London to London Luton Airport train with Thameslink

Transportation experience

All carriages of the train were packed on the day I travelled meaning that I had to stand for the duration of the trip. There are no seats assigned with your ticket purchase and the carriage feels like a standard overground train.

Onboard experience & services

There are no toilets on board and since there are a few stops along the route there is a constant flux of passengers. That being said, the train carriage was very clean and the noise was minimal. Be aware that most people will exit the train at LTN and rush towards the Airport rail link. You’ll need to keep your digital ticket handy so you can swipe out of the station before entering the airport

Ticketing advice & budget breakdown

The ticket cost £22.70, a price I’ve come to expect on British trains but it did mean that the route worked out at almost £1 per minute of travel. Whenever I fly in and out of London I forget to factor in the price of the train or bus to the city centre and this can definitely stack up.

Top tips & recommendations

• Check which platform your train leaves from in enough time. I learned the hard way.

Conclusion

I’ve learned to consider the cost of airport transfers into my travel decision making thanks to this experience. Sometimes if a flight is only £30 cheaper than a train I will still choose a long distance train journey as you end up in your destination rather than factoring in the airport logistics. That being said, the Luton Airport train operated by EMR was quick and the service was frequent, which is definitely a benefit.