LNER is proud to commemorate the five-year anniversary since its groundbreaking Azuma trains commenced service across the East Coast route, connecting the Scottish Highlands, Yorkshire, and London King’s Cross. Launched on May 15th, 2019, Azuma services have transformed rail travel, setting new standards in comfort, reliability, and customer experience.
Over the past five years, LNER’s fleet of 65 Azuma trains has accumulated over 58 million miles, equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth more than 2,000 times. This remarkable achievement is coupled with a significant reduction in carbon emissions by over half (51%) and a substantial decrease in annual diesel consumption by 84%, amounting to a reduction of over 25 million liters.
LNER has also introduced several named liveried trains to the fleet, each with a unique story to tell. ‘Century’ pays homage to LNER’s pioneering spirit and its centenary celebration in 2023. ‘Together’ symbolizes LNER’s support for Pride activities along its route, while ‘You Belong’ commemorates the five-year partnership with the suicide prevention charity CALM. The latest addition, ‘Eleanor,’ inspired by LNER’s new advertising campaign, was launched earlier this year. These special liveried trains have become popular attractions, capturing the attention of passengers young and old as they traverse the route.
Linda Wain, Engineering Director at LNER, expressed her pride in Azuma’s achievements: ‘The launch of Azuma five years ago was a monumental milestone for LNER, and a monumental moment for rail travel and rail engineering. Our Azuma trains are one of the most sustainable ways to travel. We are proud to have taken tens of millions of passengers to their destinations over the last five years.’
In collaboration with its maintainer, Hitachi, LNER continues to strive for excellence, ensuring that customers enjoy the best possible experience while traveling onboard. To mark the anniversary, LNER will distribute special limited-edition packs of birthday jellybeans onboard on May 15th, 2024.