IT MIGHT not be the fastest route from the Ding to Paddington, but Crossrail is saving time in the capital.
Great Western Railway says it now takes 17 minutes to get from the London station to Canary Wharf, half the previous time.
The train firm’s managing director, Mark Hopwood, described the opening of the line as a game-changer, with 81% of passengers heading to another London destination on arrival at Paddington.
“The Elizabeth line will be completely transformational for Great Western Railway customers, improving connectivity and reducing overall journey times from Paddington into other key points in the city,” he explained.
“If you’re travelling from Reading, Paddington becomes a much more attractive option as you’re able to reach the heart of the city in half the time it would have taken previously.”
Other advantages include five minutes to get to Tottenham Court Road, compared to 14 minutes, and 11 minutes to Liverpool Street Station, down from 25 minutes.
Customers travelling from Reading and Twyford into London will initially need to change at Paddington for services into the central section of the route. This will change in the autumn, and peak services will see 22 trains an hour run between Paddington and Whitechapel.
The Elizabeth Line will be completed in May next year, and see the frequency increase to 24 trains an hour.
