The new Cambridge South station, funded by £250 million of Government money, will open on Sunday, June 28, reducing train journeys to London by 15 minutes and offering up to nine direct trains per hour to the capital.
Direct rail access to Europe's largest biomedical campus
The station will provide direct rail access to Europe's largest biomedical campus, which currently contributes £2.4 billion annually to the UK economy. According to the Department for Transport, every 10 jobs on the campus support a further 10 jobs across the UK.
Before the station opened, a journey from London's King's Cross to the biomedical campus required a train, a bus, and a walk, taking over an hour. Now, passengers can take a 45-minute direct train from London to Cambridge South.
Services and connectivity
Up to nine trains an hour will connect passengers to Cambridge city centre and beyond. In peak hours, up to 20 services will call at Cambridge South, linking to London, Birmingham, Stansted Airport, and international rail services via St Pancras. Operators including Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, and CrossCountry will serve the station from Sunday.
The station is expected to welcome around 1.8 million passengers a year, transforming connectivity across the region.
Government and industry reactions
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.”
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 game-changer, 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.”
Sustainable design features
The station includes a green roof with a wildflower meadow and a rainwater system that stores and slowly releases rainwater back into the environment. It is integrated with the existing Hobson's Park nature reserve. The station also provides 1,000 cycle parking spaces and blue-badge bays for disabled passengers.
