Elizabeth Railway Line Opens In London, The Network’s Greatest Upgrade In Years

This week, Londoners got to hop aboard the latest addition to the underground railway, the Elizabeth line, which will now support quicker journeys across the city in what could be the “most significant addition” to its transport network in over a generation.

Named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the Paddington Elizabeth line station to mark the occasion, the launch of the new line will see nine stations in central London open their doors to commuters, with services arriving five minutes apart from 6.30 am to 11 pm, six days a week.

“This is a huge moment, not just for London but the entire country—particularly in this special Jubilee year,” quipped the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Impressively, just with this single railway expansion, the transportation service will now connect London’s major employment centers to one another, and increase its rail capacity by 10%—the largest single increase in more than 70 years. 

In addition to faster trips, the addition will bring an extensive supply chain to businesses of all sizes, creating more jobs across the country. For example, the Class 345 trains used on track were build in Derby, signages came from a family-run firm on the Isle of Wright, and sewer networks were secured by a company based in Leeds. 

“This brand new line is the most significant addition to our transport network in decades. It will add billions to our economy and is set to serve up to 200 million passengers each year. I’m sure passengers will enjoy the modern trains, beautiful step-free stations, and the reduced journey times across the capital and the South East,” summed up Khan.

[via CNN and Transport for London, images via Crossrail Project]