London has recently gained another line on the tube map. It’s a new addition to the rail network in Great Britain and is here to make journeys across London even simpler. Railsmartr is here to take you through where the Elizabeth Line goes, how to use it and which tickets you’ll be able to use.

What is the Elizabeth Line?

The Elizabeth Line is a new section of railway running between Paddington in the west end of Central London with Abbey Wood out to the east. It’s mostly underground, with some sections above ground as you head further east. The line opened on May 24th, 2022.

As a line name, you’ll find that everything that was previously called TfL Rail is now called Elizabeth Line. It’s now completely opened, and you can travel from east to west without the need to change trains, including from Heathrow Airport.

This is the Elizabeth Line service pattern during Off-Peak hours:

• Reading to Abbey Wood (2 per hour)
• Maidenhead to Abbey Wood (2 per hour)
• Heathrow Terminal 4 to Abbey Wood (4 per hour)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 to Shenfield (2 per hour)
• Paddington to Shenfield (6 per hour)

This means that you’ll have 16 trains per hour to choose from between Paddington and Whitechapel. During peak hours, this will increase to up to 24 per hour. Extra trains run during these times between Paddington and Shenfield, and Abbey Wood and Reading/Maidenhead.

Click here to view a full map of the line.

Which stations are on the Elizabeth Line?

Where does the Elizabeth Line go? Great question. We’re just going to take a look at the brand-new stations on this page, and let you know what you can interchange to and from.

All of the stations on the ‘new’ section are fully step-free and have platform edge doors. This means that wheelchair users can travel between Paddington and Abbey Wood fully unaided, if they’d prefer to. There’s no gap between the train and platform and lifts from street level to the platform.

Paddington

Where is it? There’s a brand-new dedicated entrance next to Platform 1 in the ‘main’ station upstairs that can be accessed from Eastbourne Terrace. We’ve also produced this useful map so you know which station entrance is which:

It’s also possible to interchange directly between the Bakerloo Line and Elizabeth Line platforms, as a dedicated passageway has also been built.

Where can you change to/from? You can interchange with Great Western Railway services to the South West, South Wales and the Cotswolds, as well as the Heathrow Express. Don’t forget though, that from November 6th, direct trains will start running through Central London to Heathrow on the Elizabeth Line, so it might be faster (and cheaper!) to remain on board.

You can also change for the Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines.

Bond Street

The newest station on the line, Bond Street, opened on October 24th 2022. This was several months later than the rest of the Elizabeth Line.

Where is it? There’s two new entrances on Davies Street and Hanover Square, as well as the main Underground entrance. If you’re coming from Regent Street or Oxford Circus, then you’ll probably find it faster to access the line through the Hanover Square entrance. Here’s a map showing each entrance:

Where can you change to/from? Interchange is possible with the Central and Jubilee lines through dedicated underground passages.

Tottenham Court Road

Where is it? The entrance to Tottenham Court Road station is at St Giles’ Circus, where Oxford Street, Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road meet.

Where can you change to/from? You can change to and from the Northern and Central lines here through dedicated passages. However, it should be noted that its faster to change at Bond Street for the Central Line.

Farringdon

Where is it? There’s two entrances to Farringdon, depending on which end of the platform you’d like to come in on. You’ll find one across the road from Farringdon, known as the West Entrance (Thameslink & Underground) and another on the corner of Long Lane and Lindsey Street, near Barbican station. This is known as the East Entrance.

Where can you change to/from? At Farringdon, you can change to/from Thameslink services to Brighton, Bedford, Sutton and Gatwick Airport. You’ll also find the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

To make this change, you’ll need to pop outside onto the street and cross the road between stations. Don’t worry that you’ll need to go in and out of multiple ticket gates to do this, if you’re using contactless or Oyster it’ll be counted as one journey.

You can also change at Barbican for the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines if you’d prefer. This isn’t an official interchange but it’s physically possible!

Liverpool Street

Where is it? This station connects both Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations, with a huge passage running the length of the platforms and beyond. If you’re joining from Liverpool Street, you’ll find a dedicated entrance where Liverpool Street and Broad Street Place meet.

Coming from Moorgate? There’s an entrance on the southern end of Moorfields which will also take you to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

Where can you change to/from? There’s certainly plenty of choice at this Elizabeth Line station!

