Morning Services to Be Boosted at Local Elizabeth Line Stations
More trains stopping at Acton Main Line, Hanwell and Southall
An Elizabeth line train at a platform. Picture: TfL
January 29, 2026
Transport for London has announced a significant increase in Elizabeth line services for three west London stations, with Southall, Hanwell and Acton Main Line each gaining three additional weekday morning trains from Monday 18 May. The update, part of the May 2026 timetable revision, is designed to ease crowding during the busiest hour of the day and respond to growing demand across the line.
Under the new timetable, trains starting from Heathrow Terminal 5 between 07:30 and 09:00 will make extra stops at the three stations. Between 08:00 and 09:00, Southall will see ten trains, Hanwell six, and Acton Main Line eight, marking a noticeable uplift in capacity for commuters travelling into central London.
TfL says the changes follow an “extensive review” with Network Rail, part of the regular December and May timetable cycles. The organisation is advising passengers to check for minor timing changes elsewhere on the line.
Trish Ashton, TfL’s Director of Rail, said the update reflects the scale of demand on the Elizabeth line. “The Elizabeth line is the UK’s single busiest railway service, carrying an average of 800,000 customers a day during the week. These timetable updates at west London stations will provide additional capacity during the peak hours of the morning, helping customers travel more comfortably on the line during this busier time.”
The announcement comes after a period of vocal campaigning from passengers and community groups, particularly around Acton Main Line, where residents have long argued that service levels lag behind the rapid growth of the surrounding area. Since the station’s redevelopment for the Elizabeth line, local campaigners have repeatedly called for more frequent peak-hour stops to match the scale of new housing and employment in Acton and the wider Old Oak regeneration zone.
While TfL has not explicitly linked the timetable change to these campaigns, the timing and focus of the update will inevitably be seen by some as a partial response. Acton Main Line has been a focal point for concerns about overcrowding, limited stopping patterns and the mismatch between infrastructure investment and actual service levels. The increase to eight trains per hour in the busiest morning period represents a meaningful improvement for commuters who have argued that the station has been underserved since the line opened.
The May 2026 timetable builds on earlier changes introduced in December 2025, which increased Saturday services between Whitechapel and Paddington from 16 to 20 trains per hour in response to rising weekend leisure travel. TfL is also preparing for future demand growth, with ten additional Elizabeth line trains currently in production using UK Government funding. These will support increased capacity needs, including at Old Oak Common, which will become the initial terminus for HS2 services.
The Elizabeth line continues to experience some of the fastest passenger growth in the UK rail network, with west London stations among the busiest outside central London. The new timetable aims to relieve pressure during the morning peak, though TfL acknowledges that adjustments elsewhere on the line are necessary to accommodate the extra stops.
Responding to the news, Bassam Mahfouz, who represents the area in the Greater London Assembly, said, “Residents have been clear: Acton Main Line, Hanwell and Southall need more trains.
“I’ve been pushing for exactly that and today's announcement delivers. This is a big win for commuters across Acton, Hanwell and Southall, matching the seismic surge in demand since the game-changing Elizabeth line opened.”
For campaigners, particularly in Acton, the update may be viewed as a step in the right direction—though many will continue to push for further improvements as the area’s population and transport needs continue to grow.
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