Luton DART and Luton Airport Parkway Updates

[73128]

Interesting to find when planning my trip for tomorrow that, from Elstree (i.e. Boundary Zone 6) the day return fare is cheaper to Luton (£9.60 with a railcard) than the shorter distance to Airport (£10)!! You may of course break your journey.

 

[spag23]

Isn't Elstree to Luton Airport (LUA) £13.80?
With Elstree to Luton Parkway £10.00. Still 40p cheaper than staying on till Luton Town, but not of much use if you then need to book a separate DART.

 

[73128]

the trial running is free (I understand) and anyway I have an English bus pass.

Isn't Elstree to Luton Airport (LUA) £13.80?
With Elstree to Luton Parkway £10.00. Still 40p cheaper than staying on till Luton Town, but not of much use if you then need to book a separate DART.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Mar 2023 ==

Is it still planned to be open today? The DART website is still vague.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Mar 2023 ==

To travel free using senior or disability concessions you have to submit evidence up to 72 hours beforehand on their website:

Luton DART Concessions | Free Travel for Eligible Passengers

Luton DART concessions are available for eligible residents, bus pass holders and disability badge holders. Find out if you qualify and how to apply for free travel.

www.lutondart.com

and get something back (I need to upload a picture of my bus pass before proceeding)

 

[RuddA]

There was a small piece on BBC Look East this morning with interior and exterior footage.

 

[Chriso]

Does anyone know if it is running tomorrow as may take a look?

 

[zero]

the trial running is free (I understand)

Are you sure, I thought it was going to be the same price as the bus, then increase once the bus is completely withdrawn

 

[spag23]

To travel free using senior or disability concessions you have to submit evidence up to 72 hours beforehand on their website:

Blimey, they kept that quiet. Like most people, I was expecting to just to present/swipe my bus pass. Like you do on buses to - err - provide evidence?
And bizarrely they want you to carry the card anyway, as well as their special ticket.
This seems like an unnecessary - and poorly communicated - complication; perhaps an attempt to disqualify the majority of users.
It's a lot of flaff (presumbly for every trip) to save under £10, and many pensioners won't have the IT access to request these tickets.

 

[73128]

Does anyone know if it is running tomorrow as may take a look?

Press is suggesting yes, from 1400. I'm on my way there now.

 

[Chriso]

Many thx 73128. Will get down there for a peak

 

[Haywain]

Just back from a brief preview. It all seems to be running quite smoothly although there are plenty of staff around to help - I suspect rather more then will be the case when it settles down. It is not free to use at the moment, but is charged at £2.40 each way. There are no hours being publicised for the period of part time operation as that will allow them to shut down at short notice if any problems are encountered. I have to say that whilst I haven't used the current shuttle bus for a few years, the DART is a far better option - wait in an environment that is protected from the weather, and get to the airport a lot more quickly. And of particular importance, separate the airport passengers from those who use the station because it's local to them.

 

[GodAtum]

Stupid question, but why is it cable run rather then maglev or a normal way like the DLR or Gatwick or Heathrow monorails?

 

[Chriso]

Thanks very much

Can you buy a paper ticket or is it electronic only ?

 

[GodAtum]

What's the price difference between this and the bus? Will the shuttle bus still exist as a cheaper option?

 

[bobster1001]

Thanks very much

Can you buy a paper ticket or is it electronic only ?

You can buy a paper ticket while there. There are ticket machines on site. I believe tickets marked "Luton Airport" rather than Luton Airport Parkway are also valid, but I may be wrong.

 

[pdeaves]

Stupid question, but why is it cable run rather then maglev or a normal way like the DLR or Gatwick or Heathrow monorails?

Maglev is energy inefficient and expensive. Cable haul keeps some of the moving parts in a more sheltered environment and is great for a simple out and back line.

 

[alf]

Maglev is energy inefficient and expensive. Cable haul keeps some of the moving parts in a more sheltered environment and is great for a simple out and back line.

How do they get electricity to the cable cars for heat, light, air con & passenger information.
Via the rails? Batteries charged at termini? Overhead?

