London Luton Airport (LLA) has announced a new partnership agreement with newly appointed East Midlands Railway operator Abellio.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) will oversee the delivery of improvements to improve customers’ experience, improve rail connections and drive economic growth, including more regular services between London St Pancras station and Luton Airport, with a new ‘Luton Airport Express’ style service operated by a new all-electric fleet of trains that will also serve Luton, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford. This new rail service will come into service by December 2020, and will feature fast trains between St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway every 30 minutes.
Alberto Martin, chief executive of London Luton Airport, said, “We welcome the arrival of EMR and the commitment to provide an express-style service to the airport every half an hour from December 2020. Along with the arrival of the £225m [US$273m] Direct Air-Rail Transit service in 2021, linking Luton Airport Parkway station directly with the airport terminal, we will see a step-change in rail connectivity between London and its fastest-growing airport.
“Once the developments are completed, passengers will be able to reach the airport terminal in a little under half an hour from central London. This transformation of service with its own sub-brand, website, easier ticketing and dedicated platform at St Pancras will be welcomed by all passengers who travel to us by rail.”