The Elizabeth line is unique on the London Underground in that surface stock trains – as big as the S stock than run on the Metropolitan and District lines – run in tube tunnels under the Capital, and far out into Berkshire and Essex on the surface.
Can I use an Oyster or contactless payment card on the Elizabeth line? Yes, Oyster cards are accepted for most journeys, except for stations west of West Drayton.
The fares on the central section of the Elizabeth line (Paddington to Liverpool Street) are the same as the fares on London Underground in Zone 1. So travelling from Paddington to Liverpool Street would cost you £2.80 – the same as the Tube.
It is a fast, frequent service. Trains will run every five minutes between Paddington and Abbey Wood from 06.30 and 23.00 Monday to Saturday. The Elizabeth line offers a whole host of new travel opportunities across east and west London or beyond Paddington to Heathrow and the West Country.
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 will use Class 345 trains, which are around 200 metres long–making them more than one and a half times longer than the current longest tube train.
A consistent ride comfort level from Figures 1C,G can be observed, which implies that the Elizabeth Line can deliver a satisfying comfort level in the tested section according to either UIC 513 or ISO 2631.
Ticket and faresTravel on the Elizabeth line costs £12.80 at all times of the day, for a journey to or from Heathrow airport, where that journey starts, ends or goes through Zone 1. Single journey tickets and Zones 1-6 Travelcards can be purchased from airport station ticket machines.
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.
Perhaps the biggest and most obvious difference are the trains themselves. While the London Underground lines stock are either S7 or S8, the Elizabeth Line uses Class 345 trains. The Elizabeth Line's 345 stock are based on the Aventa similar, but improved, to that used by other British Rail trains.
Travel free on bus, tram, Tube, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line. You can travel free on TfL services with your Older Person's Freedom Pass from 09:00 weekdays and anytime at weekends and on bank holidays.
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.
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.
With platforms 34m below ground, Liverpool Street is the deepest of the Elizabeth line central stations. It is also one of the largest and most complex. It has two 238m long platform tunnels spanning between ticket halls at Moorgate and Liverpool Street, where it links with London Underground and mainline rail routes.