How to get to Luton airport by train? Is it worth it? We’re ready to help. There have been some recent changes regarding taking the train to Luton Airport. For starters, a brand-new train that runs itself has been built! This means you no longer need to take a bus from Luton Airport Parkway to the airport.
One more thing is that trains are now called “Luton Airport Express.” But how is the trip, and is the “express” train worth all the fuss?
What kinds of trains are there that go to Luton Airport?
To get to Luton Airport Airport by train, you’ll need to use the Luton Airport Parkway stop. Trains from Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, and Bedford come to the station in the north. Trains from St. Albans, London, Gatwick Airport, and Brighton in the south can also bring you here.
East Midlands Railway runs the trains from Corby to London St. Pancras. Thameslink runs the rest of the trains, including those across London to Gatwick and Brighton.
So, How to get to Luton airport by train? since that’s where you can start? You can take a Thameslink train or the “Luton Airport Express.” After that, the Luton Airport “DART” takes you to the airport. Let’s look at the new DART service and both providers.
The East Midlands Railway runs the Luton Airport Express.
East Midlands Railway suddenly runs the Luton Airport Express name. Even though these routes go from St. Pancras to Luton Airport Parkway without stopping, that doesn’t come with better service, new trains, or anything else. For what reason, then, did they brand it?
Putting that aside, this line has two trains an hour for most of the day.
During the day, the trip from London takes just over 20 minutes. In the early morning and late evening, however, it takes 30 minutes. This is because the “fast” and “slow” Thameslink trains have to share the lines at these times. However, how to get to Luton Airport by train? Trains are still the fastest way to get from London St. Pancras to Luton Airport.
The price
There is no price difference if you buy a ticket on the day, which isn’t the case on many other lines where different companies compete. If you don’t have a Railcard, an Anytime Return (good for one month) costs £44.80. If you travel after 09:30, the price drops to £40.50 for an Off-Peak Return.
If you’re going on a Saturday and returning on a Sunday or Bank Holiday, buying a Super Off-Peak Single is cheaper each way. They cost £17.30 each, and any Railcard savings bring the total to £34.60.
If you’re set on a certain train, East Midlands Railway also sells advance tickets to and from the airport that start at £7.60 for one way. The most important question is whether or not your ticket is still good if your flight is delayed. The Luton Airport website’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section gives a rather vague but somewhat comforting answer:
If your flight is running late, please talk to someone on our team at the train stop. They can let you know. If you bought a train ticket beforehand, you must show proof of the delay to get on the next Luton Airport Express service.
It doesn’t sound like the clearest answer, but you’re good to go. When you get there, you might want to take a picture of the arrivals board or your airline’s app.
The train itself
Only Class 360 “Desiro” trains run the Luton Airport Express, known as “EMR Connect.” They first ran on the East Anglian Railway in 2003 and then switched to the East Midlands Railway in 2021.
Even though they’re 20 years old, the trains still look pretty new. Also, the East Midlands Railway coat of arms looks good:
All Class 360s have four cars. They are usually paired up as eight-coach trains.
What’s with the brand name?
It is important to explain what the “Luton Airport Express” name means. It’s even more confusing because these trains already have the “Connect” name, so you have two brands simultaneously.
At the same time, two different names! You’re not making things easier when you tell someone in Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, or Corby to “take the Luton Airport Express.”
What then caused this? When the “DART” (the new automated train between the rail stop and the airport terminal) opened, the Luton Airport Express brand emerged.
The DART has certainly sped up trips a bit. But that’s all. There are no changes to the trains themselves. What’s the deal with the ads? It’s only a name. It doesn’t make your trip better in any way!
It’s more complicated now. There are now happy automated messages on the train that say, “This is an EMR Connect service to Corby.” This goes to Luton Airport Parkway and is a Luton Airport Express service.
Placing your bags
Airport express services should try to have extra racks for bags. Unluckily, EMR doesn’t seem to think this is an important part of taking the train to Luton Airport:
All that could be found were these small racks that hung from the ceiling. In the past, these trains were used to get people from London to Ipswich and Clacton. Even though EMR said they would update the rooms, they haven’t yet. The website only says they “hope” to fix this “soon.”
How the seat feels
The only seats not in a 3+2 plan are the old First Class seats at the ends of the train. The layout isn’t great for an “Airport Express,” and it’s also not great for trains going to Corby. On these cars, too, there are no plugs at any seat.
Behind the driver’s cab, an old First Class cabin can be found at the end of each unit. This means there are coaches 1, 4, 5, and 8. This 2+2 seat has a small table and arms but is the same type of seat. You can sit here with any ticket because EMR Connect doesn’t have First Class.
Service on board
A guard on every EMR Connect/Luton Airport Express train checks tickets and helps customers. The guard said her name, but she was never seen again during the trip. After about 20 minutes, this didn’t come as a surprise. You can’t use the tram service. It is smart to get something to eat at St. Pancras.
