HS2 Travel Times: Route, Speed And Time You Could Save On ... - Metro

HS2, the high-speed train line being built to connect England’s north and south, has always been controversial.

Campaigners have long rallied against it – particularly environmental protestors and those who have faced serious disruption, including people whose houses have been demolished to make way for the build.

But now the eastern leg of HS2 – which was due to travel between Birmingham and the East Midlands to Leeds – has been cancelled by the government.

And many northern MPs aren’t happy about it – bringing about claims the changes ‘could doom the north’.

There are still plans to go ahead with one line of HS2, but where it will it go? And will it drastically improve commuter times?

What is HS2’s current planned route?

Currently, the plan is for HS2 to connect London to Birmingham.

The route – which is part of Phase 1 of the plans – will travel from London Euston to new station Birmingham Interchange.

This line will also travel via Old Oak Common, a station being built for HS2 in West London’s Hammersmith – as well as a newly-built Birmingham Curzon Street station.

Plans say that this part of HS2 should be up and running between 2029 and 2033.

Phase 2 will see the line extended from Birmingham to Manchester Piccadilly station, as well as to Wigan and Crewe.

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This work is estimated to be completed between 2035 and 2040, so it’s still a long way off.

A planned extension into Derby, Sheffield and Leeds has been scrapped – instead only going up to the East Midland Parkway station in Nottinghamshire.

Instead of HS2’s new lines, ‘upgraded’ trains will run along an electrified Midland Main Line to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.

A proposed line between Manchester and Leeds, which would have served Bradford too, has also been cancelled.

A Northern Powerhouse Rail train will travel between Manchester and Leeds in future, instead.

The replacement measures are detailed in the Department for Transport’s Integrated Rail Plan – and include upgrades to the East Coast Main Line covering Yorkshire and the North East.

How long will HS2’s travel times be?

The very earliest we could have a HS2 high-speed line up and running is by 2029 – so it’s a way off before we have exact travel times.

However, here are the expected travel times for the HS2 routes that are planned to go ahead…

London to Birmingham: It’s expected this journey will take 52 minutes instead of 81 minutes (one hour, 21 minutes).

London to Crewe: 56 minutes will be the new time, down from 90 minutes (one hour, 30 minutes).

London to Wigan: Currently, it takes 115 minutes (almost two hours) to get to Wigan from London by train. With HS2, it should take 91 minutes (one hour, 31 minutes).

Birmingham to Wigan: It’ll take 36 minutes to Wigan from Birmingham, rather than 82 minutes (one hour, 22 minutes).

London to Manchester: It’ll take just over an hour (63 minutes to be exact) to get from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly if all goes to plan with HS2. Right now, it takes 144 minutes (two hours, 24 minutes).

And the routes that aren’t to be, judging by the recent announcement…

London to Leeds: With HS2, travel time was expected to drop to 81 minutes (one hour, 21 minutes) vs the 133 minutes (two hours, 13 minutes) it currently takes.

Birmingham to Leeds: With HS2, travel time was due to drop to 46 minutes, instead of the current travel time of 117 minutes (almost two hours).

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Manchester to Leeds: If a new high-speed line is put in place between these two northern cities, travel time could be halved from 50 minutes to 25 minutes per journey. The Integrated Rail Plan says a Northern Powerhouse Rail between the two cities will take 33 minutes.

What will HS2’s maximum speed be?

While HS2 will likely continue to be controversial, if all goes to plan: it will be fast.

The maximum speed is expected to be 225mph, which is 100mph quicker than today’s standard trains.

For example, the newest LNER train, the Azuma, can reach speeds of up to 125mph while in action.

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