 

[Basil Jet]

Cable haul keeps some of the moving parts in a more sheltered environment

... more importantly in a non-moving environment, making the moving vehicle lightweight and energy efficient.

 

[edwin_m]

Stupid question, but why is it cable run rather then maglev or a normal way like the DLR or Gatwick or Heathrow monorails?

Maglev is energy inefficient and expensive. Cable haul keeps some of the moving parts in a more sheltered environment and is great for a simple out and back line.

The gradient may also have something to do with it, as it doesn't have to rely on adhesion between the wheels and the guideway. Having said that, the one at Birmingham is cable-hauled and doesn't have a gradient, so it's not the only factor.

 

[pdeaves]

The gradient may also have something to do with it

True, that as well!

 

[zero]

What's the price difference between this and the bus? Will the shuttle bus still exist as a cheaper option?

The bus is £2.40 and so is the DART while it is in trial mode, once it opens fully it will be £4.90 and there will be no shuttle bus, but you can take arriva bus A to the airport for £1.90 from opposite the Hampton hotel which is actually next to the DART station (while for the shuttle bus you have to go to the main entrance then the bus has to cross the railway lines).

 

[Ediswan]

The gradient may also have something to do with it

I wondered about that. However, according to a popular source, maglev will work at up to 10%. Two provisos there (1) I have not checked the sources (2) I have not been able to find the DART gradient.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev

And also because it can travel up higher ascending grades (up to 10 percent), compared to conventional trains (up to 4 percent or less), maglev trains can also reduce the need to create new tunnels or to level the landscape to build its tracks.[9][10]

 

[Bald Rick]

Stupid question, but why is it cable run rather then maglev or a normal way like the DLR or Gatwick or Heathrow monorails?

Maglev for this application would be ferociously expensive.

Gatwick and Heathrow aren’t monorails. They are rubber tyred guided transit systems.

Birmingham Airport’s link to Birmingham International is cable run. It works well.

 

[Haywain]

I believe tickets marked "Luton Airport" rather than Luton Airport Parkway are also valid, but I may be wrong.

That is correct.

 

[edwin_m]

I wondered about that. However, according to a popular source, maglev will work at up to 10%. Two provisos there (1) I have not checked the sources (2) I have not been able to find the DART gradient.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev

Maglev for this application would be ferociously expensive.

Gatwick and Heathrow aren’t monorails. They are rubber tyred guided transit systems.

Birmingham Airport’s link to Birmingham International is cable run. It works well.

Cable haulage peoplemovers are related to funiculars and cable cars (for which Doppelmayr, who has produced the DART, is also a major supplier), so can go up to gradients of 50% or more with suitable design features. Steel wheel can go up to about 10%, rubber tyre can probably do more.

 

[ijmad]

Geoff Marshall claimed they went with cable hauled because of the gradient in his video posted today. Other than that, some good footage of it:

 

[Techniquest]

Some good footage in the video, agreed. It looks like a smart little system, and one I'll have to have a spin on some day. I didn't get the feeling of it being worth £4.90 one way though, I must say. With fares to Luton being rather expensive from my part of the world, certainly so going via the logical route of via Birmingham and Leicester, then there's not much chance of me abandoning my preferred option of train to London then National Express up to the airport.

 

[exbrel]

can anyone tell me is the shuttle bus still running, and for how much longer also with the oap bus pass do you have to pre book for each journey?

 

[westcoaster]

can anyone tell me is the shuttle bus still running, and for how much longer also with the oap bus pass do you have to pre book for each journey?

No end date for the bus and staff as of yet.

 

[Mawkie]

Blimey, they kept that quiet. Like most people, I was expecting to just to present/swipe my bus pass.

Is it a one-off registration with the ability to turn up and go as many times as you like after? Or do you need to give 72 hours notice each time you want to use it?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2023 ==

Quick question: presumably PRIV tickets are fine from any station to Luton Airport and include the Dart, but are they accepting PRIV from Parkway to the airport? (GTR staff pass will deliver me to Parkway).

 

[ijmad]

This has probably been answered already in the thread so apologies, but am I right in thinking this system effectively operates as two single track railways, just back and forth, no crossing over?

Also, I just noticed it's been added to the National Rail map: