page_title: Crossrail
hierarchical_section_title: Crossrail
caption_attribution_description: Crossrail tunnel looking west
context_page_description: Crossrail is a 117-kilometre new railway line under development in the United Kingdom. Crossing London from west to east, at each end of its central core the line will divide into two branches: in the west to Reading and Heathrow Central; in the east to Abbey Wood and to Shenfield. In May 2015, a section of one of the eastern branches, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, was transferred to TfL Rail; this precursor service also took control of Heathrow Connect in May 2018 and the Paddington to Reading line in December 2019.
  The project was approved in 2007, and construction began in 2009 on the central section and connections to existing lines that will become part of the route. A main feature is 13 miles of twin tunnels completed in May 2015 running from Paddington to Stratford and Canary Wharf.
  New nine-carriage Class 345 trains will run at frequencies in the central section of up to 24 trains per hour in each direction. This will provide some relief for London Underground lines such as the Central, the District, the Jubilee line extension and the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly line.
context_section_description: Crossrail (to be officially named as Elizabeth line) is a 117-kilometre (73-mile) new railway line under development in the United Kingdom. Crossing London from west to east, at each end of its central core the line will divide into two branches: in the west to Reading and Heathrow Central; in the east to Abbey Wood and to Shenfield. In May 2015, a section of one of the eastern branches, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, was transferred to TfL Rail; this precursor service also took control of Heathrow Connect in May 2018 and the Paddington to Reading line in December 2019.
  The project was approved in 2007, and construction began in 2009 on the central section and connections to existing lines that will become part of the route. A main feature is 13 miles (21 km) of twin tunnels completed in May 2015 running from Paddington to Stratford and Canary Wharf.
  New nine-carriage Class 345 trains will run at frequencies in the central section of up to 24 trains per hour in each direction. This will provide some relief for London Underground lines such as the Central, the District, the Jubilee line extension and the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly line.
  Crossrail will be operated by MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Ltd as a London Rail concession of Transport for London, in a similar manner to London Overground. TfL's annual revenues from the line were forecast in 2018 to be nearly £500 million per year in 2022/23 and over £1 billion per year from 2024/25.
  The total cost has risen from an initial budget of £14.8bn to £18.25bn. Originally planned to open in 2018, the project continues to be delayed. It is unlikely that the central section will open before 2023. COVID-19 had caused Crossrail Ltd to temporarily pause physical works on all sites, though this has now resumed.
caption: Crossrail tunnel under construction
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