Thousands of new LNER services introduced under December 2025 timetable

LNER has launched a major new timetable on the East Coast Main Line, bringing the biggest increase in services for more than ten years. Introduced on 14 December 2025, the changes are designed to provide passengers with faster journeys, additional trains, and more seats across the route.

The overhaul adds around 10,000 extra services annually and delivers an extra 60,000 seats per week, making travel to and from London, Scotland, and the North East more convenient. Among the highlights is an hourly fast service between Edinburgh Waverley and London King’s Cross, reducing journey times to around four hours ten minutes. Passengers travelling between London and Newcastle now benefit from an additional train per hour, while Yorkshire commuters see faster and more frequent journeys across the region.

The timetable has been years in the making, developed in close collaboration with Network Rail, other train operators, and wider industry partners. £4 billion of investment over the past decade in trains, tracks, and signalling underpins the improvements, while advanced simulations were used to plan the rollout and ensure a smooth transition.

Beyond passenger benefits, independent research indicates the new timetable will support the UK economy, generating at least £105 million per year in additional value, building on the £3.11 billion already contributed by LNER’s services and investment.

Warrick Dent, Safety and Operations Director at LNER, said:

“The introduction of our December 2025 timetable is a huge achievement and is testament to the hard work and dedication that has been shown by rail industry colleagues over many years. A change of this size is a once-in-a-generation occurrence and we are proud to see the timetable come to life, delivering faster and more frequent journeys for so many areas across our route.”

Ellie Burrows, Eastern regional managing director at Network Rail, added:

“The industry has been preparing for many years for the new timetable, which will unlock thousands more seats, more frequent trains, and quicker journeys along the East Coast Main Line. Our priority now is to continue working together to deliver the long-term benefits of this timetable change, the biggest in over a decade, for our passengers and the communities we serve.”

Image: LNER