journey time calculator elizabeth line

Crossrail: New Elizabeth line journey time calculator on Citymapper shows how quick trips will be

After much anticipation, Londoners can now plan their trips according to the incoming Elizabeth line

• 19:34, 29 APR 2022
• Updated 11:46, 4 MAY 2022

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Just four years and £19 billion later, the brand-new Elizabeth line is set to open in a matter of weeks. The huge trans-London trainline will make journeys across the capital from until-now badly connected areas much quicker and easier. Transport for London's (TfL) initial Crossrail project will also decongest other lines, meaning other London Underground lines will be less cramped and, if all goes well, less delayed.

TfL has announced today (May 4) that the first stage of the new line will open on May 24 . Phase 1 covers the Paddington to Abbey Wood section of the line, which is set to run every five minutes. Phase 2 - covering Reading and Heathrow Airport to Paddington - will open later in the autumn.

In advance of the opening, mapping service Citymapper has created a journey time calculator for the Elizabeth line to show just how quick trips across the capital will now be.

Here is a breakdown of journey times between each station once the first phase of the Elizabeth line opens.

READ MORE: Forget more London Underground stations - what South London really needs is Thameslink 2 linking Croydon, Lewisham, Canary Wharf and Stratford

Elizabeth line journey times from Abbey Wood

Current: 7 minutes

Elizabeth line: 6 minutes

Custom House

Current: 41 minutes

Elizabeth line: 8 minutes

Canary Wharf

Current: 35 minutes

Elizabeth line: 11 minutes

Whitechapel

Current: 52 minutes

Elizabeth line: 15 minutes

Liverpool Street

Current: 43 minutes

Elizabeth line: 18 minutes

Elizabeth line: 20 minutes

Tottenham Court Road

Current: 55 minutes

Elizabeth line: 23 minutes

Bond Street

Current: 48 minutes

Elizabeth line: 26 minutes

Current: 58 minutes

Elizabeth line: 29 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Woolwich

Current: 28 minutes

Elizabeth line: 2 minutes

Current: 23 minutes

Elizabeth line: 5 minutes

Current: 32 minutes

Elizabeth line: 9 minutes

Elizabeth line: 12 minutes

Elizabeth line: 14 minutes

Current: 40 minutes

Current: 22 minutes

Elizabeth line: 22 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Custom House

Elizabeth line: 3 minutes

Current: 26 minutes

Elizabeth line: 7 minutes

Current: 34 minutes

Elizabeth line: 10 minutes

Current: 39 minutes

Current: 38 minutes

Current: 33 minutes

Current: 47 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Canary Wharf

Current: 17 minutes

Elizabeth line: 4 minutes

Current: 30 minutes

Current: 27 minutes

Elizabeth line: 17 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Whitechapel

Current: 10 minutes

Current: 12 minutes

Current: 31 minutes

Elizabeth line: 13 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Liverpool Street

Current: 15 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Farringdon

Current: 18 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Tottenham Court Road

Current: 16 minutes

Elizabeth line journey times from Bond Street

Elizabeth line journey times from paddington.

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What is the Crossrail Elizabeth line route and how long does the journey take?

The much-awaited Elizabeth line will finally open this month

• 18:22, 4 MAY 2022
• Updated 20:13, 4 MAY 2022

The highly-anticipated Elizabeth Line is finally set to open on the 24th May , four years after Crossrail announced the new project.

From Reading to Shenfield, the Elizabeth line - also known as Crossrail - has 41 stops and passes through popular London hotspots such as Liverpool Street and Paddington.

The new train line aims to make journeys across the capital from badly connected areas much quicker and easier, but how long does each journey take exactly?

Read more: Crossrail: Need-to-know Elizabeth Line shortcuts to cut your commute

Ahead of the opening, travel map app Citymapper has created a journey time calculator for the Elizabeth Line to show users just how quick trips across London will now be.

(Note: the station at Heathrow Terminal Four won't be opening yet.).

