spokesperson, also hailed the announcement – arguing it will bring a staggering £740m in economic benefits by 2032. “Crucially, this is being delivered not by government mandate, but through private sector innovation and open access investment,” she added.
“That’s why I believe this model is one we should be championing. Lumo is not replacing existing services – it’s adding capacity, increasing choice, and growing the market for everyone.”
*Prices based on LNER listings for Tuesday, July 1.
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