What is the Elizabeth line?
The Elizabeth line is a railway across London and the surrounding areas that opened in 2022. Named after Queen Elizabeth II, it runs from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
The line was built as part of the Crossrail project, one of the largest construction projects in Europe. It involved digging new tunnels beneath central London.
Trains run through new stations in central London, including Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel. The stations are large and modern, with long platforms.
Faster journeys
The Elizabeth line cut journey times across London. For example, travelers can reach Canary Wharf from central London quickly and travel directly from Heathrow Airport to the City.
The project faced long delays and went billions of pounds over budget. It was originally expected to open in 2018.
The line is shown in purple on the Tube map. It quickly became one of the busiest railways in the UK, carrying millions of passengers each week. Its trains are longer than Tube trains and have air conditioning.