Elizabeth Line journey times from Canary Wharf

Whitechapel

Current: 17 minutes

Elizabeth line: 4 minutes

Liverpool Street

Current: 26 minutes

Elizabeth line: 7 minutes

Current: 30 minutes

Elizabeth line: 9 minutes

Tottenham Court Road

Current: 27 minutes

Elizabeth line: 12 minutes

Bond Street

Current: 22 minutes

Elizabeth line: 14 minutes

Current: 35 minutes

Elizabeth line: 17 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Liverpool Street

Current: 10 minutes

Elizabeth line: 5 minutes

Current: 12 minutes

Elizabeth line: 8 minutes

Current: 15 minutes

Elizabeth line: 10 minutes

Elizabeth line: 13 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Bond Street

Elizabeth line journey times from tottenham court road.

Current: 32 minutes

Current: 16 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Paddington

Current: 31 minutes

Canary Wharf

Custom House

Current: 47 minutes

Elizabeth line: 20 minutes

Elizabeth line: 22 minutes

Current: 58 minutes

Elizabeth line: 29 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Farringdon

Elizabeth line: 3 minutes

Current: 18 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Whitechapel

Current: 23 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Abbey Wood

Current: 7 minutes

Elizabeth line: 6 minutes

Current: 41 minutes

Elizabeth line: 11 minutes

Current: 52 minutes

Elizabeth line: 15 minutes

Current: 43 minutes

Elizabeth line: 18 minutes

Current: 55 minutes

Elizabeth line: 23 minutes

Current: 48 minutes

Elizabeth line: 26 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Woolwich

Current: 28 minutes

Elizabeth line: 2 minutes

Current: 40 minutes

Elizabeth Line journey times from Custom House

Current: 34 minutes

Current: 39 minutes

Current: 38 minutes

Current: 33 minutes

What are you hoping for from the new Elizabeth line? Tell us in the comments below!

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

What does the Elizabeth Line look like and how long will journeys take?

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The Elizabeth Line is a brand new Transport for London (TfL) service that promises to ‘revolutionise’ travel in London by connecting commuter towns in the east and west with its new route.

The Crossrail project has cost £18.8billion to put together and after a number of setbacks, it is finally open after four years of delays.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the line would deliver a £42 billion boost to the whole UK economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

Many travel-weary commuters from the suburbs will find their journey times being slashed significantly as a result of the project.

But what does the Elizabeth Line map look like and how long will journeys take?

Here is what you need to know.

What does the Elizabeth Line look like?

Click here for a full screen version of the Elizabeth Line map.

For now, the Elizabeth Line will operate as three separate sections, so there are not expected to be any end-to-end trains available until autumn this year.

The new central section connects Paddington station with Abbey Wood in southeast London – covering zones 1-4 – and began running on May 24.

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People coming from the west, either from Heathrow or Reading, will have to change at Paddington to access the central tunnels.

Those travelling in from Shenfield in Essex will have to change at Liverpool street for now before the route is fully connected later this year.

You can view the full list of Elizabeth Line stations here .

New Tube map just dropped 👇 pic.twitter.com/oJdFBzCevd — Transport for London (@TfL) May 19, 2022

Services currently running as TfL Rail in the east and west sections will be rebranded to the new Elizabeth line.

How long will Elizabeth Line journeys take?

The Elizabeth line will operate 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood from Monday to Saturday 6.30am to 11pm. Initially, trains will not run on Sundays to allow for testing and software updates.

It will cut journey times from Abbey Wood, southeast London, to Paddington by almost half to 29 minutes.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Video: Long queues at Abbey Wood as commuters line to ride Elizabeth Line for first time

These are rollercoaster queues for a tube carriage..

Read the full story »

Journeys between Liverpool Street and Woolwich will also be halved to 15 minutes.

Trips between Farringdon and Canary Wharf will take 10 minutes instead of 24.

Other example journey times:

• Bond Street to Liverpool Street: Seven minutes
• Woolwich to Farringdon: 14 minutes
• Paddington to Canary Wharf: 17 minutes

East section journey times (Autumn 2022) :

• Stratford to Bond Street: 15 minutes
• Romford to Liverpool Street: 27 minutes

West section journey times (Autumn 2022) :

• Tottenham Court Road to Ealing Broadway: 13 minutes
• Paddington to Slough: 26 minutes

A full timetable won’t be ready until 2023 and the opening still depends on final safety approvals.

But once the service is fully up and running, it is expected to increase the capacity of London’s public transport by 10% – serving around 200 million people each year.

MORE : The best value locations to buy a house on the Elizabeth Line

MORE : Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events guide: What’s going on in London over the bank holiday weekend?

