Detailed plans for what became the Elizabeth line started in earnest in 2001. Under an agreement between TfL and the Department for Transport, the project organisation Crossrail Limited was created as a subsidiary of TfL in December 2008.
People Also Ask
Name and identityCrossrail is the name of the construction project and of the limited company, wholly owned by TfL, that was formed to carry out construction works. The Elizabeth line is the name of the new service that is on signage throughout the stations.
Yes, Oyster cards are accepted for most journeys, except for stations west of West Drayton. Contactless payment cards are accepted at all stations on the Elizabeth line, or if you use an Oyster card, you can buy a paper ticket if you're travelling beyond West Drayton.
First and foremost, it is not a 'tube line' – it is a regular national railway line. But it coexists and operates side-by-side with the London Underground. Perhaps the biggest and most obvious difference are the trains themselves.
Why isn't the Elizabeth Line considered a London Underground line? There are two key reasons why TfL does not consider the Elizabeth Line to be an addition to the Tube network. The first is that the line goes across a large amount of the National rail network, using Great Eastern and Great Western infrastructure.
Despite being named under the same system as London Underground lines, and having sections which are underground, the Elizabeth line is not classified as a London Underground line. Under the project name of Crossrail, the system was approved in 2007, and construction began in 2009.
Elizabeth line fares are the same as the Tube on journeys within TfL's fare zones, which extend to Brentwood in Essex. However, beyond this, special fares kick in.
Train drivers on TfL Rail/ the Elizabeth line are employed by MTR Elizabeth line to operate the service on behalf of Transport for London. All drivers employed are either operating passenger services or involved with testing the new trains.
The Elizabeth line is not one of the few Transport for London services to run an all-night timetable, but its trains do start quite early in the morning and run late at night. Only five Tube lines run a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays: the Victoria, Piccadilly, Jubilee, Central and Northern lines.
Does the Elizabeth line skip stations? Eagle-eyed travellers will see that between Paddington and Reading, the service skips Acton Main Line, West Ealing and Hanwell. This could catch some passengers out if they don't check all the stops being called before boarding.
The Elizabeth Line is about half the price of a full-fare Heathrow Express ticket, but takes twice as long to reach Paddington. Trains depart every 30 minutes and it takes just 35 minutes to travel between Paddington Station and Heathrow.
As part of the London Underground network, you can pay for your journey to or from Heathrow on the Elizabeth Line with a single-use paper ticket, an Oyster Card, or a contactless debit/credit card. It's ALWAYS cheaper to use an Oyster Card or your contactless card than it is to buy a paper ticket.