There’s good news for those travelling back and forth between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, with the Stansted Express rail service increasing to four trains an hour.
The full timetable will be resorted from the 10th of December 2023 as the new train timetable is introduced across the network. The move follows the scaling up of the services in May to four trains an hour during peak services, as well as passenger demand travelling to the airport.
From 10th December the Stansted Express service timetable will be as follows:
Monday to Saturdays
- London Liverpool Street depart: 03.40, 04.10, 04.40, 05.10, then every 15 minutes to 22.55, then 23.25.
- Stansted Airport depart: 05.30, 06.00, then every 15 minutes to 23.59, then 00.30.
Sundays
- London Liverpool Street depart: 04.10, 04.40, 05.10, 05.40, 06.10, then every 15 minutes to 22.55, then 23.25.
- Stansted Airport depart: 05.30, 06.00, 06.30, 07.00, then every 15 minutes to 23.59, then 00.30.
According to the airport, off-peak journey times will be slightly faster, with most services scheduled at 47 minutes, thanks to Greater Anglia now operating new trains with improved performance capabilities.
In Quotes
There are a lot of quotes to go through as businesses and politicians wade in.
Gareth Powell, Managing Director, Stansted Airport said:
“London Stansted has been the fastest recovering major UK airport with passenger numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the last two months.
“We therefore welcome the upcoming reintroduction of the full four trains per hour schedule, as it’s a vital service for the millions of passengers who rely on a convenient and reliable service between London and the airport each year.
“A regular, turn-up-and-go service will not only encourage more passengers back onto trains and out of private cars to enable the most sustainable growth possible at the airport, and cement our position as the number one airport in the UK for public transport use by passengers, but it will also support our on-going work to attract more airlines looking to access the UK and London aviation market.
“This is really positive news for passengers, staff and local commuters, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Greater Anglia to develop further timetable enhancements and service improvements.”
Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP said:
“I very much welcome the return of an all day, 15-minute frequency on the Stansted Express from December.
“Greater Anglia is rightly responding to increasing demand, ensuring that this crucial link for customers and communities provides a convenient, high-quality option for travellers.
“With new trains also enabling a reduction in journey times, it shows the UK is focused on offering excellent connections for both domestic and international journeys, supporting both economic growth and leisure travel.”
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia said:
“We’re pleased to be providing 4 trains per hour to Stansted Airport all day, 7 days a week again, from our December timetable change, benefitting air travellers and commuters alike, as well as some other peak time improvements reflecting increases in passenger numbers.
“With new trains right across our network, we are transforming rail travel in our region, offering an excellent travel experience, more seats, and a more punctual and reliable service.
“We’ll continue to adjust our timetable in line with emerging demand and look to make further improvements where practical and appropriate.”
Restoring fast connections
Stansted Express is a fast train service, that connects Stansted Airport to Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town, Tottenham Hale (for the Victora Line and stations to Stratford) and London Liverpool Street – in the City of London.
That connectivity is key for travellers who utilise the airlines who fly out of Stansted – be they visitors to London (realising they have another long trip ahead of them), or Londoners and those in east London who will have an easier connection to a major hub for the low-cost carriers.
With four trains an hour, it brings a frequent travel option, making the train competitive again with the coaches that seem to filter in and out of the airport
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