Thousands of visitors will be able to travel from the new Cambridge South station from Sunday (28 June), as it opens its doors to boost transport links and reduce journey times across the region.
Backed by £250 million of Government funding, the new station is expected to welcome around 1.8million passengers a year, transforming connectivity across the region, with up to nine trains an hour connecting passengers to Cambridge city centre and beyond.
Passengers will also be able to take trains to London, Birmingham, Stansted Airport, and international rail services via St Pancras, with up to 20 services calling at Cambridge South in peak hours, improving access to jobs, homes and opportunities for millions of people.
Services operated by Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, and CrossCountry are expected to call at the new station from day one.
The new station will directly serve Cambridge Biomedical Campus – home to world-class science, NHS hospitals, and business facilities. The Campus currently contributes £4.7 billion annually to the UK economy, with every 10 jobs on the campus supporting a further 10 jobs across the UK.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“The newly opened Cambridge South station cuts journey times, improves access to jobs, and makes everyday life that little bit easier for thousands of people.
“This £250 million investment means a journey that once took over an hour – involving a train, a bus, and a walk – is now a single 45-minute direct train from London. That’s a real, tangible difference in people’s lives.
“With up to 20 services in peak hours connecting passengers to London, Birmingham, Stansted, and beyond, Cambridge South will connect people with opportunities across the region and the wider country. This is Great British Railways in action.”
Designed to blend in with its surroundings, the station integrates with the existing Hobson’s Park nature reserve, helping to protect valuable green space, recreational areas and wildlife habitats.
Its ‘green roof’ includes a wildflower meadow environment and a rainwater catchment system that will store and slowly discharge rainwater back into the environment and the nearby brook, while the station’s overall design and construction efficiencies have reduced the station’s carbon footprint by over 22 percent.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director for GBR Anglia, said:
“Welcoming the first customers through the door of Cambridge South on Sunday will mark the completion of a new gateway for the 1.8 million people expected to use the new station every year.
“Cambridge South will be a gamechanger providing a more sustainable travel option for workers and visitors at the biomedical campus and for local residents too, supporting regional growth and boosting connection to major cities and transport hubs across the UK.
“Hundreds of people across the rail industry and our supply chain have worked incredibly hard to deliver this for Cambridge, and I know they will all be proud to see it open for our passengers and community. We look forward to serving you as you visit.”
Prior to the station opening, someone travelling from London King’s Cross station would need to take a train, bus and walk to reach the Biomedical campus in a journey taking over one hour. However, thanks to the brand-new station, passengers can take one 45-minute direct train from London to Cambridge South.
