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.

The Elizabeth Line has significantly transformed London transit times, offering speeds and connections that are often 40% to 50% faster than traditional Underground routes. For example, a journey from Paddington to Canary Wharf, which previously took over 30 minutes with multiple transfers, now takes only 17 minutes on a direct, high-frequency service. Similarly, the trip from Heathrow Airport to central London (Bond Street) has been slashed to roughly 30 minutes, providing a much faster alternative to the Piccadilly Line or the more expensive Heathrow Express. In 2026, data shows that the line’s "modelled generalised journey times" save the average passenger over 6 minutes per trip compared to the next best alternative. Beyond raw speed, the Elizabeth Line's higher frequency (up to 24 trains per hour in the central section) and larger, air-conditioned walk-through carriages reduce "perceived" travel time by providing a more reliable and comfortable experience that eases the heavy congestion formerly seen on the Central and Jubilee lines.