A cut-price express train to London is set to launch a price war with rival rail firms and budget airlines – if it is approved by regulators.
First Group has promised to offer “significantly lower” fares on the route if its plans go ahead, with journey times of four hours between Edinburgh and London.
It is hoped the move would lure customers away from cheap flights, and rival train services, but there is still a long way to go. Virgin says the services wouldn’t be any faster than its own trains to London – and said its schedule wouldn’t allow for competing services.
First Group, which recently lost out on a bid to continue running the ScotRail franchise, said services between the two capitals would only make three stops along the route, and would be aimed at passengers connecting on to flights from smaller regional airports as well as London-bound travellers.
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