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East Midlands Railway

East Midlands Railway is in charge of running services across the East Midlands, as well as connecting Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester and Corby to London.

East Midlands Railway operates trains between Sheffield/Nottingham/Corby and London. They also run a selection of services across the East Midlands, including on longer distance regional services such as Norwich to Liverpool and Lincoln to Leicester. They have a fleet of 104 trains which serve 99 stations. They actually operate more stations, as they run Willington and Burton-on-Trent, as well as the stations between Nuneaton and Leicester, and Leicester and Peterborough (only served by CrossCountry trains).

On board services

Luggage

As East Midlands Railway has a fairly diverse fleet, the luggage storage provision can be variable. However, on the ‘Meridian’ trains between Sheffield/Nottingham and London, it’s particularly poor. The overhead racks are only suitable for the smallest items.

Food & Drink

It’s possible to purchase food and drink on long-distance services between Sheffield/Nottingham and London. You can either visit the buffet car or some services also have a trolley.

WIFI

Free WiFi is available on trains to/from London. Be aware that the design of the ‘Meridian’ trains between Sheffield/Nottingham and London can make it difficult to maintain a strong WiFi or data signal.

Bikes

You’ll need a reservation to bring your non-folding bike on the train if you’re travelling on services from London St Pancras to Sheffileld/Nottingham, and between Liverpool and Norwich. All other trains have spaces that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s more information in our dedicated guide to travelling with bikes.

 

Special Assistance

You can find out more about Passenger Assist on our dedicated page.

Standard Class

East Midlands Railway operates a fleet of several different types of trains. On their routes between Sheffield/Nottingham and London, you’ll find Meridian trains. They have five or seven carriages.

Seats in Standard Class are in a 2+2 layout and all window seats have access to a power socket. Luggage space is a little tight, though, as we found when we investigated this in our article on the best train for luggage.

The company has recently acquired a fleet of Turbostar trains for some of its regional services. They were built in the early 2000s and have either two or three coaches.

Seating is in a 2+2 layout and all window seats have access to a power socket. They’re in various states of refurbishment though, as they’ve come from several different companies and haven’t been modernised yet (as of June 2023).

Can I upgrade to First Class?

Yes, you can travel in First Class on trains between Sheffield/Nottingham and London. You’ll get a bigger seat and more table space.

In terms of food, it depends on when you want to travel. In the mornings on a Monday to Friday, you can get a hot breakfast sandwich, as well as other snacks. On Saturday mornings, a cold sandwich is offered, along with snacks. They haven’t provided an online menu, but East Midlands Railway list what’s available in this nutritional information guide.

The all-day offering on East Midlands Railway consists of sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold drinks, and the option to buy an alcoholic drink. On a Sunday, there is no complimentary service at all.

Information about routes

  • Sheffield to London St Pancras (EMR InterCity)
  • Nottingham to London St Pancras (EMR InterCity)
  • Corby to London St Pancras (EMR Connect)
  • Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street
  • Skegness to Nottingham
  • Peterborough to Lincoln/Doncaster
  • Cleethorpes/Lincoln to Leicester
  • Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber
  • Lincoln to Newark Northgate
  • Newark Castle to Crewe
  • Nottingham to Matlock
  • Nottingham to Worksop.