The renowned open access operator Hull Trains has been named the highest scoring long distance operator in the brand new Rail Customer Experience Survey.
The survey provides the most comprehensive view to date of how customers feel about the railway, with people across the country surveyed as they were on their way to their destination. It has given them a chance to share their views and voice their experiences in a clearer way than ever before.
Hull Trains, which is this year celebrating 25 years of dedicated service, scored an impressive 91.6% overall satisfaction rating – higher than any other long-distance operator. Lumo, meanwhile, also scored significantly higher than the average achieved by other long-distance operators with a 90.3% overall satisfaction rating.
Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access, said: “I’m incredibly proud of our dedicated teams at both Hull Trains and Lumo for these impressive results today. As open access operators who don’t rely on government funding, we’re completely driven by providing the best possible service for our customers and our communities.
“We’re constantly looking for new ways to improve our services even more, whether that’s the brand new seats we’ve just launched on our Lumo trains or the locally-produced wine that customers can now buy on their Hull Trains journeys. We look forward to continuing to welcome even more customers onboard in 2026.”
David Hooper, External Affairs Director at the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “Congratulations to Hull Trains and Lumo for these impressive achievements. Anyone who uses Hull Trains knows how good their customer service is and how focused the company is on being the best in the business, so it’s great to see them once again not only setting the standard, but raising the bar in the rail industry. Well done to everyone concerned and keep up the good work!”
Hull Trains customers can travel to destinations including Beverley, Hull, Doncaster, Grantham, Selby and London King’s Cross on eight direct weekday train services. The operator’s combination of sustainability with affordable fares, excellent service and support for local communities has proved to be a winning formula.
Lumo, the all-electric company is renowned for the affordable and sustainable service it provides, linking Scotland with North East England and London King’s Cross. Lumo will add Glasgow and Falkirk to its route from next week, in addition to launching a brand new service connecting Stirling with London Euston from Spring 2026.
It’s been an award-winning year for both Hull Trains and Lumo. Earlier this month, Hull Trains’ Head of HR Deborah Birch won a coveted title at the Rail Staff Awards. The operator also secured the ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ award at the prestigious Spotlight Rail Awards. Both operators have also secured recognition at the recent Communicate Lens Awards and Corporate Engagement Awards for their approach to creating social value partnerships with positive impact.