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There’s been a lot of talk lately about the Elizabeth line and Crossrail so we thought it was time for us to answer some all-important questions.

Is it called Crossrail or the Elizabeth line?

Crossrail is the name given to the project that would introduce a new high-speed train to London. Last year it was announced that Crossrail would be officially called the “Elizabeth line” after the Queen. If you’ve gotten used to calling it Crossrail, don’t worry, people will know what you mean.

What does the Crossrail/ Elizabeth line map look like?

The Elizabeth line will cut through Central London, taking passengers from Reading and Heathrow, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood. Between Hayes & Harlington and Whitechapel, the Elizabeth line is on a single line then splits in to two branches on both ends. If the Liverpool Street to Shenfield sections looks familiar that’s because you can already travel on that route on the TfL Rail. The TfL Rail line will be renamed and reopened as part of the Elizabeth line. screen-shot-2017-05-10-at-15-58-45

How much time will I save by taking the Elizabeth line?

The short answer is “A lot.” But a more in-depth answer is that your journey will be cut down by half or even more. For example the journey from Paddington to Tottenham Court Road is about 17 minutes (depending on how quickly you change at Oxford Circus) but on the Elizabeth line it will be just 4 minutes!

How often will trains run on the Elizabeth line?

In central London during peak hours there will be a train every 2.5 minutes. On the quieter portions of the Elizabeth line trains will be roughly every 5 minutes.

When does the Elizabeth line open?

The entire Elizabeth line will fully open in December 2019.

But isn’t it launching this month?

Elizabeth line/ Crossrail trains will enter service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. This section of the Tube Map is going to keep its “TfL Rail” name until a later date. So while we’re getting shiny new Crossrail trains, we won’t be planning routes on the “Elizabeth line” just yet.

What are the new Elizabeth line trains like?

The new trains will have WiFi and 4G on-board, so no losing essential connection between stations. They will have walk-through carriages, air-conditioning and be fully accessible for wheelchair users. There’s going to be enough space on each Elizabeth line train for 1,500 people and the entire service is expected to carry 200 million passengers each year! 

What’s next for the Elizabeth line?

After the new trains start running on the TfL Rail line, the next major milestone will happen in May 2018. A new TfL Rail Service will run from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Paddington, replacing the Heathrow Connect service. In May 2019 the new Elizabeth line trains will extend their service to Paddington. And finally, in December 2019, the whole of the Elizabeth line will completely open. Purple signs and all!   Elizabeth line map via TfL Back to blog