Cambridge South new station opening

[Magdalen Road]

Does this mean the "fast" services to / from London will have a longer journey time or will time be made up / saved elsewhere?

 

[Trainbike46]

Does this mean the "fast" services to / from London will have a longer journey time or will time be made up / saved elsewhere?

The junction south of cambridge south has been sped up, so that will likely save some time, but probably not the whole time of the stop.

There is potential to make up some more time by enabling 110 mph running on the ECML by the fast Cambridge services, but I don't know if that would be enough.

 

[Class 170101]

Are Class 379s capable of 110mph? Class 387s are but it was never used on the ECML.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Are Class 379s capable of 110mph? Class 387s are but it was never used on the ECML.

Wikipedia says max 100mph

 

[Trainbike46]

The 379s have been reported as being upgradeable for 110mph on this forum.

To bring it back to Cambridge south, I assume they've figured out a way to make the extra stop fit without causing issues on the ECML or at Ely north junction, but if time needs to be regained somewhere, 110 mph running is likely the easiest option.

 

[Magdalia]

Does this mean the "fast" services to / from London will have a longer journey time or will time be made up / saved elsewhere?

Down trains are slightly slower Kings Cross-Cambridge, up trains mostly the same. But overall journey times to/from Kings Lynn are quicker because of reduced station time at Cambridge.

The junction south of cambridge south has been sped up, so that will likely save some time, but probably not the whole time of the stop.

There is potential to make up some more time by enabling 110 mph running on the ECML by the fast Cambridge services, but I don't know if that would be enough.

Running at 110mph instead of 100mph would save roughly 1 minute, about the same as running through Shepreth Branch Junction at 50mph instead of 30mph.

I assume they've figured out a way to make the extra stop fit without causing issues on the ECML

That's taken care of in the December 2025 ECML timetable rewrite, and why Cambridge South could not be opened before implementation of the revised ECML timetable.

 

[William3000]

Does this mean the "fast" services to / from London will have a longer journey time or will time be made up / saved elsewhere?

My understanding is that the journey time from Cambridge on the fast trains to London King’s Crosd will increase from 52 mins to 54 mins as a result of the additional stop at Cambridge South.

 

[Magdalia]

Greater Anglia schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains and include the booked Cambridge South calls.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Jul 2025 ==

Cross Country schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains. All trains to/from Stansted Airport have booked Cambridge South calls (but still not at Cambridge North).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Aug 2025 ==

Great Northern and Thameslink schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains. However, they are on VAR schedules that do not show booked Cambridge South calls.

I have succeeded in finding 3 dates that show the WTT times which are 26-28/01/26. From these it looks like all Great Northern and Thameslink trains have booked Cambridge South calls.

This also suggests that 26/01/26 might be a good working assumption for the opening date!

 

[Trainbike46]

Greater Anglia schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains and include the booked Cambridge South calls.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Jul 2025 ==

Cross Country schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains. All trains to/from Stansted Airport have booked Cambridge South calls (but still not at Cambridge North).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Aug 2025 ==

Great Northern and Thameslink schedules for December 2025 (starting 14/12) are now up on Real Time Trains. However, they are on VAR schedules that do not show booked Cambridge South calls.

I have succeeded in finding 3 dates that show the WTT times which are 26-28/01/26. From these it looks like all Great Northern and Thameslink trains have booked Cambridge South calls.

This also suggests that 26/01/26 might be a good working assumption for the opening date!

That sounds like all services will be stopping at Cambridge South?

Good to see it confirmed, it makes sense for all services to stop there!

 

[neill]

Here is a photo taken from the park yesterday showing the southern of the two new approach paths.

Here are drone photos from Friday showing the most recent construction updates. The station exterior fit out continues with visible progress on the barriers and CCTV/Public address masts. The escape passages are under construction. The restoration of the park that was previously the site store is well underway and the new section of park compensating for the land take by the station appears to be completed.

 

[Bikeman78]

Here is a photo taken from the park yesterday showing the southern of the two new approach paths.

Here are drone photos from Friday showing the most recent construction updates. The station exterior fit out continues with visible progress on the barriers and CCTV/Public address masts. The escape passages are under construction. The restoration of the park that was previously the site store is well underway and the new section of park compensating for the land take by the station appears to be completed.

Are there any plans to put in extra tracks north or south of Cambridge South? It's not far from the station to Shepreth branch Jn. Likewise there is only a small gap between the north end of the down loop and the start of the third track south of Cambridge station. My guess is that the bridge that takes Long Road over the railway is not wide enough. Apologies if this has all been asked before but I don't really want to read through 1300 posts.

 

[Magdalia]

Are there any plans to put in extra tracks north or south of Cambridge South? It's not far from the station to Shepreth branch Jn. Likewise there is only a small gap between the north end of the down loop and the start of the third track south of Cambridge station. My guess is that the bridge that takes Long Road over the railway is not wide enough. Apologies if this has all been asked before but I don't really want to read through 1300 posts.

The original proposal for Cambridge South included 4 tracks Shepreth Branch Junction-Cambridge, what we are getting now came part way through the consultation process.

Future plans for 4 tracks Shepreth Branch Junction-Cambridge are now part of East West Rail, and were included in the last non statutory consultation.

You are right that Long Road bridge is the most important obstacle.

 

[Roy Badami]

Unless easements are added, a whole heap of routes would no longer be valid via Cambridge (central), as they will become "doubling back" and Cambridge (central) will no longer be shortest route. Royston to Whittlesford Parkway, say

I'm no expert on the Routeing Guide but isn't that what Routeing Point Groups are for? As long as Cambridge and Cambridge South are part of the same Routeing Point Group then a mapped route via Cambridge South is also automatically valid via Cambridge as well, isn't it? Of course, if you're really relying on the "shortest route" rule then you're right, but that's an edge case.

It's the same situation as journeys involving a change at Stevenage that double back via Hitchin - albeit with the change at Hitchin in reality being impractical in most cases due to the relevant trains simply not stopping there.

But, I always understood, those journeys don't rely on an easement - but instead change at Stevenage is automatically valid because change at Hitchin would have been valid and Stevenage is part of the same Routeing Point Group so automatically becomes valid _despite_ the doubling back.

Hopefully the routeing experts will chime in to correct me if I'm mistaken.

EDIT TO ADD: It's a looong time since I've had any real interest in the Routeing Guide, and my memory of how it works is certainly ratherh azy. I would certainly appreciate input from the experts.

 

[sharpener]

My guess is that the bridge that takes Long Road over the railway is not wide enough. Apologies if this has all been asked before but I don't really want to read through 1300 posts

Post 1111 is a good place to start as it has lots of links

 

[Magdalia]

There is already a new Cambridge Children's Hospital and Cancer Research Hospital planned for the site

Main contractors have now been appointed for the Children's Hospital see here:

Cambridge Children's Hospital 'milestone' as builder appointed

Work could start on the East of England's only hospital for children within 18 months.

www.bbc.co.uk

A "major milestone" in creating a new children's hospital for the East of England has been reached after a building contractor was appointed, the trust responsible has said.

Cambridge Children's Hospital will be built opposite the Rosie Maternity Hospital on the same site that houses Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in the city.

It will care for children from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said specialist construction company Bouygues UK had been appointed and work was expected to start within the next 18 months.

 

[fishwomp]

I'm no expert on the Routeing Guide but isn't that what Routeing Point Groups are for? As long as Cambridge and Cambridge South are part of the same Routeing Point Group then a mapped route via Cambridge South is also automatically valid via Cambridge as well, isn't it? Of course, if you're really relying on the "shortest route" rule then you're right, but that's an edge case.

It's the same situation as journeys involving a change at Stevenage that double back via Hitchin - albeit with the change at Hitchin in reality being impractical in most cases due to the relevant trains simply not stopping there.

But, I always understood, those journeys don't rely on an easement - but instead change at Stevenage is automatically valid because change at Hitchin would have been valid and Stevenage is part of the same Routeing Point Group so automatically becomes valid _despite_ the doubling back.

Hopefully the routeing experts will chime in to correct me if I'm mistaken.

That's something I hadn't known - a lot more flexibility in a group than I thought. Google agrees with you.

However - Cambridge isn't a group yet - North and main are not a group, so will it be done when South arrives? South to central is considerably shorter than North to central, fwiw.

But, if _everything_ stops at South (which looks to be the case) then there's no reason to double back from the South, and no need to make that a group for routeing purposes - and no-one is losing any journey options for the fares they currently have. I'd still like or expect the flexibility of a 'Cambridge stations' ticket though..

 

[Roy Badami]

Agreed - if all trains stop at Cambridge South then there's probably little reason for them to allow changing in Cambridge for those journeys.

