[Commuting Hell Liberation Diary]⑬ "28 Minutes from Paddington to Heathrow Airport"... Riding the 'UK GTX' London Crossrail

"The distance that used to take over an hour now takes half the time thanks to Crossrail."

James Lockett, who lives in Hanwell, a suburb of London, UK, has recently found his commute much easier. By using the Crossrail Elizabeth line commuter train that connects central London, he can now travel quickly and safely. Previously, he had to take a bus once and the subway twice to get from his home to the Canary Wharf business district, which took about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. Now, with just one ride on Crossrail, he can reach his destination in 30 to 40 minutes without any transfers.

On May 19 (local time), the UK government announced the opening of the Crossrail Elizabeth line, which runs east-west across London. It is well known in Korea as a role model for the currently planned Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX). Construction began in earnest in 2009, and the line was completed after about 13 years. The line has become very popular among Londoners, reaching 1 million passengers within just five days of opening.

The Elizabeth line is a major project initiated by the UK government to revamp London’s aging transportation network. Originally named "Crossrail," it was renamed the "Elizabeth line" in 2016 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession. The initial goal was to open the entire line by December 2018, but delays in construction and the COVID-19 pandemic pushed completion to this year.

The line runs from Reading in west London and Heathrow Airport through central London and the financial district to the east. It spans a total length of 118 km with 41 stations, mostly sharing tracks with existing UK railways. With the completion of Bond Street station on the 24th of last month, all 10 newly constructed stations are now finished. The total project cost reached ?19 billion (approximately 30 trillion KRW).

October 5th, a view of Paddington Station on the Crossrail Elizabeth Line. Citizens are boarding the train for their commute. (Photo by Ryu Taemin)

On October 5, the Paddington station of the Crossrail Elizabeth line was packed with numerous citizens waiting for trains. Dominic Ping, a London resident who uses the train, said, "Unlike the existing subway, the trains and environment are comfortable and the speed is fast," adding, "The fare is also affordable, so I use it frequently."

The train I actually boarded that day was so fast that my ears felt slightly blocked, but the noise and vibration inside the train were minimal, providing a comfortable ride. Especially notable is the short interval of 2 minutes and 30 seconds between trains, allowing commuters not to wait long. Unlike the regular London subway, Wi-Fi is available on the train, which is another distinguishing feature. The fare is similar to that of the regular London subway, so citizens do not feel a heavy financial burden.

The trains operating on the Elizabeth line reach speeds of 120 to 140 km/h. This is 3 to 4 times faster than the average speed of Seoul’s subway (29.3 to 35.9 km/h) and more than twice as fast as the express on Line 9 (46.8 km/h). In fact, traveling from Paddington station in central London to the eastern terminus at Abbey Wood station took only 31 minutes. Previously, traveling this distance by bus took over 1 hour and 30 minutes. It also takes just 32 minutes to get from Heathrow Airport, an international airport, to Paddington station, greatly improving convenience for travelers.

A panoramic view of Canary Wharf, known as one of London's two major financial centers (Photo by Ryu Taemin)

In particular, the Elizabeth line is highly praised for significantly contributing to commuters by passing through Canary Wharf, one of London’s two major financial centers. Robin Hickman, a professor of urban planning at University College London, said, "Canary Wharf has many banks and securities firms, attracting many commuters, but transportation options were insufficient, causing many difficulties," adding, "With the introduction of the Elizabeth line, employment rates in this area are expected to have increased significantly."

Justina Crabtree, who commutes from Abbey Wood station, the eastern terminus of the Elizabeth line, to Canary Wharf, said, "Until last year, I used to waste nearly an hour on my morning commute," and added, "Since the opening of Crossrail and moving to the Abbey Wood area, my train travel time has been drastically reduced to 10 minutes."

There is also growing expectation that the introduction of Crossrail will reduce car usage. Professor Hickman explained, "Currently, about 60% of Londoners commute using public transportation, bicycles, or on foot," and added, "With the opening of the Elizabeth line, the popularity of public transportation is expected to increase, with a long-term goal of raising this to as much as 80%."

The UK government also announced that a second Crossrail line is being prepared. Simon Bennett, head of the Crossrail Learning Legacy department, said, "A new Crossrail line crossing from northeast to southwest London is in preparation," adding, "Since budgeting and funding procedures are still underway, it will take quite some time before opening." He further explained, "Unlike the Elizabeth line, which connects existing subway stations, the second line will involve building entirely new subway stations."

※This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.