Dates and tickets announced for new Lancashire to London Lumo train service

Lumo - an innovative electric travel service - has announced a brand-new direct rail service linking Stirling and London Euston, calling in at Preston.

The new London–Stirling service will operate four daily return services, with an additional fifth return service between Preston and London.

As part of the expansion, the company will be opening a West Coast Mainline headquarters in Fox Street, Preston, which will act as as a central hub for the new route, creating 100 jobs.

The announcement may be a welcome boost to travellers commuting from Blackpool, who have seen Avanti West Coast reduce their four daily weekday services to and from the resort to just two a day - all of which change at Preston.

When does it launch and how much are tickets?

Lumo will be launching services over the coming weeks with tickets for travel from July 10, through until the end of summer now on sale. Customers can now book the following fares:

• London / Stirling from £29.90
• London / Preston from £23.90
• Preston / Stirling from £14.90

Further savings can be made with the use of railcards and there are no booking fees when customers use the Lumo website to book tickets for travel.

Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access, said: "These fares are about putting customers first. By offering simple, low-cost tickets and direct services between Scotland, the North West of England and London, we’re making it easier and more affordable for people to travel for work, leisure and family visits.

“Launching Lumo on the West Coast Main Line is an exciting step forward, and with our new base in Preston creating jobs and supporting the local economy, this is a service that will benefit both passengers and communities along the route."

Where will it call in at?

The new route will run between London Euston and Stirling, calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert.

The new service will use refurbished Class 222 trains, with refreshed interiors and entirely new seating in some carriages.

Lumo will operate a single-class standard service designed to offer low-cost fares.Lumo said the expansion is intended to improve travel choice for customers while providing direct long-distance connections for communities currently underserved by rail.

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