TfL Rail - A

TfL Rail - A

TfL Rail was the concession which operated commuter services on two separate railway lines in London, England and its environs whilst the Crossrail construction project linking these lines was underway. On 24 May 2022, upon the opening of the Crossrail central section, TfL Rail was rebranded as Elizabeth line and the name was discontinued.

TfL Rail was introduced on 31 May 2015 when it took control from Abellio Greater Anglia of the commuter "metro" service between London Liverpool Street in central London and Shenfield in Essex. The branch comprised the first 14 stations on the Great Eastern Main Line, with interchange at Shenfield for medium- and long-distance services beyond to East Anglia.

TfL Rail had also taken over operation of some services from Paddington to Heathrow Airport and Reading. Services were operated by MTR Corporation under contract to Transport for London (TfL). Between May 2016 and May 2017, TfL Rail carried over 47 million passengers on the Shenfield branch.

TfL Rail History

In June 2013, TfL announced that Arriva, MTR Corporation, Keolis / Go-Ahead Group and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the concession to operate Crossrail, which was under construction.

In July 2014, TfL awarded the contract to Hong Kong's MTR, for a duration of eight years with an option to extend by an additional two years.

MTR Corporation (Crossrail) was created as a new train operating company and took control of the "metro" service between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield from the previous operator, Abellio Greater Anglia, on 31 May 2015.

The existing Class 315 trains were re-painted in TfL Rail livery, and appropriate branding, advertising and message boards were added at the 14 stations along the line. Every station is staffed, from the first train to the last of the day. In June 2017, Class 345 trains began running between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

In May 2018, TfL Rail took over operation of the Heathrow Connect service between London Paddington and Heathrow, as well as some GWR services between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.

In December 2019, TfL Rail took over operation of the Great Western Railway stopping services between London Paddington and Reading.
In November 2019, Class 345 trains began running between London Paddington and Reading, as a soft launch of the service.
In July 2020, Class 345 trains began running between London Paddington and Heathrow.

The two branches became part of the Elizabeth line when the central section opened on 24 May 2022, with the current branches connecting up with the core later.

TfL Rail Route

The eastern branch of TfL Rail ran over the existing 20 miles 16 chains (32.5 km) of track on the Great Eastern Main Line between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield. The western branches operated over part of the Great Western Main Line and the Heathrow tunnel between London Paddington and Heathrow for 16 miles 38 chains (26.5 km), and entirely over the Great Western Main Line between London Paddington and Reading for 36 miles (58 km).

TfL Rail Stations

Stations Served or Managed by TfL Rail

Reading

National Rail CrossCountry

National Rail Great Western Railway

National Rail South Western Railway

Twyford

National Rail Great Western Railway

Maidenhead

National Rail Great Western Railway

Taplow
Burnham
Slough

National Rail Great Western Railway

Langley
Iver
West Drayton
Heathrow Terminal 5[b]

National Rail Heathrow Express

London Underground Piccadilly line

Heathrow Terminal 4

London Underground Piccadilly line

Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3

National Rail Heathrow Express

London Underground Piccadilly line

Hayes & Harlington

National Rail Great Western Railway

Southall
Hanwell
West Ealing

National Rail Great Western Railway

Ealing Broadway

National Rail Great Western Railway

London Underground Central line

London Underground District line

Acton Main Line

Paddington

National Rail Great Western Railway

National Rail Heathrow Express

London Underground Bakerloo line

London Underground Circle line

London Underground District line

London Underground Hammersmith & City line

Liverpool Street

National Rail Greater Anglia

London Underground Central line

London Underground Circle line

London Underground Hammersmith & City line

London Underground Metropolitan line

London Overground London Overground

Stratford

National Rail Greater Anglia

London Underground Central line

London Underground Jubilee line

London Overground

Docklands Light Railway

Maryland
Forest Gate
Manor Park
Ilford
Seven Kings
Goodmayes
Chadwell Heath
Romford

National Rail Greater Anglia

London Overground

Gidea Park
Harold Wood
Brentwood
Shenfield

National Rail Greater Anglia

Abbey Wood

National Rail Southeastern

National Rail Thameslink

a^ Stations between Iver and Reading only accept contactless Pay-as-you-go and are therefore not in the Oyster zones

b^ Jump up to:a b Heathrow Terminal 5 is not officially served by TfL Rail, but services divert to this station when Heathrow Terminal 4 is closed, for example during the COVID-19 period

c^ TfL Rail did not provide any services at Abbey Wood, but the Elizabeth line, its successor service, does.

TfL Rail Overview

TfL Rail Owner: Transport for London

TfL Rail Locale:

Greater London

Berkshire

Buckinghamshire

Essex

TfL Rail Transit Type:

Commuter rail

Rapid transit

TfL Rail Number of Lines: 2

TfL Rail Line Number:

Shenfield - Liverpool Street

Paddington - Hayes & Harlington, Heathrow Terminal 4 and Reading

TfL Rail Number of Stations: 32 (22 managed)

TfL Rail Began Operation: 31 May 2015, 8 years ago

TfL Rail Ended Operation: 23 May 2022, 14 months ago (rebranded as Elizabeth line)

TfL Rail Operator(s): MTR Corporation

TfL Rail Reporting Marks: XR

TfL Rail Technical System Length: 36 miles 54 chains (59.0 km)

TfL Rail Track Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

TfL Rail Electrification: 25 kV AC overhead lines

TfL Rail Map

Miles from Liverpool Street

20¼ Shenfield National Rail

18¼ Brentwood

Greater London

15 Harold Wood

13½ Gidea Park

12½ Romford

10 Chadwell Heath

9¼ Goodmayes

8½ Seven Kings

7¼ Ilford

6¼ Manor Park

5¼ Forest Gate

4½ Maryland

4 Stratford

Pudding Mill Lane portal

0 Liverpool Street

Crossrail

0 Paddington

Royal Oak portal

4¼ Acton Main Line

5¾ Ealing Broadway

6½ West Ealing

7¼ Hanwell

9 Southall

11 Hayes & Harlington

Heathrow junction

14¾ Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3

16½ Heathrow Terminal 4

14 West Drayton

Greater London

14¾ Iver

16¼ Langley

18½ Slough

21 Burnham

22½ Taplow

24¼ Maidenhead

31 Twyford

36 Reading

Miles from Paddington

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