Luton DART will officially open on Monday - connecting Luton Airport to national rail services in under 4 minutes

The Luton DART will officially open for business on Monday (March 27) after a two-year delay it was confirmed during a launch celebration event today.

The announcement was made by Councillor Hazel Simmons MBE on behalf of Luton Council and Luton Rising, its company that owns the airport and has built the new automated people mover.

The project was initially priced at £225 million – with the final figure between £290 million and £300 million according to Graham Olver, CEO of Luton Rising – who called the shuttle a ‘game changer’

The Luton DART connects the airport terminal and the mainline railway at Luton Airport Parkway station where there are direct services to more than 60 stations.

The journey from London St Pancras International to London Luton Airport terminal will take as little as 32 minutes on the twice-hourly, non-stop Luton Airport Express, connected by East Midlands Railway (EMR), and from around 40 minutes on Thameslink’s frequent services.

The DART replaces the existing bus service, which is set to be terminated at the end of the month, and the transfer is included in any rail ticket where customers choose ‘Luton Airport’ as the start or end point of the journey.

However, the ticket price for the DART alone is £4.90 each way – more than double the price of the bus.

Passengers with a concessionary bus pass, such as pensioners, people with a disability or acting as companion travellers, will be entitled to register to use the Luton DART for free, along with Luton Airport staff. Residents of Luton are also entitled to register for half-priced travel.

For all these concessionary fares, go to www.lutondart.com and register at least 72 hours before travel.

Cllr Simmons said: “It was as long ago as 2014 that we first began thinking about how we could improve our airport’s rail passenger transfer. Here we are now, on the cusp of an exciting new era for our town, our airport, and the people of Luton who benefit from its success.”

Cllr Javeria Hussain, Chair of Luton Rising, said: “Since 1998 Luton Rising has already earned its position as by far the most socially impactful airport owner in the UK, providing the council with more than £300m for the front-line services that local people rely on, and the charitable sector with a further £180m that supports some of our most vulnerable residents. The Luton DART helps secure this support, and the economic and employment growth of the airport, for future generations.”

At the launch celebration, Mayor of Luton Councillor Sameera Saleem was joined by Luton Town Football Club legend Mick Harford and Grammy Award-winning Luton-born film composer David Arnold to cut a ribbon.

The highly-acclaimed Luton Youth Funk Orchestra serenaded guests with live performances of ‘Come Fly With Me’.

Alberto Martin, CEO of London Luton Airport, commented: “The impact of the DART will go beyond the enhanced ease and convenience for passengers. It will also be instrumental in the airport’s plans for future sustainable growth, encouraging passengers away from their cars and onto public transport.”