London North Eastern Railway (LNER) new Azuma train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross

The Azumas are London North Eastern Railway’s (LNER’s) new trains which travel between London, Leeds, York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, built by Hitachi. These new trains were ordered as part of the Intercity Express Programme as replacements for the InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets. Heading from Edinburgh to London, the Azuma is now the staple.

Edinburgh Waverley

While there are 2 main stations in Edinburgh, more LNER Azuma trains to London King’s Cross Edinburgh Waverley depart from Edinburgh Waverley. Edinburgh Haymarket is served by trains coming from Inverness, Stirling, or Aberdeen only. On the day of my departure, there were convenient departures every 30 minutes from Waverley.

Class 801/2 Azuma

My train was formed of a 9-car Class 801/2 Azuma EMU.

Azuma Standard

Azuma Standard class offers a 2+2 seating configuration. This is similar to the Great Western Railway (GWR) Class 800 Intercity Express Train (IET) seats but with a red LNER colour for the seat covering instead.

Unlike the delays that trains in the UK are famous for, I departed from Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station 1 minute early at 3.29pm.

The first stop that the train makes is in North Berwick, and sitting on the left side on the train southbound (highly recommended), one is greeted with a view of the seaside town.

After some delays near Morpeth, the train pulls in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and the iconic Tyne Bridge comes into sight just about 1.5 hours out of Edinburgh.

The final stop to London was York, after which it is a non-stop service to London. York Railway Station, is easily identifiable with the curved station and platforms.

London King’s Cross

My train arrived right on time at London King’s Cross at 7.54pm.

It’s nice to arrive at Platform 1 where the brick structure of London King’s Cross can be appreciated.

Looking back at my Class 801/2 Azuma with a rare-ish Hull Trains Class 802 Paragon BMU peeking from Platform 3.

Conclusion

LNER provides a regular, efficient and reliable service between Edinburgh and London. The arrival of Lumo, however, promises to shake things up in this sector, and a forthcoming review will provide some comparisons. With journeys as quick as 4 hours 20 minutes, the train is ideal for direct city center – center connections.