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A Journey Across London on the Elizabeth Line

The new rail line lets travelers leave the city’s tourist-clogged core and embark on fast, inexpensive journeys to fascinating outer-London destinations, from a bustling market town to a hub of South Asian culture.

Credit... Video by Jeremie Souteyrat

Supported by

By Mark Vanhoenacker

• May 30, 2023

London’s magnificent Elizabeth line opened last May, and on its first birthday there’s so much to celebrate.

Running from Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, the Elizabeth line brings an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes of the capital’s busiest districts; eases congestion on older lines; and makes London more accessible to all, as wheelchair users can reach its platforms from street level. As a pilot who commutes to Heathrow — I fly the Boeing 787 for British Airways — I’m often among its 600,000 weekday riders. The line, which runs alongside the Heathrow Express, offers another comfortable way to get to work.

Many visitors will find the line’s soaring station halls and gleaming trains — they’re accented in royal purple and nearly three times as long as a Boeing 747 — not only convenient but also an inspiration. London, after all, is the home of the world’s first subway, a transport map that remains a design icon, and the planet’s most recognizable buses and taxis. Who can say which other metropolis might be influenced by the Elizabeth line’s transformative efficiency, let alone its good looks? Perhaps yours.

What’s certain is that the line empowers travelers to leave behind the familiarities of Zone 1 — the often tourist-clogged core of the city’s transport network — and embark on fast, inexpensive journeys to fascinating outer-London destinations. Here are four favorites.

Southall, a center of Britain’s South Asian communities, lies northeast of Heathrow Airport. Pause at its glassy new station for a selfie beneath the sign that spells out Southall in Gurmukhi, a script commonly used to write Punjabi. Then turn left, toward Southall Manor House , a 16th-century Tudor landmark.

The manor grounds offer tranquil benches and a view of the golden dome of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha , one of Europe’s largest Sikh temples. Visitors are always welcome, but for a tour you’ll need to reach out in advance . Don a head covering as you enter — an older man selected a green scarf for me from a plastic bin of loaners and helped me tie it — then remove your shoes, wash your hands at the sinks and head to reception. On a recent visit, Manjeet Kaur Panesar showed me exhibits on Sikhism and then guided me up to the main hall, where prayer and sacred music begin before sunrise. Mrs. Panesar explained that everyone is welcome at the temple’s langar, or free community kitchen. “Share everything, that’s the meaning of our religion,” she said. Her favorite dish, kadhi chawal — a curry prepared here with homemade yogurt — is typically served on Wednesdays. “We get a lot of people on a Wednesday,” she told me with a laugh.

Head next to Southall Library , home to a noted collection of Martin Ware pottery. Martin Ware is associated with the Arts and Crafts movement , which arose in the late 19th century in opposition to the industrialization of decorative arts. The Southall studio, founded by the Martin brothers in a former soap factory in 1877, remained in operation through the early 20th century. “You’ll know their work already from ‘Antiques Roadshow’ or the V&A Museum ,” a librarian explained, as he showed me a Wally Bird, an owl-shaped tobacco jar in the style known as “grotesque.”

My friend Seeta — she’s from Slough, the town five stops west on the Elizabeth line that’s familiar to viewers of the British version of “The Office” — often visited Southall as a child. She guided me first to the former Palace Cinema, constructed in a Chinese style and opened in 1929. (Angelenos may be reminded of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, of the same era.) The cinema became an essential cultural space for London’s growing South Asian population. These days, it houses the Palace Shopping Center . As we walked past the bustling stalls of jewelers, shoe-sellers and tailors, Seeta recalled the joyful escapism of catching the latest Bollywood hits with her mum here. Then she urged me to look up at the grand lamps that still hang from the Art Deco ceiling, dimmed as if in deference to the silver screen of her childhood.

The heart of Southall — familiar to fans of “Bend it Like Beckham,” which was partly filmed here — is the Broadway. “It’s mostly sari shops, gold stores and Indian cash-and-carrys,” Seeta told me, as she ordered panipuri (filled, crispy dough balls) from a streetside stand. “And that’s why I love it.”

Shop the Broadway till you drop — or simply marvel at the dazzling formal wear and wedding garb. Then head to Chaiiology for a karak chai with saffron, or to Chandni Chowk for kaju katli, a cashew-based treat topped with edible silver.

