With just under a year to the first passenger trains, a new tube map has been shown off including the Elizabeth line (nee Crossrail) as it will be when the service launches in December 2018.
Although tube maps have been shown off suggesting what London’s Underground map will look like when Crossrail transforms into the Elizabeth line, this is the first official map.
The construction of the Elizabeth line has now entered its final stages and will open to the public in phases from December next year, when ten new stations will open.
From December 2018, the line will initially operate as three services:
- Paddington (Elizabeth line station) to Abbey Wood via central London.
- Paddington (mainline station) to Heathrow (Terminals 2 & 3 and 4).
- Liverpool Street (mainline station) to Shenfield.
Initially, fifteen trains per hour will run through the new tunnels, increasing to 24 trains per hour through the central section by May 2019.
From December 2019, customers from Reading and Heathrow will be able to travel all the way through central London to the West End and the City and beyond without needing to change trains.
Elizabeth line trains will be walk-through air-conditioned carriages, live travel information and free Wi-Fi.
Significant milestones have been met earlier in the year, including the completion of the 50-kilometre Elizabeth line track in September as well as the introduction of the first new Elizabeth line train in passenger service between Shenfield and Liverpool Street in June.
Ahead of the Elizabeth line opening next year, intensive works continue by Crossrail and its contractors to complete the fit-out of the new stations and install the railway systems including power, signalling and communications equipment.
Farringdon and Tottenham Court Road are nearing physical completion with work advancing at the other station sites. The installation of platform screen doors has now reached the halfway mark and over two-thirds of escalators have been installed.
I live in Hammersmith, and while unfortunately Crossrail doesn’t come very close, I was hoping it would ease congestion on the District line. Except for the first year it won’t, as people coming from Ealing Broadway will still have to change at Paddington, so will probably keep using the District line anyway.
Can’t wait for this line. It’s pretty simple but clever in opening up areas to fast and free (with freedom pass) rail travel.
Cycle carriage policy?
It seems that while future Elizabeth Line Stations have had step free access where expected to be complete the Underground stations like Bromley By Biw, Victoria and Whitechapel Station together with Overground at Blackhorse Road Station have not been updated for changes that are almost complete .
I remember when the Victoria Line was being built it was added to the Underground map as ” under construction ” it’s a pity future Elizabeth Line can’t be added once TFL Rail takes over Paddington to Heathrow services next May when Paddington Station to Abbey Wood could be shown as ” under construction ” . How future services out to Reading could be shown would need consideration.
This map is starting to look pretty bloody awful.
I had understood that the Paddington to Heathrow section would open from May 2018 when the Heathrow Connect service ends. Does this mean that only Heathrow Express trains will operate during the intervening seven months?
Many thanks for the information on the New line. I shall peruse it over the Christmas holidays and work out all the connections we can make to open up more of London. I help to plan Outings for a group so accessibility is vital; the Elizabeth Line will add more possible venues.
Yours is a brilliant site, especially for those of us who are retired and love exploring London. Many, many thanks.
We in South East London close to Abbey Wood Station are looking forward to the Opening of the Elizabeth Line. Once fully open one train from Abbey Wood direct to Heathrow no messing about changing trains, one main line two tube trains at the moment.
Fantastic. Looking forward to it. Hopefully will be able to travel within the first week of trains out of Abbey Wood. Very useful being close to the Station.
It is unfortunate that the new stock (345 units currently running out to Shenfield) have the same appalling riding qualites as the new 700 units running on Thameslink.
Hopefully, this won’t be too noticeable on the new track in the tunnels but be prepared to grit your teeth when you come out to daylight.
Why does the new map show Elizabeth Line and Not Thameslink which is a similar service through the heart of London. It is ridiculus to show Emerson Park in depths of Essex and not City Thameslink (St Pauls) or Blackfriars over the river properly. This line from Kentish Town to Elephant and Castle was shown for a number of years in 1990s The 1994 version showed Thameslink as operational and Crossrail as proposed Passengers do not care who owns or runs the service – TfL, Rail Coys, D L R – just which routes & stations are served. Mr Beck’s map has become a TfL over worshiped Icon. The London Railways Map is much more useful.
@ Geoffrey There was a time when non London Transport/ TFL services were shown on the tube map with one being the Waterloo and City Line when it was a BR services . However, in recent years TFL only show services they operate on The Tube Map its more a political/ policy decision than anything else.
I agree that the Central section of Thameslink especially Kentish Town to Elephant and Castle / London Bridge and the Great Northern services from Moorgate to Finsbury Park should be on the basic tube map but it seems TFL will only add these services if it gets control of them.
As to the comment re this map looking a mess well you can’t beat the Overground maps as shown on trains which look like a plate of spaghetti !
Reading and Maidenhead will be added once the Elizabeth Line takes over stations between Hayes & Harlington and Reading including Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford where you can interchange for local branch services in the Thames Valley area. Plus the Elizabeth Line could extend from Abbey Wood to Dartford and Gravesend and possibly from Shenfield to Beaulieu, Southend Victoria and Southminster in the future.