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▲ FIELD GUIDE No. 05 · FRail · LNER2 train types

Do LNER trains have power outlets?

Yes — LNER trains have plug sockets, they are UK three-pin, and in First Class the answer is genuinely settled: a socket at every seat plus USB, with the catch that you may not find it, because ShowMeTheJourney warns “The power sockets are located out of sight, you have to lift up the arm rests to find them”. Standard Class is where it falls apart. Trainline says the Azuma has “Power sockets at every seat”. ShowMeTheJourney says they are not at every Standard seat and that “you can see which Standard Class seats have them on the seating plan”. A Class 801 fact file says sockets are “provided per pair of seats”. Those cannot all be true, and every one of them is written with total confidence. USB is clearer and less generous: two independent sources scope it to First Class, with Trainline putting it as “All seats will have access to a plug socket, with First Class passengers also benefitting from an at-seat USB charging port”. And if you end up on an InterCity 225 rather than an Azuma, the rule is different again — sockets at all First Class seats, under the tables, and in Standard only at table seats, which LNER at least lets you filter for when you book.

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§ 01The verdictAnswer up front

Do LNER trains have plug sockets? In First Class yes, at every seat, plus USB. In Standard Class the sources genuinely disagree — and this guide is not going to pick one for you.

  • First Class is the settled part. ShowMeTheJourney says sockets are “available at all First Class seats” and that “in First Class USB ports are also available”; a First Class review describes “both USB charging and plug sockets at every seat”. Two independent sources, same answer, so this is as close to a guarantee as this cluster gets.
  • Standard Class is contested four ways and nobody flags it. Trainline: “Power sockets at every seat.” ShowMeTheJourney: not at every seat, check the seating plan. A Class 801 fact file: “Power sockets for charging phones and laptops are provided per pair of seats.” The table marks this cell “Sources disagree” rather than averaging them into a comfortable Yes.
  • USB is a First Class feature on the Azuma. Trainline scopes it explicitly — “All seats will have access to a plug socket, with First Class passengers also benefitting from an at-seat USB charging port” — and ShowMeTheJourney scopes it the same way. No source we read documents USB at a Standard seat. We mark it not listed rather than absent, but do not plan a journey around finding one.
  • You may be on an InterCity 225 instead, and the rule changes. Sockets are at all First Class seats, under the tables, and in Standard only at table seats — with the genuinely useful detail that “when booking Standard Class tickets online you can choose access to power sockets as a preference”. That is a filter, and almost nobody knows it is there.
  • The sockets are UK three-pin on both fleets. Stated for First and Standard on the Azuma and on the InterCity 225 alike. From outside Britain or Ireland you need a Type G adapter before any of the above matters.
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§ 03Power by trainSocket · USB-A · USB-C, per class

Every LNER train, class by class.

Check which train type runs your service before you rely on a socket — the same route often sees different stock through the day. Where a cell reads Not listed, no source we can stand behind says that port is there or isn't; we'd rather tell you that than guess. Carry a bank for the platform and the walk at either end regardless.

Present Shared / newer seats only Not listed — tap to report Sources disagree None
Long-distance
Verified

Class 800 · 801 Azuma

Most East Coast services
ClassAC socketUSB-A
First Class
Yes
Yes
Standard Premium
Standard
Sources disagree

No source documents USB-C anywhere on the Class 800 · 801 Azuma — in any class. Plan around the sockets above.

3 cells above are marked — no source we can stand behind covers them. Travelled on the Class 800 · 801 Azuma? Tap one and tell us what was at your seat. One tap, no sign-up.

First Class is settled and Standard is not. Two independent sources put a socket and USB at every First Class seat — just be ready to lift the armrest, because they are deliberately out of sight and that is the commonest reason someone decides their seat has none. Standard is the disputed cell: Trainline says a socket at every seat, ShowMeTheJourney says not every seat and to check the seating plan, and a Class 801 fact file says one per pair. Standard Premium is the honest blank — LNER sells the class and not one source we could read describes its power at all, so every cell is marked not listed rather than guessed from the class either side of it. No source names the USB connector anywhere, so USB-C is never claimed.

Long-distance
Verified

InterCity 225

Class 91 · Mk4 · reduced routes
ClassAC socket
First Class
Yes
Standard
Table seats

No source documents USB-A or USB-C anywhere on the InterCity 225 — in any class. Plan around the sockets above.

The older train, still running some East Coast services on a reduced pair of routes, and the one place LNER gives you real control. First Class has sockets at every seat, under the tables. Standard has them at table seats only — and the same source notes that when booking Standard Class online you can choose access to power sockets as a preference, which is the single most actionable thing on this page and is not advertised anywhere prominent. USB is not mentioned on the page in any class, so it is marked not listed rather than absent. If you have booked LNER and care about power, this is the fleet where a minute in the booking flow beats any amount of hoping.

