Final preparations are underway at the new Bond Street Elizabeth line station ahead of its opening next week.
The new station will open on Monday, October 24, relieving congestion at nearby central London stations including Oxford Circus and acting as “a new gateway to the West End” in time for the busy Christmas period.
Transport for London was forced to delay the station’s opening date by five months due to schedule delays.
It meant Elizabeth line trains have travelled through the station – which is estimated to have cost £660m – without stopping, since the line opened on May 24.
The station will feature two new entrances, at Davies Street near Oxford Street and Hanover Square near Regent Street.
The final week of trial operations is currently underway, including practice evacuations, fire alarm tests and security checks. Staff are also familiarising themselves with the station and new signage has been revealed.
The station will be able to accommodate nearly 140,000 Elizabeth line passenger journeys daily.
It will allow interchanges with the Jubilee and Central lines, and allow passengers to reach Liverpool Street in eight minutes and Canary Wharf in 15.
The Elizabeth line station is also step-free from street to train, with twoâ¯lifts to street level.
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said on Tuesday: “It is exciting that in less than a week’s time the Bond Street Elizabeth line station will open. The Elizabeth line is helping to build a better London - one which is safer, fairer, greener, and more prosperous city for all Londoners.
Speedy, spacious, and step-free.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 18, 2022
From Monday 24 October, Elizabeth Line trains will begin calling at the new Bond Street station 💜
Here's a sneak peek at the beautiful new station before services commence next week 👀 pic.twitter.com/fjyAN2ryZa
“This spacious and step-free station will provide a new link to one of the busiest shopping districts in Europe ahead of the festive period, helping to draw more people back into the centre of the city and encouraging them to make the most of the capital – supporting shops, restaurants, and theatres in the West End.
“I can’t wait for Londoners and visitors to our city to experience it for themselves.”
Kim Kapur, Crossrail Delivery Director, described the Bond Street station as “a beautiful and spacious new addition to London’s transport network”.
On Twitter, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called the it “speedy, spacious, and step-free” as he shared photos of him visiting the new station ahead of its opening.
According to a new report from the New West End Company (NWEC) compiled by global property consultancy Colliers, the West End is forecast to return to its historic annual turnover of more than £10 billion by 2025.
The Elizabeth line is expected to play a significant part in this, raising the West End’s turnover by between £700m and £800m a year.
The line currently runs every day except Sundays, but will move to a seven-day service from November 6.
Through trains from Heathrow, Paddington and Shenfield will be running direct into the central section from this date – meaning a train at Bond Street every three to four minutes at peak times.
Customers can plan their journeys on the Elizabeth line using the TfL Go app and Journey Planner.