Finally, walk west to the bridge over the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal. Along its northeastern embankment runs a mural by Vivek Pereira , completed last summer with the help of Army cadets from a nearby Army Reserve Center. The Elizabeth line “has definitely changed things,” Mr. Pereira told me. “I love the energy here.” His mural incorporates bright colors and local treasures: the manor house, Martin Ware pottery, the green spaces that soothed so many during the pandemic, the canal’s regal swans, as well as the proud hashtag “#OurSouthall.”

On the line’s northeastern branch lies the market town of Romford. Start at the Havering Museum , whose exhibits include a model of the long-gone Havering Palace, where Queen Elizabeth I occasionally stayed. You’ll also learn about Romford’s link to William Kempe, an actor in several of Shakespeare’s original productions, who morris danced around 100 miles from London to Norwich in 1600, and about the weights and measures that once set standards in Romford’s market.

Indeed, turn right on leaving the museum and you’ll find the marketplace where vendors still conduct a busy trade — today, in flowers, crafts and leather goods — nearly eight centuries after its charter was granted by King Henry III. For a traditional cockney lunch, try Robins Pie and Mash on South Street. A savory pie (beef, vegetarian or vegan) with mashed potatoes and the parsley sauce known as liquor runs around 5 pounds (about $6), or £9 with a side of jellied, cross-sectioned eels.

If you’d prefer a late breakfast, head to the Teapot Cafe . Founded in 1953 by Walter Mole , a soldier and former prisoner of war who spent nearly five years apart from his family during World War II, this endearing eatery is run by his grandson, Jamie Miller. On offer are five “full English” breakfast options (all under £8, including tea), as well as Bovril , a hot drink made from beef extract. Surrounded by the voices and laughter of other diners, I devoured my crumpets, drained my milky tea (£2.75 for both), wiped the melted butter from my chin and returned to the counter for more.

Custom House

An informal survey of friends suggests that many Londoners believe their mayor still works in the Norman Foster-designed lopsided egg near Tower Bridge that the former mayor Boris Johnson christened the “glass gonad.” In fact, London’s metropolitan government recently moved downstream to another vitreous structure — more angular and less vulnerable to anatomical nicknames — alongside the Royal Victoria Dock. The mayor’s arrival here, like that of the Elizabeth line, is an opportunity to consider the history and the promise of London’s docklands.

From the new open-air station, follow the canopied walkway south toward ExCeL London , a bustling convention center that’s also home to Britain’s largest “wormery” (an ecological approach to food waste). Then descend to the plaza, where a bronze sculpture of dockworkers unloading cargo from Zanzibar, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong stands near the slender silhouettes of quayside cranes.

London was once the planet’s busiest port, and the colossal dimensions of these docklands are best appreciated from above. Pause atop the Royal Victoria Dock Footbridge , where a sign guides your smartphone to augmented-reality readings by young local poets. Then look east to the glittering runway at London City Airport, and down to the dark waters of the mile-long dock. Much of what was removed during excavations in the mid-19th century helped form Battersea Park, a dozen miles upstream.

Fancy a swim? The organization named Love Open Water welcomes intrepid swimmers at several London venues, including their year-round Royal Docks outpost , nearly at the steps of the new City Hall. After a dip, towel off and shiver over to Perky Blenders X Goodvibes. Roxanna Lyssa, an East London native who struggled with anxiety as a fashion executive, opened this cafe in 2020 as an act of both urban and personal renewal. “I decided to change my direction, toward something I love,” Ms. Lyssa told me. “I want to connect people, creating a space where people can be themselves, and open to interaction.”

Nodding to my Flemish heritage, I opted for a latte enriched with the spread made from Lotus Biscoff , Belgium’s beloved caramelized cookies. Mayor Sadiq Khan’s drink of choice? A long black coffee with skimmed milk.

Ms. Lyssa has noticed more tourists since the Elizabeth line opened, especially those looking for affordable accommodations. Drop anchor at the floating Good Hotel , which sailed across the North Sea from the Netherlands in 2016. The hotel trains and hires community members who’ve experienced long-term unemployment and directs its profits to education initiatives around the world. (Rooms with a water view from £150.)

