The Elizabeth Line has clocked enough miles for 45 round trips to the moon
The Elizabeth Line has clocked up enough miles in its first three years to reach the moon and back 45 times, it has been revealed.
More than 600m passenger journeys have been made on the UK’s single busiest railway service since operations began in 2022, according to Transport for London (TfL).
That means London’s ‘Lizzie Line’ transported users 21.5m miles, averaging up to 800,000 journeys per day.
The figures shed light on the staggering impact Crossrail has had on London’s public transport network as the Elizabeth Line reaches its third anniversary.
Andy Lord, London’s transport commissioner, said the Elizabeth Line had “redifined travel” across the capital and the South East.
“Its popularity and performance have exceeded expectations, and its success demonstrates the demand for sustainable, high-capacity public transport.”
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “The Elizabeth line exemplifies the benefits that investment in high-quality infrastructure can bring for both the city and the country.
“In just three years, it’s become the single busiest railway in the UK, revolutionising how people travel, connecting communities, powering economic growth and helping to build a more prosperous city for everyone.”
The journey has not been without challenges though. The Elizabeth Line suffered more than 100 days of delays, service reductions or closures during its first two years in operation.
In 2023/24, one in five trains were delayed.
But perhaps the strongest indication of its performance issues came last summer, when the Office of Rail and Road, found cancellations had reached the highest number of cancellations of any train line in the country.
GTS Operations – a joint venture between the Go-Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation – will take over operations from Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation on Sunday as part of a contract switch-up.
The new operator expects to bring 10 new trains into service, among a number of other upgrades.