London Luton Airport (LLA) passengers travelling via the Luton Airport Express can now look forward to more modern interiors, upgraded facilities and an enhanced overall journey experience following the upgrade of East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) newly refurbished Class 360 train.

The refurbishment includes a redesigned interior and new 2+2 seating that combines airline-style seating and table bays to create a more spacious and comfortable experience. 

Passengers will also benefit from upgraded luggage facilities, power and USB charging points, improved passenger information systems and enhanced accessibility features. The first refurbished train will enter service next month.

The Luton Airport Express service was launched in April 2023 and has brought LLA even closer to central London, with a faster, more frequent and more convenient service that, including the Luton DART, takes around 30 minutes door-to-door. 

Alberto Martin, Chief Executive Officer at London Luton Airport, said: “London Luton Airport’s commitment to a simple, friendly journey extends to the moment people leave home. The addition of the Luton Airport Express has been transformative, linking Central London to the terminal in a little over 30 minutes via a seamless connection with the Luton DART. This multi-million-pound investment from EMR delivers a modern, comfortable on-board experience for the growing number of passengers using the service, further strengthening rail as an attractive, more sustainable option for airport travel.”

EMR, operated by Transport UK, has invested in the newly upgraded Class 360 train as part of a wider £60 million regional refurbishment programme which is modernising trains across the East Midlands network. Further refurbished Class 360 units are expected to enter service over the coming months as the programme continues across the fleet.

Will Rogers, Managing Director of East Midlands Railway, said: "This investment will transform the experience for our customers, delivering trains that are more comfortable, more practical and better suited to modern travel. The refurbished fleet will provide a step-change for passengers using EMR Connect and Luton Airport Express services and I look forward to hearing what customers think of it when the first enters service next month.”

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, operated by a consortium, of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, and InfraBridge, a leading infrastructure investment manager. Airlines include Jet2, easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express, El Al and Jazeera.

The airport is owned for community benefit by Luton Rising, a company wholly-owned by Luton Council, which has invested more than £500m in front-line, voluntary and charitable services since 1998.

The Luton Airport Express allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. The service runs from St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway station and connects seamlessly with the DART, an electrically powered people mover that connects to the airport terminal in less than four minutes.

In 2024, LLA was named European Airport of the Year (10-25 million passengers) by ACI EUROPE, and in 2025 LLA received the highest possible rating of 'Very Good' in the annual Airport Accessibility report published by the CAA, assessing assisted travel service performance.

In 2023, LLA also achieved Level 4 of the globally recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, demonstrating that it is ‘transforming its operations to achieve carbon reductions in line with global climate goals’. With a maximum score of 100 and a five-star rating, LLA has been ranked as a sector leader for four consecutive years in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) benchmark of sustainability governance management and performance of major infrastructure assets worldwide.

LLA continues to be a major employer and a key economic driver in Bedfordshire — supporting 28,000 jobs and contributing £830 million per year to the local economy. 

Further information on London Luton Airport can be found here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/ 

London Luton Airport Press Office
T: 01582 395333
E: pressoffice@ltn.aero

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/luton-airport-express-passengers/12062026