GTS Rail to Operate Elizabeth Line in London

GTS Rail Operations Limited, a consortium comprising Tokyo Metro, Go Ahead Group and Sumitomo Corporation has been awarded a contract by Transport for London (TfL) to run the new Elizabeth line in London for seven years with an option to extend for up to two additional years.

GTS Rail Operations Limited will take over from the existing operator, MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited of Hong Kong in May 2025. 

The Elizabeth line is the most significant addition to London’s transport network in a generation and has quickly become one of the most popular railways in the country, carrying more than 700,000 people a day.

The new line It has transformed life and travel in London and the South East by reducing journey times, creating additional capacity, and improving accessibility across London’s transport network, TFL said. 

The new contract with GTS Rail Operations Limited will enable TfL to build on the success of the Elizabeth line and ensure it continues to be a showcase for investment in public transport in London, across the country and around the world. 

The new contract will support and achieve this by bringing the best parts of Tokyo and London to the Elizabeth line to optimise the current operation and prepare for the increase in services to Old Oak Common when it is planned to open in 2030.

It will also continue to have a relentless focus on the safety of customers and staff besides encouraging robust collaboration between industry partners, including Network Rail, to deliver high levels of performance and customer satisfaction and invest in people and technology to drive improvements in operating performance and the management of disruption and customer information.

The consortium will also bring into service the 10 new Class 345 trains to support the introduction of additional service enhancements in response to increased passenger numbers and growth opportunities across London and the South East.

It will work closely with other parts of TfL, Network Rail and HS2 to prepare for the operation of services to the new station at Old Oak Common, deliver more than 500 apprenticeships over the contract term, supporting strategic resourcing and training, and offer grants to local community groups in order to support important grass roots movements.

‘London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that the Elizabeth line has been a game-changer for London, transforming travel across London and the South East and delivering a $43.98 boost to the UK economy.

“In just two years, more than 350 million journeys have been made and the line has directly impacted the development of 55,000 new homes and significantly supported employment growth.

It has played a vital role in our recovery from the pandemic and is helping to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone,” he added.

Transformational Impact

TfL’s Chief Operating Officer Claire Mann said that the Elizabeth line has had a transformational impact since opening in 2022 and has quickly become one of the most popular and reliable railways in the country.

Mann also said that the railway has provided new, more direct journey options which has led to huge numbers of customers using our safe and accessible trains and stations. 

Go Ahead Group’s CEO Miguel Parras said that they were proud to have been chosen to be TfL’s partner, together with Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Metro, for the operation of the iconic Elizabeth line.

“We look forward to bringing our collective expertise across UK and international rail operations to London. Our objectives are aligned with TfL – to connect communities across London through safe, reliable, and sustainable public transport services, delivered to the highest level of customer satisfaction,” Parras said.