Last thoughts
How to get to luton airport by train? What does the Luton Airport Express do? It’s not something brand new or revolutionary. It’s just a different name for Corby’s “Connect” service. This was just a branding exercise for EMR, and they haven’t put any money into the trains themselves.
People who use the service would rather have a properly fixed-up train than one with stickers and two different names.
Is this a bad train? Not always. The Siemens Desiro is a well-made train, but the inside looks old. It is the fastest way to Luton Airport but needs some work. The only good thing about these trains is that they cost less than Thameslink stations.
Thameslink
You can also take Thameslink to get to Luton Airport by train. They start at another set of platforms under St. Pancras station, but you can also catch them from Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, and London Bridge. As discussed when reviewing the best trains to Gatwick Airport, they also link to Gatwick Airport.
They happen a lot more often, and the following trains run on them:
Four semi-fast trains an hour stop at West Hampstead Thameslink, St. Albans, and Harpenden. The rides take 30 to 35 minutes.
Two slow trains stop at every station every hour, including West Hampstead Thameslink, Brent Cross West, Mill Hill Broadway, and all the others. It takes forty to fifty minutes to get there.
Thameslink is the best train service to get to Luton Airport if you want to show up and leave. You should wait for a fast one most of the time, but if you want to sit down, you can choose a slower one!
The price
If you want a “flexible” ticket, there is no difference between this and the Luton Airport Express.
If you don’t have a Railcard, an Anytime Return (good for one month) costs £44.50, but if you journey after 09:30, it costs £40.50 (Off-Peak Return).
If you’re going on a Saturday and returning on a Sunday or Bank Holiday, buying a Super Off-Peak Single is cheaper each way. They cost £17.30 each, and any Railcard savings bring the total to £34.60.
You can’t save money by committing to a certain train because there are no “Advance” tickets.
The train itself
The trains that run on Thameslink are all Class 700 “Desiro City” units. They were slowly added to the network starting in 2016 and have either 8 or -12 coaches:
How the seat feels
People often call the seats in Standard Class “ironing boards.” They’re stiff and narrow and not exactly known for being comfortable!
It is still fine for a short trip. Standard Class has no plugs, but some seats come with a table. That would be fine for most trips this long. Don’t worry if you want something a little better that doesn’t cost more, though. You can sit somewhere else.
Doesn’t that look better? The first-class seats at the very back of every train are always open to the public. It works with a Standard Class ticket so that you can use it.
The front first-class room is no longer a secret if your train stops at Luton. Look at the screens on the station.
This train part has plugs, tables, and a bigger seat. It is much better than the Luton Airport Express, and if you’re taking the train to Luton Airport, this is a good place to be.
Putting your bags away
The shots above show the overhead racks. There are also a few small luggage stacks spread out around the train.
They’ll be able to bring a regular checked bag, but something really big might be hard for them. That’s still better than Luton Airport Express, which has none.
With 2+2 seating, rolling your bags down the train is much easier without bumping into other people or seats.
Service on board
To put it simply, there isn’t any! Regular and useful comments will be made, but no staff will be besides the driver.
Last thoughts
Thameslink is a good train service to Luton Airport. It runs often, has a lot of room, and even has a “secret” First Class that lets you get an upgrade for free.
The Luton Airport Express isn’t much faster, so there’s no reason to skip this one in favour of the fast train.
What does the DART mean?
Now that we’ve discussed the trains, let’s look at the DART. Ultimately, Luton Airport Parkway is not where the planes take off!
From the train stop, it’s only a short walk to the DART platforms. Go out the door and quickly turn right to find another set of ticket gates. Put the ticket in or scan it at the gate to get to Luton Airport.
These sites are new and have information about flights on them:
During peak hours, trains leave every four minutes. At other times of the day, they leave less often. All trains are fully computerised. It doesn’t take long at all—it only takes about five minutes. They also look the part:
Once you reach the other end, you’ll need to go up and straight ahead to get to the station. It’s annoying that you must go around the airport often to get to the nearby hotels. You can’t get to the main road faster.
The DART price from London is £4.90, and you can’t get a Railcard discount on it. Buying your ticket from London or elsewhere costs £4.90 more to get to or from Luton Airport Parkway. Buying a ticket doesn’t save you money!
Is the service good? Yes. Trains are the best way to get to Luton Airport. Does it cost a lot? Yes, too.
How should I take the train to get to Luton Airport?
But Thameslink is the way to go if you want more options, more places to store your bags, and the chance to sit in First Class for free.
Since the price has not changed, you should take the first train that leaves. You only have to go for a short time.
The Luton Airport Express is faster, but it’s annoying that EMR has put on all this fanfare and branding before even trying to improve the trains. If it’s the first train leaving St. Pancras, take it, but don’t expect anything interesting.
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