In 1843, Marc Isambard Brunel completed his Thames Tunnel , the world’s first beneath a major waterway. (He was assisted by his son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel , who would later construct Paddington Station — today an Elizabeth line stop — from wrought-iron arches that, in my upturned eyes, form London’s loveliest gateway.) The line crosses below the Thames in tunnels excavated by Mary and Sophia, two machines named — by public vote — for the wives of the Brunels, and guarded during construction by statues of St. Barbara, the patron saint of those who work with explosives.

It’s fitting, then, that the first station beyond these tunnels is Woolwich, where armaments were manufactured for around three centuries, including by one Henry Shrapnel . Woolwich was also renowned for music — its Royal Artillery Band, Britain’s first formal military band , was organized in 1762 — and for football: Arsenal , based today in Islington and still nicknamed “the Gunners,” was founded here in 1886 as a team for armaments workers.

Damaged in World War II, the armaments factories closed in 1967. Today, the area’s prospects as a creative hub have been fortified by the Elizabeth line’s arrival. On the green by Woolwich station awaits a traditional London cab fitted with a tailgate espresso machine (around £3 for a piccolo with almond milk). “We only drive it to get fuel,” the young barista told me. “Sometimes people try to hail a latte.” Then wander through the former arsenal, now home to apartments, performance venues and the polite signage — “Please keep off the cannon” — of a post-imperial age.

Head next to Woolwich Town Hall , a masterpiece of Edwardian Baroque architecture that’s dominated by a statue of Queen Victoria and stained-glass windows that depict the 1637 inspection by Charles I of HMS Sovereign of the Seas , a gilded, Woolwich-built galleon said to have been the world’s largest ship. (“The King,” it’s written on the glass, “is mightily pleased.”) Then stroll south to St. George’s Garrison Church . A bomb devastated this Italian-Romanesque church in World War II. Today, its open-air ruins — including Venetian mosaics — are sheltered by a curving, fabric-and-wood canopy and surrounded by an oasis of green. It’s one of my favorite spots in London.

When twilight falls, enjoy a fireside bite (perhaps a fregola, wild rice and pomegranate salad, £14.50) at the Dial Arch pub, named for the 1764 sundial you’ll pass as you enter. Then you’re off to “The Burnt City,” an immersive theater experience from Punchdrunk, the arts group who’ve made a home in the former arsenal. Stow your phone and don a ghostly mask, then wander through the stories that animate a realm of Greek myth, losing and finding Agamemnon and your friends.

Mark Vanhoenacker is a pilot for British Airways, a columnist for the Financial Times, and the author of “Skyfaring” and “Imagine a City.”

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Elizabeth Line: How much quicker will your commute be?

The long-awaited Elizabeth Line opened its doors for the first time on Tuesday morning.

Transport for London has said the line will “transform” travel across the capital and bring in an estimated £42 billion to the UK economy.

Journey times between destinations in central London will be slashed once Elizabeth Line services start running at 6.30am on Tuesday 24 May .

Destinations as far as Reading and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield in the east will be connected to the central section of the line in autumn this year, until which point passengers will have to change at Paddington or Liverpool Street to reach them.

Abbey Wood, in the borough of Greenwich, is set to see some of the greatest benefits once the Elizabeth Line opens next week.

It previously took around 33 minutes to get from Abbey Wood to Canary Wharf, requiring commuters to take a mainline train to Greenwich and then get on the DLR to Canary Wharf.

But now with Elizabeth Line services operating, the journey will be cut to just 11 minutes and require no changes.

The journey between Abbey Wood and Tottenham Court Road has been slashed by around 28 minutes– the single greatest reduction in journey time in central London.

Previously, the journey took 1 minutes and required commuters to take a train to Cannon Street before walking to Bank station to get on the Central Line to Tottenham Court Road. The journey will be made much simpler by the Elizabeth Line, which will take just 23 minutes and require no changes.

Commuters travelling to and from Canary Wharf will also see a noticeable difference in their journey times thanks to Crossrail .

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The journey from Farringdon to Canary Wharf will reduce from 24 minutes and three Tube trains to just 10 minutes on one Elizabeth Line train.

Elsewhere, anyone travelling to or from Whitechapel will also notice significantly quicker and simpler journey times.

