Upgrades to rail lines and improved scheduling is set to make the journey from London to Edinburgh 20 minutes faster from next year, it has been reported.
This month, the Department for Transport will confirm improvements to the north-eastern mainline, according to the Sunday Times.
This is set to make the train journey time between the English and Scottish capitals even more competitive and provide a fast alternative to flying.
Here are how the two transport methods compare.
Current train time from London to Edinburgh
The average time for a journey from London St Pancras to Edinburgh Waverley is currently four hours and 32 minutes.
A quick search on Trainline reveals the time can be as quick as four hours 23 minutes or as slow as four hours and 46 minutes.
LNER and Lumo both run regular services along the line, with some being semi-fast and others calling at smaller stations, such as Morpeth and Alnmouth en route.
The Caledonian Sleeper train from London Euston to Edinburgh takes about seven hours.
Driving takes about eight hours – and that’s if you don’t stop.
New train time from London to Edinburgh under plans
Improvements to rail tracks and timetabling could see the average time cut to four hours and seven minutes, according to reports.
The changes could kick in from December 2025 and the line would be served by the modern Auma trains, which have a top speed of 125mph.
Line improvements would enable the trains to run closer to maximum speed for longer parts of the journey than they are currently able to.
Which London Airports have flights to Edinburgh?
London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton and London Stansted all have flights to Edinburgh Airport.
London City is the closest to Trafalgar Square, at the heart of the capital, with a train link possible in about 35 minutes.
It takes just over one hour to get to Luton – but the Bedfordshire airport does offer a slightly shorter flight time.
Which airlines fly to Edinburgh?
British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair are all options.
At the moment, flying is the cheaper option on average but there are additional costs involved in travelling from the airport to the city centre.
An economy flight on March 1, 2025, can be made from Stansted for as little as £15, according to Skyscanner.
The cheapest train journey the reporter could find was for £35.
Train travel to the airport, however, can cost up to £30 on the day.
How long is the flight from London to Edinburgh, including check-in?
The journey takes just under 90 minutes on average from London Heathrow or Gatwick and around 80 minutes from Stansted or Luton.
Airlines often ask for passengers to arrive at the airport 90 minutes to two hours before take-off.
If this is considered, the flight still might be slightly faster. However, it is likely the train would win if the passenger wants to get from city centre to city centre.
