New direct trains between Harrogate and London to start from this weekendHarrogate passengers to get more seats on direct London trains

London North Eastern Railway is to introduce longer trains on some of its direct services between Harrogate and London on Sundays.

Five of the current five-carriage Sunday trains will be upgraded to nine or 10-carriage trains, meaning more seats for passengers.

LNER announced the news today as part of a series of changes in response to a 30% increase in demand for Sunday leisure travellers since 2019.

The company will also introduce three additional Sunday services — two between Leeds and London King’s Cross and one between Doncaster and London.

Although these will not stop at Harrogate they will benefit people who want to get direct London trains from Leeds and Doncaster.

The new services and longer trains will start in December this year.

Brian Dunsby, leader of the Harrogate Line Supporters Group, said:

“This is a great testament to the popularity of the direct Harrogate to London services and the increasing demand for travel on Sundays.

“We are also aware that LNER are currently planning to reschedule their east coast mainline services in December 2024 so we are hopeful for gaining an earlier morning service from Harrogate to King’s Cross and a later evening return to Harrogate.”

David Horne, managing director at LNER, said its plans “will provide more than 3,000 extra seats from December”.

Rail minister Huw Merriman said travel patterns had changed since the pandemic and this was “a real win for passengers”.

Which services are affected?

Services which will become 10 carriage Azuma services:

Northbound

  • The 09:05 London King’s Cross to Harrogate
  • The 17:05 London King’s Cross to Harrogate

These two services will no longer be able to call at Horsforth due to the platform length.

Southbound

Services which will become nine-carriage Azuma services:

Northbound

  • The 11:03 London King’s Cross to Harrogate
  • The 15:36 Harrogate to London King’s Cross

People wanting to get to London earlier on a Sunday by train and can get to Leeds will be able to do so. The 08:05 on Sundays from Leeds to London King’s Cross will no longer call at Retford, Newark Northgate and Grantham resulting in a shorter journey time.

The service will arrive at London King’s Cross at 10.18 – 19 minutes earlier than before.

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Harrogate set to get earlier and later direct London trains

Harrogate is on track to get a direct train to London departing an hour earlier than the current first service of the day.

David Flesher, commercial director at LNER, told businesses last night the company wanted the first direct train to leave Harrogate at 6.35am, rather than the current 7.37am.

It would enable commuters to arrive at King’s Cross in the capital at 9.30am rather than the current 10.30am.

People travelling back to Harrogate from London would also benefit from a later last direct service home, Mr Flesher told Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting, under plans being formulated.

He said the final train would depart an hour later than the current 5.33pm service.

However, the changes are not due to be implemented until the end of next year.

Mr Flesher, who lives in Harrogate, told the meeting the number of customers using the Harrogate line had risen by 15% this year. He added:

“We want to bring earlier and later London services from Harrogate next year.”

Brian Dunsby, of the Harrogate Line Supporters Group, who organised the guest speakers at last night’s transport-themed chamber meeting, asked Mr Flesher what time the new services would be scheduled for.

Mr Flesher gave the details and said the earlier and later services had been “long-awaited”. He added:

“That will get people into London at a much more helpful and sensible time in the morning.”

A LNER spokesperson contacted the Stray Ferret after the article was first published to say:

“These are ambitions that are being explored with timings subject to change. An hour earlier southbound is the ambition with a new timetable. With reference to the northbound return train in particular, this is in discussion but very much our ambition.”

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