Elizabeth line: Route to run through Liverpool Street and Paddington from November and open Sundays
The long-awaited date has been set for Elizabeth line trains to run directly from Reading and Heathrow to Abbey Wood and from Shenfield to Paddington.
In addition, the new Bond Street Elizabeth line station will also open by November helping transform travel in the capital.
From Sunday 6 November, the lines from Reading, Heathrow, and Shenfield will connect with the central tunnels of the Elizabeth line - opening up new direct journeys across the capital.
Customers travelling from Reading and Heathrow will be able to travel east all the way to Abbey Wood without changing at Paddington.
Customers travelling from Shenfield will be able to travel west all the way to Paddington without changing at Liverpool Street.
Journeys to onward destinations, including to Heathrow Airport or towards Reading, can be made by changing trains on the same platform at any of the central London stations.
Ahead of the autumn changes, from Monday 5 September, extended opening hours will run on the Elizabeth line between Paddington and Abbey Wood from around 05:30 to around 23:00.
"When we delivered on our promise to open the central section of the Elizabeth line in the first half of this year, I further promised that Bond Street station would open this autumn and that the next phase of the line opening would also be achieved within that timeframe," said Andy Byford, London’s Transport Commissioner.
"I am excited to see the Elizabeth line unlock quicker and better journey options, greater accessibility, and further connectivity to jobs and leisure for even more people.
"This will be another giant leap for London’s public transport system, which supports economic growth in the capital and right across the country," he added.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, added: "The opening of the new Elizabeth line has been a landmark moment, not just for London but for the entire country, helping to contribute £42bn to the national economy. "It’s great news that from November, Elizabeth line trains will run directly from Reading and Heathrow to Abbey Wood, and from Shenfield to Paddington, seven days a week. Services running on Sundays through central London will also make thousands more journeys quicker, easier and more comfortable."
Crossrail – the official name of project to build the new east-west railway – was due to be completed in December 2018 and was set a budget of £14.8 billion in 2010.
But it was hit by numerous problems including construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems.
The total cost of the project has been estimated at £18.9 billion, including £5.1 billion from the Government.
The first stage of the Elizabeth line opened in May.
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