BBC News 6 November 2022
Three sections of the Elizabeth line have been connected enabling passengers to travel across the capital without having to change stations.
Previously anyone going from Heathrow, Reading, Abbey Wood and Shenfield had to change at Paddington or Liverpool Street to remain on the Elizabeth Line.
The Elizabeth line became operational in May and was opened by the Queen.
The newest launch means passengers landing at Heathrow airport will be able to reach destinations such as Farringdon in roughly 40 minutes or Canary Wharf in about 50 minutes.
Passengers from Reading and Heathrow can travel directly to Abbey Wood, south east London without needing to change at Paddington station, while those setting off from Shenfield, Essex can travel directly to Paddington without needing to change at Liverpool Street station.
Those making journeys to Reading and Heathrow will also be able to do so now, by changing lines from the same platform at any central London Elizabeth line station.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "Through our £9 billion investment, it's great to have contributed to a line which in just five short months has shown itself to be a staple of London's transport network delivering over 60 million journeys and creating over 55,000 jobs."
London's mayor Sadiq Khan said the latest extension of the Elizabeth line "will bring a huge boost to our city" including "encouraging people to make the most of the capital" and supporting businesses.
"I'm so proud of this transformational addition to our public transport network," he said. "The Elizabeth line is helping to build a better London - a fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners."
The full peak timetable, which will see 24 trains per hour during the peak between Paddington and Whitechapel, is on track to be in place by May 2023 and TfL says it will increase capacity and ease congestion on its network.