§ 04The rule that catches people outEffective Fleet-wide, August 2026

First Class is a promise. Standard Class is a coin toss — so pick the seat, not the hope.

Applies to LNER's East Coast Main Line fleet: the Class 800 and Class 801 Azuma, which run most services, and the remaining InterCity 225 sets (Class 91 with Mk4 coaches), which ShowMeTheJourney describes as still providing some East Coast services on a reduced pair of routes. We are not adjudicating the Standard Class question, and it is worth being clear why rather than treating that as a cop-out. Four sources make a claim about it. Trainline, which sells the tickets, says every seat. ShowMeTheJourney, which documents rolling stock, says not every seat and points you at the seating plan. A Class 801 fact file says one per pair. LNER's own page is quoted all over the internet as saying every seat regardless of class — we could not read it, because lner.co.uk returned a 403 to automated fetch, so it is not cited here and does not count towards the tally. Two of the three we could read say Standard is not one-per-seat. That is not enough to publish a confident No, and it is far too much to publish a confident Yes. What it is enough for is advice: check the seating plan before you pick a seat, and carry something that makes the answer not matter.

Sources
  • 01Bring a UK Type G adapter if your plug is not British. Both fleets are documented as standard UK three-point sockets in both classes, and this is the one part of the LNER answer that nobody disputes.
  • 02In Standard on an Azuma, use the seating plan. ShowMeTheJourney's specific advice is that you can see which Standard Class seats have sockets on the plan when you book — which is only worth doing if you accept that the “every seat” version might be wrong.
  • 03On an InterCity 225 in Standard, book a table seat. Sockets are documented at table seats only, and LNER's booking flow lets you choose power-socket access as a preference. That preference box is the most useful undocumented feature on this operator.
  • 04In First Class, lift the armrest. The sockets are there — at every seat, on both fleets — but ShowMeTheJourney warns they are out of sight and you have to lift up the arm rests to find them. People conclude their First Class seat has no power because they looked at the wall.
  • 05Do not count on USB in Standard. Two sources scope USB to First Class on the Azuma and none documents it in Standard; the InterCity 225 page does not mention USB at all. A plug-in charger covers every case on this railway; a bare cable covers one class on one fleet.
§ 05Quirks you won't read elsewhereLNER specifics
▲ Quirk 01

Four sources, two answers, and not one of them hedges

The question “does my LNER Standard Class seat have a plug socket” has no settled answer, which is remarkable for the flagship train on the East Coast Main Line. Trainline, which sells you the ticket, says power sockets at every seat. ShowMeTheJourney, which documents the rolling stock, says they are not at every Standard seat and tells you to check the seating plan. A Class 801 fact file says they are provided per pair of seats. LNER's own page is quoted all over the internet as saying every seat regardless of class — we could not read it, because lner.co.uk blocks automated fetch, so it is not cited here and does not count towards the tally. What is striking is not the disagreement itself but that every one of these is written as plain fact. Our table says “Sources disagree” because that is what is true.

▲ Quirk 02

The First Class socket you will not find

There is a socket at every First Class seat on both LNER fleets, and a specific reason people conclude otherwise: “The power sockets are located out of sight, you have to lift up the arm rests to find them.” On the InterCity 225 they are under the tables instead. This is the same failure mode as the ICE 4 in Germany, where the sockets are between the seats but underneath them — a passenger scans the wall, the seat back and the window ledge, finds nothing, and reasonably concludes the carriage has no power. Before you give up on a First Class seat, lift the armrest.

▲ Quirk 03

LNER lets you filter for a socket, and almost nobody knows

Buried in ShowMeTheJourney's InterCity 225 page is the most useful sentence about this operator: “when booking Standard Class tickets online you can choose access to power sockets as a preference.” A booking-flow preference for power is not something any other operator in this guide offers, and given that Standard Class power on LNER is disputed on one fleet and table-seats-only on the other, it is worth more than any packing advice. If you are booking Standard and you need to charge, spend the extra thirty seconds in the seat preferences.

▲ Quirk 04

The train that fixes all of this is not here yet

LNER has ten new tri-mode Class 897 trains on order from CAF, branded Serenza, and the specification settles every argument on this page: “Each seat will have its own plug socket, along with the introduction of USB-C ports for phone charging”, and “At table seats, sockets and USB-C ports will feature in a power bar on the tabletop.” Ten-carriage sets, 569 seats. It is deliberately not in the table above, because a table of what you will find on your train should only contain trains you can board — Porterbrook says only that the fleet “will be introduced in the coming years”. Worth knowing that the answer is going to change; not worth packing for.

§ 06The LNER rail packSocket first

One bank first, then three backups.

Long rail legs punish a flat battery — you are on board for hours with no gate lounge at the end. The charger earns its place where sockets exist; the bank covers the stock that has none.

