THOUSANDS of Londoners joined "the best party in town" today as the Elizabeth line finally opened to passengers.
There were extraordinary celebratory scenes at Paddington and Abbey Wood as hundreds of enthusiasts, the first of whom had arrived at midnight, braved the rain to board the first trains. The £20 billion line is the most significant addition to the capital's public transport network for more than 50 years.
The first train left Abbey Wood station bang on time at 6.30am, followed three minutes later by a similarly packed eastbound service from Paddington.
Throughout the morning, vast numbers of passengers excitedly explored the line's 10 new stations.
This story is from the May 24, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the May 24, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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