On March 27, 2023 the Luton DART officially starts its public operation. Passengers travelling to London Luton Airport from London St. Pancras International rail station will be able to cover the last leg of their journey on the new automated people mover Cable Liner® from Doppelmayr. As a result of this new transport link, the trip from the central London to the international airport will take just 32 minutes on the fastest trains.

London Luton Airport lies roughly 50 kilometres north of the UK capital. In order to make the journey significantly quicker for passengers while offering them excellent comfort during the trip, Luton Rising and Luton Council invested in a new transport link between the rail station Luton Airport Parkway and the airport. The Direct Air-Rail Transit (DART) system is an automated people mover Cable Liner® from Doppelmayr. The Luton DART is approximately two kilometres long and provides a passenger service every four minutes during peak times. The Luton DART is a faster, more reliable and more sustainable solution and replaces the bus shuttles. This will make it much easier for passengers to travel by train to the airport. The Cable Liner® from Doppelmayr scores in terms of capacity, reliability and efficiency.

Graham Olver, Chief Executive Officer of Luton Rising, commented during the launch celebration: “The Luton DART provides new speed, reliability and convenience for rail passengers. In improving the connectivity between the national rail network and our airport system, it’s also a game-changer for our airport’s competitive position in the London and UK aviation systems – and that secures and enhances prospects for everyone who relies on our airport for their own prosperity.”

Alberto Martin, CEO of London Luton Airport, added: “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. We look forward to welcoming the many thousands of passengers who will choose to arrive at our terminal via the DART.”

On March 27, 2023, the Luton DART officially launches public operation. Doppelmayr Cable Car UK Limited will be responsible for operating the system for the first five years – with an option to extend the agreement by another five years. During an official visit to Luton last December, His Majesty King Charles III payed a visit to the new means of transport. In addition to a ride on the Cable Liner®, a meeting with the operations team in the control room was on the agenda.

The Doppelmayr Group has a large number of similar reference projects to its name. In the UK, Luton is now the second airport that has placed its trust in the expertise of the global market leader. The Air Rail Link in Birmingham has been operating since 2003. 


Key facts and figures:

  • Employer: London Luton Airport Limited
  • Contractor: Doppelmayr Cable Car UK Limited
  • System type: Cable Liner® Double Shuttle
  • Line: 2 independent tracks, each covering a length of 1,955m
  • Number of trains: 2 trains, each consisting of 4 cars
  • Capacity per train: 170 passengers
  • Transport capacity: 2,720 passengers per hour and direction
  • Public service from March 27, 2023
  • Operating agreement for 5 years + option of another 5 years


Enquiries:
Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH
Mag. Julia Schwärzler
PR Manager
Konrad-Doppelmayr-Strasse 1, Postfach 20
6922 Wolfurt / Austria
+43 5574 604 227
julia.schwaerzler@doppelmayr.com
doppelmayr.com


Doppelmayr Cable Car GmbH
Markus Schrentewein
Managing Director
Doppelmayr Cable Car GmbH
Konrad-Doppelmayr-Strasse 1, Postfach 6
6922 Wolfurt / Austria
+43 5574 604 1232
markus.schrentewein@doppelmayr.com
doppelmayr.com