From Liverpool Street, you can change for Greater Anglia services to Braintree, Clacton, Ipswich, Norwich and Southend, as well as Cambridge, Hertford East and Stansted Airport. London Overground services also operate to Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town. Finally, you can change for the Central Line, as well as the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

Moorgate offers interchange with Great Northern services to Hertford North, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage. You can also change for the Northern Line and once again, the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines!

Whitechapel

Where is it? The original entrance on Whitechapel Road has been retained for this station, though it’s had a lot of work done to make it suitable for the Elizabeth Line. You’ll also find a new entrance on Durward Street, with a passage through the ticket hall connecting both entrances.

Where can you change to/from? Interchange is possible at Whitechapel with London Overground services to Highbury & Islington, New Cross, Crystal Palace, West Croydon and Clapham Junction. You can also change for the District and Hammersmith & City lines.

Canary Wharf

Where is it? Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line station is located on Crossrail Place, effectively sitting right over the water of West India Docks. There’s quite a few stations in the area, so take a look at the map below to get your bearings!

Where can you change to/from? This is where it gets a little complicated as there’s quite the selection of stations around Canary Wharf to choose from.

If you’re wanting to continue your journey by DLR towards Beckton, Woolwich Arsenal or Stratford, then you’re probably best heading for Poplar.

Looking to travel to Limehouse, Shadwell, Tower Gateway or Bank? You’ll find that West India Quay is the nearest and most convenient station to head for.

If you’re going to Lewisham, then it’s worth heading for Canary Wharf. This is because not all DLR trains to Lewisham stop at West India Quay, so you’ll have the most choice.

You can also change for Canary Wharf (Jubilee Line) for trains to Stratford and Stanmore. All four of these stations are classed as an ‘Out-of-Station Interchange’ (OSI) which means that if you’re using Oyster or Contactless, the system will count it as one journey, even though you’ve had to leave the system and walk to another stop.

Custom House

Where is it? The Elizabeth Line station at Custom House has been built right next to the DLR one, so you have two options for entering. You can either come in from Victoria Dock Road or straight from the ExCeL Centre and Royal Victoria Dock.

Where can you change to/from? You can change for DLR services to/from Beckton, Canning Town and the City from Custom House DLR station next door.

Woolwich

Where is it? Woolwich station is situated in Dial Arch Square, just off the A206 Beresford Street/Victory Parade. It’s unusual in that it’s the only brand-new station with no directly-connected interchange to any other transport mode or line. However, it’s a short walk down the Woolwich New Road to Woolwich Arsenal station.

Where can you change to/from? From Woolwich Arsenal, you can change to/from Southeastern and Thameslink services to Charlton, Lewisham, Greenwich and London Bridge. If you’re heading for Slade Green, Dartford and Rainham, it’s easier to stay on to Abbey Wood and change there.

Abbey Wood

Where is it? You’ll find Abbey Wood station on the Abbey Wood Road. The Elizabeth Line platforms act as a direct extension of the existing Southeastern and Thameslink station.

Where can you change to/from? You can change for Thameslink service to Dartford, Gillingham, Chatham and Rainham as well as Greenwich, Central London and Luton. Southeastern services will also take you to Dartford, Lewisham, Charlton, New Cross and London Bridge/Cannon Street/Charing Cross.

Which tickets can I use?

Just like everywhere else within London, Oyster and Contactless are the preferred ways to pay on the Elizabeth Line. You’ll be charged the same fares that would apply on the London Underground. Even if you’ve bought a ticket through Railsmartr for your trip to London, you’ll likely find it easier to complete your journey using Contactless.

Paper Travelcards are also valid on the Elizabeth Line, as well as rail tickets with the ‘Maltese Cross’ that allow you to travel across London. Be aware that some rail ticket rules have been altered to exclude the Elizabeth Line, so make sure you check any restrictions. Tickets routed ‘via City Thameslink’ are only valid on Thameslink trains across London. You cannot use tickets to ‘London Terminals‘ to stations between Liverpool Street and Paddington.

It’s not possible to buy tickets to individual Elizabeth Line stations between Paddington and Abbey Wood. Instead, you’ll need to buy a ticket to the zone that the station is in:

• Zone 1 – Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street
• Zone 2 – Whitechapel, Canary Wharf
• Zone 3 – Custom House
• Zone 4 – Woolwich, Abbey Wood.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and your best options for reaching London airports, including Gatwick. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London, either.

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