№ 01Buy first

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№ 02

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For anyone arriving from outside Britain or Ireland, and the one uncontested fact on this page: every source describes LNER's sockets as standard UK three-pin, on both fleets and in both classes. A European or American plug does not fit, and the seating plan cannot help you with that. The five USB ports matter too, because USB on the Azuma is documented in First Class only — in Standard you are supplying your own ports whatever happens.

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№ 03

Short right-angle charging cable

1ft–2ft · right-angle · USB-C

Sized for where LNER actually puts its sockets. In First Class they are under the armrest, on the InterCity 225 they are under the table — both are awkward angles where a straight plug fouls the seat frame and a long cable ends up in the aisle. A short right-angle cable sits flat and stays out of the way, and if you do end up sharing a socket at a table bay, a tidy cable is what makes that civil.

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§ 07Questions about LNER powerReal answers
Do LNER trains have plug sockets?

Yes, and they are UK three-pin. In First Class the answer is settled: sockets at every seat on both the Azuma and the InterCity 225, with USB as well on the Azuma. In Standard Class it is genuinely contested — Trainline says the Azuma has power sockets at every seat, ShowMeTheJourney says they are not at every Standard seat and points you at the seating plan, and a Class 801 fact file says they are provided per pair of seats. On the InterCity 225, Standard sockets are documented at table seats only.

Does LNER Standard Class have power at every seat?

Nobody agrees, and this guide is not going to pretend otherwise. Of the three sources we could actually read, one says every seat and two say not: Trainline gives “Power sockets at every seat”, ShowMeTheJourney says you can see which Standard Class seats have them on the seating plan, and a Class 801 fact file says sockets are provided per pair of seats. LNER's own page is widely quoted as saying every seat in every class, but lner.co.uk blocks automated fetch so we did not read it and do not cite it. Practical answer: check the seating plan when you book, and carry a power bank if it matters.

Do LNER Azuma trains have USB ports?

In First Class, yes. In Standard, no source we read documents one. Trainline scopes it explicitly — “All seats will have access to a plug socket, with First Class passengers also benefitting from an at-seat USB charging port” — and ShowMeTheJourney scopes it the same way, saying that in First Class USB ports are also available. Neither names the connector, so we do not claim USB-C anywhere on the current fleet. The InterCity 225 page does not mention USB at all. Bring a plug-in charger.

Where are the power sockets on an LNER train?

Hidden, which is why people think they are missing. In First Class on the Azuma, ShowMeTheJourney warns that “The power sockets are located out of sight, you have to lift up the arm rests to find them”. On the InterCity 225 the First Class sockets are under the tables. In Standard on the InterCity 225 they are at table seats. If you have looked at the wall and the seat back and found nothing, you have not finished looking.

Can I choose a seat with a power socket on LNER?

On the InterCity 225 in Standard Class, yes, and it is the best-kept secret on this operator: when booking Standard Class tickets online you can choose access to power sockets as a preference. On the Azuma the equivalent is the seating plan — ShowMeTheJourney says you can see which Standard Class seats have sockets on it. Given that Standard Class power on the Azuma is disputed between sources, thirty seconds in the seat preferences is a better investment than trusting any single answer, including ours.

Do I need an adapter for LNER sockets?

If you are not on a British or Irish plug, yes — a UK Type G adapter. This is the one thing every source agrees on: the power sockets on both the Azuma and the InterCity 225 are compatible with the standard three-point plugs used in the UK, stated for First and Standard alike. No source documents a European or US fitting anywhere on the fleet. It matters more than the seat you pick, because a socket you cannot plug into is the same as no socket.

Are LNER's new trains getting better power?

Yes, and decisively. LNER has ten tri-mode Class 897 trains on order from CAF, branded Serenza, and the published specification is that each seat will have its own plug socket along with the introduction of USB-C ports for phone charging, with sockets and USB-C ports built into a power bar on the tabletop at table seats. Ten-carriage sets, 569 seats. Porterbrook says only that the fleet will be introduced in the coming years, so there is no date to plan around — this changes what LNER will be, not what you will board next week.

§ 08Other operatorsThe full set

Riding a different operator?

Per-operator power breakdowns roll out from the parent guide, which maps seat power across the major rail networks side by side.

✦ EST
Eurostar
A socket at every seat. Which plug fits is decided by the train — and sometimes by the seat.
▞ AWC
Avanti West Coast
Power on both fleets. A socket at YOUR seat, less certain.
◆ AMTK
Amtrak
The socket is documented everywhere. USB is documented nowhere — but on the NextGen Acela, riders found it anyway.
◆ ICE
Deutsche Bahn ICE
A socket, yes. A socket to yourself — only on two of the seven fleets.
✕ XC
CrossCountry
Window seat or no socket — unless your train has been through Derby.
❖ GWR
Great Western Railway
The rare one where the answer is simply yes — and there's a socket in the bed.
Parent guide

Train Power Outlets: Every Network →

Related guide

Cruise Ship Outlets: By Cruise Line →

Related guide

Train Power Outlets: Which Seats Have Them →