Citymapper has launched a travel planner for the Elizabeth Line in anticipation of its long-awaited opening this month.
The line, which has increased in cost by £4bn to more than £20bn, was thought to open in June following successive delays. But it was announced on Wednesday that Crossrail will open on Tuesday, May 24.
Citymapper has now launched a new option in its app allowing users to plan their trip ahead of time using the new line.
Within the app, users are told: “With our tech, we’ve built a transport time machine, adding all 3 phases of the Elizabeth Line to our app already.
“Plan a trip to see how the Elizabeth Line will speed up your commute!”
Phase one of the rollout will introduce 10 new Elizabeth Line stations in central London from Abbey Wood to Paddington.
Phase two, scheduled to begin in autumn, will integrate services from the east and west into the new central tunnels and stations, enabling trips from Reading and Heathrow through to Abbey Wood, and from Shenfield through to Paddington.
The third and final phase in spring 2023 will see all routes up and running with 24 trains per hour.
TfL documents have revealed that, by its own estimation, there was a 50 per cent chance of the line opening in May and an 80 per cent chance it would open by the end of June.
Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild told the TfL board earlier this year that the project had a “very successful festive period” and that “we exited Christmas with pretty much the railway very near to the configuration – not quite- but very near the configuration to accept customers”.
Mr Wild added that, with the exception of Bond Street, Elizabeth Line stations are “now ready for revenue service”.
TfL commissioner Andy Byford has said that launch of Crossrail must be “flawless” and that TfL must ensure services can run reliably from the start.
