Transport for London has just announced that the Elizabeth Line will open between Paddington and Abbey Wood on 24 May, so long as final safety checks are satisfactory. However, Bond Street station will not open until later in the year, because work is still unfinished there.

Trains will run every five minutes between 06.30 and 23.00 Monday to Saturday, but there will be no Sunday services for the time being with the exception of the Platinum Jubilee weekend, when there will be a service on Sunday 5 June from 08.00 to 20.00.

The opening will also cue the abolition of the temporary TfL Rail brand, and trains from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield will all be marked ‘Elizabeth Line’. However, passengers from the western side will have to change for now at Paddington and those from Shenfield at Liverpool Street.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: ‘I’m delighted that our world-class new Elizabeth line will be opening to passengers later this month, helping build a better London – one which is safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.’

The line was originally due to open in December 2018.

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