Rail operator launches £12 early-bird train tickets from London to Leeds

Train operator LNER has launched new early-bird and late-night rail fares from London to Leeds for just £12.

The £12 fares are available from Monday to Friday on the 5.40am service from London King’s Cross to Leeds, and the 9.10pm return service from Leeds to London.

Customers with a railcard can also purchase the discounted tickets for the two-hour journey for just £8 as part of the new trial.

According to LNER, the rail fares are the cheapest between the two cities for almost 20 years.

The train journey takes around two hours and 13 minutes, half the time of a National Express coach journey, which takes from three hours and 50 minutes to four hours and 20 minutes.

Customers are advised to secure their seats early by booking in advance, said LNER.

The rail operator also encouraged travellers to use Beryl Bikes and e-scooters on arrival at Leeds railway station as a “convenient, sustainable and fun” way to explore the city.

David Flesher, commercial director at LNER, said: “With our new super low fares, we’re taking on coach firms by offering a speedier alternative at an incredible price.

“Whether it’s immersing yourself in culture at Leeds Art Gallery, visiting the Trinity Centre for some retail therapy, or catching a show at one of the many brilliant venues across the city, there's plenty to tempt Londoners to come back to Leeds again and again.”

In February, LNER unveiled brand new trains to run on the East Coast Main Line, replacing a fleet which is now almost 40 years old.

The operator announced it is introducing the new 10 intercity trains on the London King’s Cross to Edinburgh route, with new customer-suggested features introduced on board.

The Class 897 trains will be the first new fleet introduced as part of Great British Railways (GBR), the nationalised body that will replace the current model of mostly private train firms. Carriages on the Class 897s will feature GBR branding in the interior and exterior.

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