Transport for London: New Elizabeth Line expected to be up and running by the end of June

Updated on March 15, 2022 at 5:08 PM

A new train line has been underway since 2018. It should be available to the public before the end of June.

TfL: the New Elizabeth Line should debut before the end of June

A brand new train line is set to be made available to the public later this year. However, the official launch date is being kept secret by Transport for London (TfL).

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The Elizabeth Line

The Elizabeth Line was supposed to be launched back in December of 2018 but it has been delayed and has also gone over budget. The new Crossrail line will connect Reading to Heathrow, passing through Shenfield, Abbey Wood via tunnels between Paddington and Whitechapel.

The train line got the go-ahead back in 2007 but has suffered major delays and has gone over budget. The original budget was estimated at around £14.8 billion but has in fact cost almost £19 billion.

I had so much fun volunteering on the @Crossrail trial operations today!

We did a simulated evacuation, and I got off the train into the tunnel and wheeled along the walkway - which was impressively wide!

Not long to wait now… #ElizabethLine pic.twitter.com/w12fcew61z
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) February 19, 2022

A secret launch date

Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford refused to provide an official launch date for the Elizabeth Line and says it will be ‘soon’.

I am very confident that we will be able to announce an opening date soon.

It is believed that the launch date will be sometime before June 30. On Monday, Byford told the London Assembly:

I can confirm this morning we remain on track… to open the Elizabeth line… within the first half of this year, by June 30, 2022.

We have a date that we are working towards but until I’m certain… that we can open on that particular date, I’m not going to commit to it or publicly opine on it.

thumbnail — The Queen at the opening of the Victoria Line in 1969 Keystone/Getty

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Will the Queen open her namesake train line?

Transport for London bosses hope the Queen will be well enough to open the Crossrail project named after her. Due to the Queen’s current health concerns, she has been advised to rest.

53 years ago, the Queen opened the Victoria line in 1969 so hopefully, the Queen will be able to open her namesake train line in the coming months.

Andy Byford said:

I mean it’s named after her. It depends - is she available, is she able to do it? I’d love [her] to.