Hull Trains Delivers Extra Capacity for Fans Travelling to Wembley Finals

Hull Trains has supported thousands of sports supporters travelling to Wembley by operating enhanced services to London on back-to-back weekends for two major finals involving Hull-based clubs.

The open-access rail operator provided additional capacity for Hull KR supporters attending the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final against Wigan, running special services branded as "The Robins Express". More than 2,000 extra seats were made available, representing a 14 per cent increase in capacity for the event.

A week earlier, Hull Trains had delivered a similar operation for Hull City fans travelling to the Championship play-off final against Middlesbrough. For that fixture, the operator increased capacity by almost 20 per cent, creating close to 3,000 additional seats for supporters making the journey to the capital.

Across the two sporting weekends, around 8,500 passengers travelled with Hull Trains from stations including Hull, Beverley, Cottingham and Brough, generating approximately 17,000 individual journeys to and from London.

While Hull KR were unable to secure victory in their Wembley appearance, supporters enjoyed a dedicated matchday atmosphere onboard, with staff helping build excitement ahead of kick-off through club-themed announcements and music during the journey south.

Hull KR Chief Executive Paul Lakin praised the rail operator's continued support, highlighting the value of direct services in helping large numbers of supporters travel conveniently to major finals.

The operator's support for local sport also extended to Hull City's successful play-off campaign, with sold-out direct services operating for the club's Wembley victory over Middlesbrough.

Hull Trains, recently named Operator of the Year at the Spotlight Rail Awards, maintains close links with both clubs and is an official partner of Hull City.

Hull City Chief Operating Officer Joe Clutterbrook said the relationship between the football club and Hull Trains reflects a shared commitment to the local community. He noted that players also travelled with the operator and thanked the company for providing direct services that allowed supporters to attend the final in large numbers.

The additional trains demonstrate the flexibility of Hull Trains' open-access business model. Unlike franchised operators, the company receives no direct government subsidy and relies entirely on commercial revenue. To accommodate the increased demand, Hull Trains worked alongside sister operator Lumo to provide extra rolling stock and seating capacity.

Players from both clubs travelled to London King's Cross using Hull Trains services, taking advantage of the operator's onboard facilities and hospitality offer.

Nathan Rayne, Interim Service Delivery Director at Hull Trains, said supporting local teams and their supporters remains a priority for the company. He praised staff for delivering the additional services and said customer feedback from both weekends had been overwhelmingly positive.

Hull Trains currently operates eight direct weekday services between London King's Cross and destinations including Hull, Beverley, Selby, Doncaster and Grantham. The operator says its focus on affordable fares, customer service, sustainability and community partnerships continues to drive strong passenger demand across its network.