I'm not sure how likely a "Cambridge Stations" ticket is. Those seem to generally happen when there are multiple stations that all serve the central area of a town/city - which isn't really the case here.

 

[TheDavibob]

Oddly, there already *is* a Cambridge Stations ticket area (8384 CAMBRIDGE STNS; CAMBRIDGE OR CAMBRIDGE NORTH), though it doesn't have many set fares. It has some AWC fares that were set up when I queried the lack of AWC&Connections advances to Cambridge North, which wasn't the solution I expected.

Advances aside it's irrelevant at the moment as there's full ticket interavailability between the two, and the double back via Cambridge from the north (e.g. Ely to Cambridge North via Cambridge) is (or at least historically was) available. It would make sense for similar to apply to South. That said, I expect there'll be far more traffic from Cambridge North to Cambridge South than Cambridge (central) to either, which migth confuse things

 

[WesternBiker]

A picture of the site taken from the Guided Busway (from a bus) today. Does anyone know at what stage they will start the green roof? (Though perhaps just as well it wasn't prepared earlier, as we have had weeks with virtually no rain.)

 

[Magdalia]

A picture of the site taken from the Guided Busway (from a bus) today. Does anyone know at what stage they will start the green roof? (Though prehaps just as well it wasn't prepared earlier, as we have had weeks with virtually no rain.)

I have needed to water my allotment almost every day for nearly 6 months now.

I'm trying to imagine tango people on that roof with watering cans.

 

[neill]

Not sure about the main roof, but there is a copious amount of soil in place on some of the smaller sections of canopy. No sign of any growth yet.

The Corten steel panelling around the doors is an interesting choice.

I’ve been going past the site most days. There’s lots of small finishing touches happening to paths, forecourt, fences, etc. There is a road closure next week - I guess to make the required junction changes for vehicle access.

 

[WesternBiker]

The Corten steel panelling around the doors is an interesting choice.

I’ve been going past the site most days. There’s lots of small finishing touches happening to paths, forecourt, fences, etc. There is a road closure next week - I guess to make the required junction changes for vehicle access.

I'm guessing the Corten steel is to avoid the need to paint it in years to come (and it seems to be one of those "materials of the moment"). The site is certainly coming along quickly now, but I haven't seen any recent pictures of the interior.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2025 ==

I have needed to water my allotment almost every day for nearly 6 months now.

I'm trying to imagine tango people on that roof with watering cans.

We've had similar with our veg patch. I presume the green roof will have a watering system, though once established, if it is well designed, with the right planting, it should be reasonably drought tolerant.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

I'm guessing the Corten steel is to avoid the need to paint it in years to come (and it seems to be one of those "materials of the moment").

Personal experience with a Corten Steel shipping container makes me worry about this trend. In general it doesn't rust like ordinary steel, but up on the roof, where water pooled, we got rapid corrosion and leaks. After building a pitched roof the rest has been fine.

I wonder if these rail structures will need significant welding repairs in the future anywhere there is a water trap. Also see the 2012 "B of the Bang" sculpture in Manchester, which had to be removed after bits started to drop off and it was found to be impossible to inspect the rest.

 

[michaelspencer]

Details of service provision from 2026, Network rail press release:

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....vice-expected-for-new-cambridge-south-station

Full train service expected for new Cambridge South station when it opens
Region & Route: Eastern: Anglia
When Cambridge South station opens in early 2026, all passing services – which are operated by Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, and CrossCountry - are expected to call at the new station from day one.

Ahead of the East Coast Main Line timetable change planned for December 2025, service levels for the new station have been confirmed. The service provision is expected to be similar to current service levels at Cambridge station, offering strong regional and national connectivity for passengers using the new station. Services will include:

Up to nine trains per hour between Cambridge South and Cambridge:

Half-hourly Great Northern fast trains to/from London King’s Cross (hourly on Sundays);
Half hourly Great Northern semi-fast Monday to Friday peak service to / from London King’s Cross;
Hourly off-peak and weekend Great Northern stopping service to / from London King’s Cross;
Half-hourly semi-fast Thameslink service to/from Brighton (hourly on Sundays);
Up to two trains per hour to/from Stansted Airport (provided by Greater Anglia and CrossCountry);
Two Greater Anglia trains per hour to/from London Liverpool Street (four trains per hour at weekday peak times).
From 3 to 5 trains per hour to/from Ely:

Hourly Great Northern trains to and from King's Lynn (half-hourly during most of the morning and mid-afternoon Monday to Saturday).
CrossCountry trains to/from Peterborough, Leicester and Birmingham New Street running hourly.
Greater Anglia will provide an hourly service to/from Norwich, operating only during off-peak times.
The station is forecast to serve around 1.8 million passengers annually and will significantly improve connections across the East of England and to key destinations nationwide. Cambridge South will give passengers direct access to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, alongside seamless journeys to major hubs including London, Birmingham, Stansted Airport, Gatwick Airport, and international rail services via St Pancras.

Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia said: "Cambridge South will be an amazing new station for passengers travelling to and from the adjacent biomedical campus.

"With up to nine trains per hour from Cambridge, the campus will become very well connected to major destinations across the country as well as to airports and European destinations via the Eurostar, helping this vitally important medical research hub to grow and help secure the UK’s ambition to become the centre of medical excellence."

Rail Minister, Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, said: “This new station, made possible by more than £200m of Government funding, creates vital links to jobs and homes, breaking down barriers in this ambitious city.

“Supporting these rail services will kickstart £103 billion of economic growth and connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus to major cities and travel hubs across the UK. Passengers will be able to take advantage of several services an hour to London, Brighton, Birmingham and beyond, drastically improving their options to work, live, and socialise.

“Our Plan for Change is delivering better rail links across the country, supporting new homes and communities, and driving jobs and investment in our innovative industries and world leading universities.”

Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said: “The new Cambridge South railway station will significantly improve travel and connectivity in the region, serving the biomedical campus and the growing number of science and healthcare specialists, employees, and hospital visitors, as well as the local communities nearby.

“It will offer a whole range of easy journey options, both locally and regionally, including direct Greater Anglia services to Stansted Airport, London Liverpool Street, Ely and Norwich, and convenient journeys to many other destinations across the rail network.

“We look forward to operating the station when it opens next year. The station will be served by our modern fleet of trains which have helped Greater Anglia achieve consistently excellent punctuality and performance standards over the past 5 years.”

John Whitehurst, Chief Operating Officer at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: "We are delighted to confirm that all our Thameslink and Great Northern trains passing through Cambridge South will call at the new station once it opens early next year.

"The new station will make it easier for people to travel, with fast and frequent services to London alongside direct connections to key regional destinations such as Stevenage, Ely, King’s Lynn and Gatwick Airport.

"The new timetable being introduced this December will also mean shorter journey times between Cambridge and London."

Ben Simkin, CrossCountry’s Regional Director for East Midlands & East Anglia, said: "We look forward to our trains calling at the new Cambridge South station once it opens early next year, making it easier to access our services running between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Peterborough.

"Connecting the campus to these cities and travel hubs by our services will help support wider connections of this important medical research facility across the Midlands and beyond."

Notes to Editors
Cambridge South station will connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with potential destinations such as central London, London Stansted Airport, Ely, Birmingham and Europe. #CambridgeSouth
The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is an internationally significant health and life sciences cluster and is expected to accommodate 27,000 jobs by 2031.
Cambridge South station will be included in the December 2025 timetable change, but trains will not stop until the station opens in early 2026.
Network Rail is responsible for coordinating and validating timetables for the national rail network.
Network Rail updates the timetable for the national rail network twice a year, once in May, once in December.
Developing the timetable is a very complex process that seeks to balance the needs and ambitions of all operators.
See our factsheet on How Rail Timetabling Works.


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[cle]

And up to 6tph to North, which is going to be a popular journey too. Cambridge Crossrail begins!

 

[wagnaga]

And up to 6tph to North, which is going to be a popular journey too. Cambridge Crossrail begins!

What is the sixth? 2 x LST, 2 x KX fast, 1 x Norwich

 

[Trainbike46]

What is the sixth? 2 x LST, 2 x KX fast, 1 x Norwich

1x XC to Birmingham from Stansted

Edit: I misread the above post

 

[Farigiraf]

1x XC to Birmingham from Stansted

Those don't currently stop at Cambridge North and they don't plan to anytime soon.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Cambridge South looks pretty much done on the Addenbrookes side, but they seem to be digging quite a large hole by the opposite entrance

 

[neill]

Yes, I was a bit surprised by that hole. My guess was that it was to allow vehicular access to be built for the station plant and signalling.