Services will call at all stations expected three inner-suburban stations. GWR will continue to operate some fast services from Reading, Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough to London Paddington.
The Elizabeth Line, was due to be completed in December 2018, but the 21km underground section through central London from Paddington to Stratford and Abbey Wood has faced heavy delays and cost overruns and will now not open until 2021.
TfL Rail already operates services between London Paddington, Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Terminals 2&3 and 4 as well as Liverpool Street to Shenfield in thee.
TfL Rail says passenger will benefit from improvements including better customer information and new lifts within the next year. Freedom Pass holders will enjoy free travel to Reading, with families also benefiting from free travel for children under the age of 11 when travelling with an adult. Iver and Taplow will also be served by new Sunday services, with two trains running per hour.
Stations accessibility will be improved, with new benches and shelters in waiting areas being fitted alongside enhanced electronic signage offering real-time travel information. Several stations will also benefit from improved CCTV and lighting, while several ticket offices are also being refurbished with many stations due to have new ticket halls and offices.
The new services will be operated by MTR Elizabeth Line on behalf of TfL, with new Bombardier class 3+5 Elizabeth Line trains featuring walk-through coaches, wheelchair spaces and multi-use spaces for buggies and luggage. The trains will initially run with as car-sets as software updates continue to be implemented and tested before increasing to the full nine-car trains.
Services will run at 15-minute intervals during peak hours and twice an hour during off-peak times.
The existing fares will apply until January 2 2020, after which contactless pay-as-you-go will be introduced along the line, although the Oyster pay-as-you-go system will not be extended to services beyond West Drayton due to limitations with the existing system.
Crossrail
The operator change comes as Crossrail released photos of the progress made at Tottenham Court Road.
The completion of the central section will allow the launch of full services from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east.