Crossrail 2022 - In pictures

A typical journey from Whitechapel to Tottenham Court Road can currently take as long as 20 minutes, requiring at least one change on the Tube. On the Elizabeth Line, however, the journey will take just eight minutes with no changes.

Journeys between central London stations will also get significantly quicker. Going from Liverpool Street to Paddington, for example, currently takes almost 20 minutes. Once Crossrail opens, this will be reduced to just 10 minutes.

More benefits will be noticeable in autumn once the central section of the line is connected to the east and west sections. At this time, a journey from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf - which currently takes longer than an hour - will take less than 45 minutes thanks to the Elizabeth Line.

MD of train supplier Alstom UK and Ireland Nick Crossfield said: “The Elizabeth line is set to transform London and become one of the world’s leading urban transport operations.

“I’m immensely proud of the leading role Alstom has played in the Crossrail project, and will continue to do so delivering reliable, high-quality trains for Londoners.”

Learn more about travelling on the Elizabeth line

As the operator of London’s flagship railway, our purpose is to ensure that we operate the Elizabeth line to the highest operational standards, delivering outstanding performance matched with excellent customer service.

The Elizabeth line is the most significant addition to London’s transport network in a generation, providing new journey options, cutting travel time and supporting regeneration across the capital.

Customers can travel direct between Reading, Heathrow and Abbey Wood and between Shenfield and Heathrow via Paddington, taking advantage of record journey times with up to 24 trains per hour in each direction through central London.

With around 4.1 million journeys made each week, we are incredibly proud to be part of this transformative new railway, providing world-class customer service and performance.

For up to date service, timetables, fares, and planned railway upgrade information, visit TfL’s website.

The Elizabeth line experience

Accessibility on the elizabeth line.

The Elizabeth line has been built to provide step-free access to help connect people to more of London. All stations are staffed from first to last service so you can get the help you need throughout your journey.

For more information on our accessible travel commitments please refer to the link provided. Additionally, we have also created an accessible travel policy leaflet that outlines the key highlights of these commitments.

Customer information pledges

Our customers have always been at the heart of everything we do.

We are proud of our achievements across all areas of customer service excellence, and we continue to challenge ourselves to make further enhancements.

To help drive improvements to customer information, a set of pledges have been developed by the rail industry setting out clear commitments to what information will be provided during any periods of disruption, as well as the enhancements we’ll look to make in the future.

These pledges will be used as a framework for delivering timely, accurate and consistent communications to help customers make well-informed travel decisions.

To learn more about the RDG pledges, please visit the  Rail Delivery Group pledges page  or  download a copy of the pledges here .

Keeping you informed

We know that timely information, particularly when things don’t go to plan, is a major priority for our customers.

We’re committed to keeping customers fully informed during service disruption, as well informing our customers well in advance when our routes are closed, or our services are reduced due to planned engineering works.

During unplanned disruption

We’re focused on improving information for our customers when things go wrong. In late 2020, MTR Elizabeth line became the first UK train operating company to achieve Customer First Accreditation on our first assessment.

Our team works hard to offer the best possible journey experience, safely and on time.

In case things don’t go to plan, we have clear contingency plans in place to make sure we get your journey back on track as quickly as possible.

When our service experiences disruption, our  ‘Passenger Information during disruption’  document details how we communicate with our customers.

If you’d like to know more about what guidelines we follow, it’s the Approved Code of Practice issued by The Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

Sometimes Network Rail must carry out engineering work at short notice, and we can’t give customers much warning.

We’ll still let customers know as far in advance as we can, and information will be available from our stations and staff, our Customer Services team, National Rail Enquiries, TfL’s website.

Upcoming planned disruption

Sometimes we can’t run to our regular timetable, or have to run a rail replacement service.

To keep the hassle to a minimum, engineering or improvement work is planned for times when it will cause the least disruption, such as on weekends and bank holidays.

Maintenance and improvement work is planned well in advance, so summaries of planned engineering work are published 12 weeks in advance on National Rail Enquiries and TfL Journey Planner.

We try to make full details available as early as possible, and will always notify customers in advance via special notices on Customer Information Screens, scheduled PAs and posters at stations.

