Edinburgh-London train journeys to increase later this year

EIGHT new journeys a day between Edinburgh and London will be brought in later this year, Virgin Trains has announced.

The additional services will boost seat capacity by nearly a third. Picture: PA

Seat capacity on the route will be increased by nearly a third, as new weekday services will boost seat capacity by 22,000.

Virgin Trains said that the four new services a day in each direction will offer journeys every 30 minutes for most of the day.

Two additional services will run on Sundays.

• READ MORE - Railway work to be carried out 3,600ft up Glencoe mountain

Virgin Trains is set to release thousands of £25 tickets for the new timetable to celebrate the launch on May 16 while the booking window for tickets will be extended from 12 weeks to 24 weeks.

David Horne, the company’s managing director on the east coast route, said: “This is a major boost for our customers travelling between Edinburgh and London who will be able to catch a train every half-hour for most of the day.

• READ MORE - New ScotRail train unveiled at Edinburgh Waverley

“We have seen how increasing capacity and frequency adds to the popularity of train travel and we’re confident that customers will respond positively to these changes.”

Tickets are set to go on sale from February 19.

Scottish heritage: for stories on Scotland’s people, places and history >>