The new “full peak” Elizabeth Line timetable is set to be introduced on May 21, with extra trains across the network including to and from Heathrow.
The airport will see six Elizabeth line trains per hour throughout the day from next month, with all services stopping at Terminals 2 and 3, four continuing onto Terminal 4, and two of them to Terminal 5.
In addition services will run all day between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5 for the first time, with two trains per hour providing direct connectivity between Essex, east London and west London.
TfL also said that it had improved signage at Heathrow, “which should make it clearer for customers, particularly those visiting London or using the Elizabeth line for the first time”.
The increase in services is part of a wider move to add frequencies and improve journey options as the Elizabeth line celebrates its first birthday on May 24.
Trains will run roughly every two and a half minutes between Paddington and Whitechapel at peak time, with frequencies increased to up to 24 trains per hour in both directions, and additional trains will serve Liverpool Street rail station during an extended peak time.
There will also be the removal of any “significant pauses” for trains between Paddington and Acton Main Line, with customers on these services seeing reduced journey times between Reading and Paddington, and improved journey times for customers travelling from the west into central London.
Also in the west there will be an increase in peak services from Reading, with some trains that were previously operated by Great Western Railway transferring to become Elizabeth line services with reduced stops.
More than 140 million customers journeys have so far taken place on the Elizabeth line, with around 600,000 journeys now been made each weekday.
Commenting on the news Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said:
“The Elizabeth line has transformed the lives of Londoners and the experience for visitors to the city in just under a year of TfL operating the service.
“With this new timetable, those travelling through central London will have a train arriving around every two and a half minutes, those using Heathrow Airport will have more regular services, and time will be shaved off many journeys from Reading, Heathrow and into central London.
“Those on the east will also benefit from twice hourly services to the airport, linking Essex and west London on the line for the first time.”
