Elizabeth Line opening date set – but what about trains to Heathrow?
Links on Head for Points may support the site by paying a commission. See here for all partner links.
You have probably read in the press about the opening of Crossrail / Elizabeth Line, which is now planned for 24th May. Unless you want to go to Bond Street, which won’t open until later in the year ….
It is worth noting that, for now, nothing changes regarding travel to Heathrow.
There will be no Elizabeth Line trains passing through Paddington until next year. For now, services from Central London will stop at Paddington. You will need to go up to a surface level platform to catch a separate Elizabeth Line train towards Heathrow and the west.
All that happens on 24th May is that the existing ‘TfL Rail’ branding will swap to ‘Elizabeth Line’ branding. The rolling stock won’t change as TfL Rail has been using the new Elizabeth Line trains for some time.
You may also have read that Elizabeth Line services will not operate on Sundays. Whilst this is true for the central area, between Paddington and Abbey Wood, services WILL run on Sundays on the line from Heathrow and the west into Paddington.
At some point in 2023, once the necessary signalling works are complete, trains will run directly from Heathrow into Central London.