Where to access live service information

If you’re caught up in a delay, we’ll always try and keep you well informed, and minimise the impact on your day. You can get the latest updates and advice:

• Via National Rail Enquiries (mobile or web)
• Via The TfL Go app
• Via Station Colleagues at each station (we’re staffed first to last trains)
• Via ‘Help’ points at each station
• Via TfL’s contact centre on 0343 222 1234

We have a dedicated team that works 24/7 in our Romford Operating Centre who work hard to keep an eye on our service and respond to any unexpected hiccups.

Safety and Security

Our stations are accredited by the Department for Transport and British Transport Police’s Secure Stations Scheme. This means our stations are safe and secure environments for both our customers and colleagues.

Many of our car parks include Park Mark signage, meaning they are accredited by the Safer Parking Scheme. Customers can confidently leave their car knowing it is in a safe place.

Lost property inquiries can be made via TfL.

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Did You Know Crossrail Already Has A Journey Planner?

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Crossrail won't be in fully working order until autumn 2019, but did you know you can already play around with the Crossrail journey planner?

Visit Crossrail.co.uk/route , scroll down a bit, and you'll find a Journey Time Calculator on the right hand side.

It's nerdy good fun playing about with the various origins and destinations. You can, for instance, work out that the journey from one end of Crossrail to the other — in this case from Reading in the west to Shenfield in the east — will take 102 minutes.

That's exactly the right amount of time to stream the Wizard of Oz, should you need cheering up on a dreary commute...

... or Dirty Harry, should you need to psyche yourself up for that all-important meeting in Shenfield.

You can also pit various journey planners against each other, to see how Crossrail fares against current transport options. So we can see that the same journey from Reading to Shenfield currently takes an average of about nine minutes longer than Crossrail will, and involves two changes.

And how about those all-important trips to and from the airport?

The current journey time from Paddington to Heathrow Terminals 1-3 is 15 minutes on the Heathrow Expess. Zippy, we'll admit.

On Crossrail, it'll still take on average nine minutes longer.

How many passengers decide the Express' premium fee is worth gaining that extra nine minutes, remains to be seen. But if you're used to taking the tube, then the Crossrail journey is going to smash the journey time by more than half:

Even if you don't need to travel from Paddington, and depart from, say Piccadilly Circus instead, Crossrail's still going to save you about 25 minutes from central to airport, and vice versa.

Of course, because the Crossrail trains aren't actually running yet, none of them can be delayed or cancelled. And once the line is in in service, you may find that journey planner is giving you slightly different journey times...

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Last Updated 28 November 2018

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Crossrail route map: New Elizabeth line stations, full list of stops and TfL journey times explained

Transport for london has released an official map showing the route of the new elizabeth line, which should open in time for the queen's platinum jubilee.

Transport for London has confirmed that the Elizabeth line will open on 24 May, 2022 following years of delays. The new Tube and Crossrail will start service – subject to safety checks – just in time for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations .

The £19bn route, which was originally supposed to open on 9 December, 2018, has faced a series of setbacks related to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on construction and revised assumptions about the pace of the project.

Where will the new Elizabeth Line serve?

The Elizabeth line will run through the centre of London, spreading out to four peripheral London locations – Reading, Heathrow, Shenfield and Abbey Wood.

Described by TfL as “one of the most complex digital railways in the world,” the new line combines pioneering technology and design to help serve central London and commuter towns.

The aim of Crossrail is to connect commuter towns to the east and west of London to the centre of the city.

The line travels through popular towns such as Maidenhead, Slough, Ilford and Brentwood.

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Elizabeth Line map and journey times explained

TfL have released an official map showing the route of the new Elizabeth line . For a full high resolution map click here.

Service will start with 12 trains an hour (a train every 5 minutes) running between Paddington and Abbey Wood from 6.30am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday.

The line will not run on Sundays, however this will change in the autumn. A special service will operate on Sunday 5 June, 2022 between 8am and 10pm to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee .

Full list of Crossrail stations

The new Crossrail line will cover 41 stations, not in order:

• West Drayton
• Hayes & Harlington
• West Ealing
• Ealing Broadway
• Acton Main Line
• Bond Street
• Tottenham Court Road
• Liverpool Street
• Whitechapel
• Forest Gate
• Seven Kings
• Chadwell Heath
• Harold Wood
• Canary Wharf
• Custom House
• Heathrow Airport Terminals 2 & 3
• Heathrow Airport Terminal 4
• Heathrow Airport Terminal 5

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