A new map showing the route for the Elizabeth line (nee Crossrail) has been released as TfL also announces an increase in the number of off-peak services that it will be offering.
Click to enlarge
The new map now includes Heathrow Terminal 5, which was only recently added to the route, although it will only have two trains per hour when the service is added in December 2019.
A total of six Elizabeth line trains per hour will serve Heathrow Terminals from December 2019. Four will go to Terminals 2, 3 and 4 and two will go to Terminals 2, 3 and 5.
Some of the changes will however be like-for-like replacements, as five existing Great Western Railway services will be replaced with Elizabeth line services. They still expect to see an increase in services to Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes & Harlington though.
A joint study is also underway to look at delivering a further two Elizabeth line trains per hour to Terminal 5 meaning eight Elizabeth line trains per hour serving Heathrow Airport, as well as additional work on developing western rail access to Heathrow.
In addition, off-peak services between Paddington and Whitechapel will be increased from 16 trains as previously planned, to 20 trains per hour – a 25 percent increase.
An additional two trains per hour will run between Paddington and Shenfield and a further two trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood will also be introduced in the off-peak.
An increase in the service means more trains, so TfL will be buying four more trains, taking the fleet to 70 trains. TfL currently has an option to buy up to 18 more trains on top of the original 66 that ordered.
Each of the 9-car long trains can also be extended later to 10 cars in length to deal with passenger growth.
I wonder if the Lizzie Line serving Heathrow will kill the very expensive Heathrow Express (which is a perfectly fine service). Or if they’ll co-exist.
Good for competition. After all, that’s what capitalism is about, isn’t it? However, doesn’t always work, on the ground.
I suspect the Elizabeth Line from LHR is more of a replacement for the Heathrow Connect, rather than the Express. Although the new line still has many more stops to Paddington than the others
Yes – I hear that Heathrow Connect – used by many west London’s less-affluent commuters – will go away, leaving the HEX and Crossrail. What USP the HEX will offer is hard to imagine, and it is also hard to understand how the current astronomical HEX fares can be sustained against almost-as-fast (and one would hope, less expensive) Crossrail fares. I live near Paddington and while HEX off-peak fares are available with Railcards, it is still barely more expensive (and always more convenient) for two people to take an airport service car than use the train, except at peak travel hours (when HEX fares are higher) and traffic holdups might be a risk
So either Crossrail charges a Heathrow premium, HEX drop their fares or some combination of both. One can also ask why HEX should be allowed to monopolise two much-needed platforms at Paddington when a perfectly adequate airport service is provided by Crossrail using new platforms.
Finally, not obvious from the map is that Heathrow trains will originate and return to Paddington only (AFAIK) so despite Crossrail having a Reading service, there will be no convenient Reading to Heathrow service. It will either require a change of trains (with luggage) at Hayes or perhaps more sensibly, just continuing to take a fast train to Paddington (30 minutes) and switching to the HEX for the run back. Changing at Hayes from a stopping Crossrail service will likely take 15 to 20 minutes longer. I’ve not seen any reference to whether any Crossrail trains will run “express” with fewer intermediate stops on any part of the route
Heathrow Express will still be significantly quicker than Crossrail – the main threat to Heathrow Express is the convenience of being able to catch a Heathrow train from many more stations, without the inconvenience of Underground transfers.
For instance, when travelling to Heathrow, I currently transfer from Liverpool St. to the H&C and then Heathrow Express from Paddington – an oasis of calm after the awfulness of lugging baggage around on the Underground. In future, a cross-platform change at Stratford will get me to Heathrow, sans Underground and Heathrow Express. I’m looking forward to it!
I agree that Crossrail will likely siphon off some HEX traffic. I know some travellers are spending other people’s money (how else to explain travelling in HEX “1st Class”) and no doubt there will always be a market for the top end, but is it sustainable? HEX is not really value for money – most busy times of day there is insufficient space for passenger luggage, and the “bollards” fitted to prevent luggage carts being taken to the platforms obstruct the passage of even medium-size wheeled luggage – one reason I prefer a door-to-door car service when I have heavy bags.
It remains to be seen how much slower Crossrail will be to Heathrow. Connect is still convenient although it has very little luggage space and is purposely unadvertised -HEATHROW Express va “Connect” with the Heathrow muted – a customer-centred service would see signs on the HEX platforms reminding less time-sensitive travellers of the less-expensive option, but of course we’re not about customer service these days – we are about maximizing shareholder values 🙂
I guess we’ll see what transpires – I still miss the days when you could check in at Paddington at midday and fly later knowing schlepping your luggage was not an issue. A yes – customer service
I have a feeling that we ain’t seen nothing yet!
On a visit to Abbey Wood recently, it looks like the Crossrail reversing siding has been extended with crossovers to join the North Kent Lines.
Crossrail trains will be able to go past Abbey Wood to Dartford or Gravesend, if the signalling is good enough. You’d have to clear the 465s out of the way, as they’re too slow!
It also looks like it will be without electrification. So will reversing at Abbey Wood be done under battery power?
It certainly won’t be cross-platform interchange.
I understand the trains (and platforms in equivalent length) would be extended to 11 rather than 10 carriages.
I am really sorry if I’ve missed something here but when did it become possible to change to the Northern Line at Liverpool Street? I mean without a schlepp to not-Liverpool St?
The station at Liverpool Street will join up with Moorgate.
I’m sad that Liverpool Street won’t be joining up with St Pancras. It would make a lot of sense for people who need to get to Eurostar fast. I could have given a lot of useful advise to these so called “planners”, if they had bothered to ask me. Tipycal!
Can I buy a map of Elizabeth line please
ybrampton@gmail.com