Luton Airport to Get Direct Train Link with Luton Parkway Station

A new train service that runs directly between Luton Airport and the nearby Luton Parkway station will be advantageous for the airport.
Before, travelers had to use a shuttle bus, which took around 10 minutes to travel from the airport to the railway station.

But the Luton Dart (Direct Air-Rail Transport) train, which runs on electricity and takes just over three minutes to go the 1.3 miles, is taking the place of the bus. The cost of the Dart service will be £4.90 one-way, which is more than twice the cost of the present shuttle bus, which costs £2.40.

Although the automated Luton Dart will not be completely operational until “near” the end of March, it carried its first passengers yesterday Friday, 10th March. The project cost £261.7 million to complete.

Rail users will be able to take the Luton Dart instead of the bus for no extra cost for the first three weeks following its initial opening. The Dart will initially only operate for four hours every day, but by the end of the month, that schedule will have been gradually expanded to include a 24-hour schedule.

Any train ticket that includes Luton Airport as either the beginning or finish location of the route will include the Dart service.

Rail travelers will enjoy a “game-changing experience” with the new train link, according to the airport, and will benefit from a quicker 32-minute trip from London’s St. Pancras station.

Dart’s launch would be a “transformational breakthrough,” according to Luton Airport CEO Alberto Martin.

“This investment from the airport owner, Luton Rising, also supports our commitment to delivering a simple, friendly end-to-end passenger experience, while lessening our environmental impact and supporting our plans for enhanced connectivity and future sustainable growth,” added Martin.