Back to blog The central section on the Elizabeth line opened on 24 May 2022. The line will initially operate as three separate railways, in the east, west and through central London. Services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield will connect with the central tunnels from autumn this year.

Until autumn 2022:

  • There will be 12 trains an hour (a train every 5 minutes), running between Paddington and Abbey Wood from 06:30 – 23:00, Monday to Saturday
  • Bond Street is currently closed and will open later on this year
  • There will be no Sunday services. A special service will operate on Sunday 5 June 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee weekend running from 08:00-22:00
  • Services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, and Paddington to Heathrow and Reading will continue to operate on Sundays as they do now
Elizabeth line customers travelling between:
  • Shenfield and the central section of the route will need to change trains at Liverpool Street, walking to/from the new Elizabeth line Liverpool Street station
  • Reading or Heathrow and the central section will need to change trains at Paddington, walking to/from the new Paddington Elizabeth line station
  • Paddington and Abbey Wood only will not need to change

From autumn 2022:

The lines from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield will connect with the central tunnels, so customers travelling:
  • From Reading and Heathrow can travel east all the way to Abbey Wood without changing at Paddington
  • From Shenfield can travel west all the way to Paddington without changing at Liverpool Street

By May 2023:

  • The separate sections of the Elizabeth line will be fully connected and you will be able to travel seamlessly from Abbey Wood to Heathrow and Reading, and from Shenfield to Heathrow
  • 24 trains an hour will run at the busiest times between Paddington and Whitechapel

Fares and ticketing

  • While customers will initially need to touch out at Paddington and Liverpool Street to change for trains towards Reading, Heathrow or Shenfield, daily and weekly price capping will apply just as it does now
  • Contactless pay as you go will be accepted throughout the Elizabeth line, as on TfL Rail
  • Oyster pay as you go and valid Travelcards will also be accepted but, as on TfL Rail, not west of West Drayton
  • Customers using Oyster to pay as you go who want to travel to or from stations beyond West Drayton will need to use contactless instead or buy a paper ticket
  • TfL concessions will be accepted
  • Customers with a Railcard discount set on their Oyster card will continue to benefit from 1/3 off off-peak pay as you go fares, just as they do now

Improved accessibility

  • All Elizabeth line stations will be step free from street to platform when the line opens, apart from Ilford. Network Rail expects to make that station step free in summer 2022.
  • Nine of the 10 new stations (when fully open) plus Heathrow will have step free access from street to trains. At Custom House station, wheelchair users should board the fifth carriage of Elizabeth line trains for level access.
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