Lumo will operate the trains between Stirling, one of the busiest stations in Scotland, and London Euston, stopping at 10 Scottish and English stations along the way.
The new Lumo service will also call at Larbert, Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld), Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Motherwell and Lockerbie en route to England, where it will call at Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes Central before arriving in London.
The new open access service will compete with Avanti West Coast as well as other operators including TransPennine Express and LNER.
In 2024 First Group acquired Grand Union WCML which included track access rights granted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to run open access rail services from London Euston to Stirling.
The current track access agreement runs until 2030 and includes four return services a day (three on Sundays) and an additional, fifth daily return service between Preston and London, seven days a week.
Services are currently expected to commence mid 2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training.
The enhanced rail connectivity will deliver a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits to Stirling, which is forecast to have the fastest-growing economy in Scotland over the next three years - and be among the top four for growth in the UK.
Fantastic news
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Gerry McGarvey said: “We have been consistent in supporting this proposal so it's fantastic news that Lumo has confirmed it will be operating this route, which will boost Stirling's already excellent rail and transport connections to cities across the UK.
“Having four daily rail journeys between Stirling and London will support greater inward investment and business growth, including in key economic sectors such as tourism, as well as increasing travel opportunities for residents.
“We look forward to the new route getting up and running in the spring of 2026 and will continue to support efforts to boost transport connections to Stirling."