London Underground Opens New

London Underground Opens New ‘ELIZABETH LINE’

by Lilla Smith-Panfrios

Although delayed and over budget, the new line which was known as Crossrail, until its names changed in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II, is one of Europe’s biggest construction projects in recent times.

The first phase of the Line has opened in time for the national Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

It will be 100% operational in May 2023 but for now the core network of the line is running between Paddington and Abbey Wood Elizabeth line stations. This autumn the next phase with services from Reading and Heathrow will operate through central London and access the new Elizabeth Line central section stations to Abbey Wood. Services from Shenfield will also serve the new central London stations, running through to Paddington Elizabeth line station.

It will eventually serve up to 200 million passengers a year and will increase London's train capacity by 10%, the largest single increase in the capital’s transport capacity in more than 70 years. It stretches 73-miles (118kms) running from Essex in the east to Berkshire in the west, while tapping into key existing underground and over ground services across central London, as well as other new stations that have been created. The new trains will run through 42km of new tunnel and track under central London.

To the west, the line branches with a destination at Reading and down to Heathrow Airport, while on the east of the city, the line ends at Shenfield in Essex and down to Abbey Wood in south-east London.

With faster newer trains and a reduction in journey times as well as improved accessibility, will all provide a huge economic boost to the capital and beyond. The Elizabeth line will initially run 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood, Monday to Saturday.

The Elizabeth Line incorporates 10 news stations across central London, connecting Paddington, Bond Street, Liverpool St and Canary Wharf. The Line operates in 3 sections; from Abbey Wood to Paddington, from Heathrow and Reading to Paddington, and Shenfield to Liverpool Street.

Fares on the Elizabeth line are the same as those on the London Underground. However, there is a £7.20 premium on journeys to and from Heathrow airport (Currently the Heathrow Express costs UK£25). Peak single journeys to Heathrow from central London (weekdays between 06:30-09:30 and 16:00-19:00) will cost UK£12.70 and be UK£2 cheaper at other times.

A fleet of 70 new trains, each with 9 fully interconnected carriages measuring over 200m long, with capacity for 1,500 passengers will operate on the line. Each train will stop at 41 accessible stations, 10 new and 31 upgraded. Each train has wi-fi with 4G connectivity coming, CCTV, air-conditioning, LED lighting and real-time travel information in each carriage.

Welcome to the New ELIZABETH LINE in London and beyond!

Megisti / Kastelorizo island, Greece www.visitgreece.gr