Crossrail is to charge less than half the price of a train ride from central London to Heathrow airport for its service, Transport for London (Tfl) has confirmed.
To travel to the airport at peak times will cost £12.10, £7 more than the underground, but below the £27 standard Heathrow Express fare, which takes 15 minutes.
Crossrail, which is also known as the Elizabeth Line, will begin services from Paddington station to Heathrow from December 2018. Travel to Heathrow from Paddington is likely to take around 25 minutes on board.
Management of TfL falls under the remit of the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who said: “The opening of the Elizabeth Line this year will transform travel across London, with new state-of-the-art trains transporting millions of people more quickly around the capital.
“For Londoners going to Heathrow, many of the benefits will be felt in a matter of months, with Oyster, Contactless, and cheaper fares coming in when TfL takes over the service from Heathrow Connect in May.”
Speaking to Travel Weekly, Heathrow Express director Fraser Brown said that the service will remain the quickest route from central London and welcomed the extra rail capacity.
He said: “We know the travelling public value the speed and simplicity of our service.”