Stansted Express trains between London Liverpool Street and Stanstead Airport will be resuming their off-peak four trains per hour service later this year.
A Stansted Express train at Stansted Airport railway station. (c) Greater Anglia
After reintroducing a weekday, peak time, 4 trains per hour frequency for Stansted Express services in May this year, airport passenger numbers have continued to increase, so the “every 15 minutes” frequency will be restored during off peak periods and at weekends from Sunday 10th December.
Services were cut during the pandemic to just two per hour, and although peak hour service of four trains per hour was resumed earlier this year, there have still been just two trains per hour the rest of the day and at weekends.
Greater Anglia, which operates the service says that off peak journey times will also be slightly quicker than pre-pandemic trips of 50 minutes, with most services scheduled for 47 minutes, as Greater Anglia is able to take full advantage of now operating new trains, with improved performance capabilities, on all its services.
(When the station opened in 1991, the Royal Train took 41 minutes to take Queen Elizabeth II from London to Stansted)
The new 12-carriage trains also offer 80% more seats than the eight-carriage Stansted Express trains they replaced last year.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia said: “We’re pleased to be providing 4 trains per hour to Stansted Airport all day, 7 days a week again, from our December timetable change, benefitting air travellers and commuters alike, as well as some other peak time improvements reflecting increases in passenger numbers.”
Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP said: “I very much welcome the return of an all day, 15 minute frequency on the Stansted Express from December. Greater Anglia is rightly responding to increasing demand, ensuring that this crucial link for customers and communities provides a convenient, high quality option for travellers.”
Leave a Reply