The Elizabeth line has started a direct service from Shenfield in Essex to Heathrow, meaning passengers no longer need to switch trains when travelling from Essex or east London.
The journey from Shenfield to the airport’s Terminal 5 takes 80 minutes, and trains will run twice an hour from the station direct to Heathrow.
Transport for London (TfL) said 43% of passengers now travel by sustainable public transport to and from the airport and the extension of the Elizabeth line “will help to strengthen this”.
The line will now travel through 13 more stations in east London and Essex, including Stratford, Ilford, Romford and Shenfield.
The new route now means thousands of people in Essex and east London have a direct train to Heathrow for the first time, added TfL.
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The trains have dedicated wheelchair areas and can carry up to 1,500 people – more than double a Piccadilly line train’s capacity.
Sophie Chapman, surface access director at Heathrow said: “Heathrow is the world’s gateway to the UK and we’re delighted our east London and Essex passengers can now travel quickly and easily direct to the airport.
“The extension of the revolutionary Elizabeth Line service will open up Heathrow’s extensive destination network to hundreds of thousands of people from the east.
“The holiday starts at Heathrow, and now it’s that little bit quicker and easier to get started when you’re coming from Essex.”
This week marks the first anniversary of the opening of the Elizabeth line to passengers on May 24, 2022.
Now, with journeys from the east and west running through central London, there are an average of about 3.5 million Elizabeth line journeys each week.
An estimated 30% of Elizabeth line journeys to and from Heathrow have come from those who might previously have used Heathrow Express to the airport.
The new timetable means the airport overall now receives six Elizabeth line trains per hour all day.
All Heathrow trains stop at Terminal 2 and 3, with four trains per hour continuing to Terminal 4, and two per hour continuing to Terminal 5.
To mark the start of the direct service, Apprentice star and TV personality Tom Skinner (pictured) is the voice of the Elizabeth line for this week.
Picture credit: Kieran Cleeves/PA Wire.