The biggest new UK train routes — including a city connection lost for 23 years.
Staycations and rail travel have seen a surge in popularity this year. While eight out of 10 Brits are opting for a UK holiday instead of going abroad in 2025, Department for Transport statistics also reveal that 61% of us travel by train for leisure at least once a month. With the rail renaissance in full swing, we have rounded up some of the best new UK train routes coming in 2026 and beyond. From a ‘Ryanair of trains,’ which allows Londoners to explore Scotland for £50, to a famous sleeper train launching a new route, there’s a lot to be excited about.
The first direct Oxford to Bristol service in 23 years takes inaugural trip
This week, passengers set off on the first rail service connecting Oxford to Bristol in more than two decades. The new Great Western Railway (GWR) route via Swindon, which was removed from timetables 23 years ago, cuts 10 minutes off the current fastest weekday journey time. Whereas passengers previously had to change at Didcot Parkway or Reading to get between the two stations, they can now do the journey in one go, in as little as 70 minutes. According to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), GWR have been approved to run this as a two-hourly service on weekdays and Saturdays. The new service travels between Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Chippenham, Swindon and Oxford.
New Liverpool to Llandudno trains hit the track
As of May 17, tickets are now available for trains between Liverpool and Llandudno, following a Transport for Wales (TfW) timetable update. The journey, which takes just under two hours, covers Lime Street and South Parkway, Runcorn, Frodsham, Helsby, Chester, Shotton, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Abergele & Pensarn, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Deganwy, and Llandudno. Mayor Steve Rotheram commented: ‘The Liverpool City Region and North Wales share deep historic, economic and cultural ties — and improved transport links will only strengthen that partnership in the future.’ There are several daily services on this direct route, with return fares for approximately £20 via Transport for Wales.
‘Ryanair of trains’ launches two new London to Scotland options
Lumo rolled out two new London to Scotland services for 2026, starting with a direct route to Glasgow Queen Street which launched at the beginning of the year. The ORR approved the extension of the company’s existing London to Edinburgh service, with a stop in Glasgow being added to selected trips in January. However, just a few weeks back, Lumo — which has been compared to low-budget airlines, including Michael O’Leary’s Irish carrier and Easyjet, due to its cheap tickets, baggage limits and lack of first-class — set off on another inaugural journey, this time from Euston to Stirling. This new train stops at 11 stations, and marks the first time three of the destinations – Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert – have had a direct service to the capital. A London to Stirling route already operates through Avanti West Coast, LNER and TransPennine Express. However, Lumo’s is the only ‘open-access service,’ which means it’s not subsidised by the government. This equates to cheaper tickets and better service, according to Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of East London, who added that it would improve access for visitors to both Scotland and England. Connecting Glasgow Queen Street with London King’s Cross, Lumo offers around six direct northbound services and three southbound services each week, with the majority running Tuesday to Thursday. Alongside the start and end stops, this train also calls at Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh, Haymarket, and Falkirk High. Meanwhile, the firm’s new Stirling option sees five daily trains running, between London Euston, Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds, Larbert and Stirling.
The Caledonian Sleeper train sees biggest change in 30 years
The Caledonian Sleeper train launched a new route in January 2026; the first of its kind in three decades. Currently, the sleeper service serves around 300,000 passenger journeys each year, but this is set to increase thanks to the Highlander, one of the two routes from London to Scotland, getting a stop at Birmingham International. This change is being made after research revealed demand for a Birmingham stop, beyond the previous destinations including Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness. Caledonian Sleeper’s other route is the Lowlander, which covers Glasgow and Edinburgh from the capital. Remember: the Lowlander doesn’t stop at Birmingham, and make sure you’re on the right train beforehand. The new Highlander route runs six days a week, although there are no services on Saturday nights. Seated coaches — which can be compared to flying business class — start from £54. They include reclining seats, charging points, reading lights and lockable storage. Breakfast is available at an extra cost. Classic rooms with a twin bunk or single bed are a little pricier, but offer more privacy, from £270 and £200, respectively.
New £1,000,000,000 ‘Welsh Tube’ with trains every 5 minutes gets underway
Since 2013, there’s been rumours of Wales getting its own version of the London Tube. Now, 13 years on, the Wales Metro proposal has finally become a reality. Costing a whopping £1 billion, the project spans 170 kilometres (105.6 miles) worth of track, introducing 36 tram-style trains to connect Cardiff with towns in the valleys and wider South Wales area. Six core lines connect the country’s capital with towns and districts like Aberdare, Coryton, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert, and like its counterpart in the capital, all stops are identified by a colour-coded map. While this has largely been dubbed the ‘Welsh Tube,’ the majority of the network is overground, with tunnels between the Cardiff and Caerphilly connection being the only exception. However, back in April, it was reported that the new ‘tube’ had divided opinion, with North Wales residents declaring that the ‘rest of Wales has been ignored again.’ The ‘Welsh Tube’ began a phased rollout at the start of 2026, with new trains across sections of the South Wales network already introduced, and accessibility improvements like extra lifts and access-for-all bridges. Other upgrades include bike hoops and passenger information screens to make it easier for commuters to find their train.
Proposed direct train from Newcastle to UK’s most walkable city
Grand Central is in the running for a new direct route from Newcastle to Brighton, via Gatwick Airport. This new route would connect the north-east coast of the UK to the south coast. In April, Arriva Group announced its proposal for Grand Central to operate the service, with plans to call at key stations including York, Sheffield, Birmingham New Street, Oxford and Reading. The new route would also allow travellers to get from one end of the country to the other without switching at London’s King’s Cross or Victoria stations. If the ORR approves the application, travellers can expect to hop on the service from December 2026. Brighton was recently crowned the UK’s most walkable city, and social media users have welcomed the quicker connection between the two cities. People have hailed the plans as ‘brilliant’ and ‘amazing’, saying they are ‘all for it’. If the proposal goes ahead, Arriva Group wants to run five services per day in each direction. In terms of prices, nothing is set in stone. But, considering the current one-way Grand Central Brighton to Newcastle journey costs around £66 — and often more when booking same-day tickets — you can get an idea.
