Full train service expected for new Cambridge South station when it opens

Network Rail has issued the following press release about Cambridge South station, opening in early 2026. Thameslink and Great Northern services will call there from day one:

When Cambridge South station opens in early 2026, all passing services – which are operated by Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, and CrossCountry - are expected to call at the new station from day one.

Ahead of the East Coast Main Line timetable change planned for December 2025, service levels for the new station have been confirmed. The service provision is expected to be similar to current service levels at Cambridge station, offering strong regional and national connectivity for passengers using the new station. Services will include:

Up to nine trains per hour between Cambridge South and Cambridge:

• Half-hourly Great Northern fast trains to/from London King’s Cross (hourly on Sundays);
• Half hourly Great Northern semi-fast Monday to Friday peak service to / from London King’s Cross;
• Hourly off-peak and weekend Great Northern stopping service to / from London King’s Cross;
• Half-hourly semi-fast Thameslink service to/from Brighton (hourly on Sundays);
• Up to two trains per hour to/from Stansted Airport (provided by Greater Anglia and CrossCountry);
• Two Greater Anglia trains per hour to/from London Liverpool Street (four trains per hour at weekday peak times).

From 3 to 5 trains per hour to/from Ely:

• Hourly Great Northern trains to and from King's Lynn (half-hourly during most of the morning and mid-afternoon Monday to Saturday).
• CrossCountry trains to/from Peterborough, Leicester and Birmingham New Street running hourly.
• Greater Anglia will provide an hourly service to/from Norwich, operating only during off-peak times.

The station is forecast to serve around 1.8 million passengers annually and will significantly improve connections across the East of England and to key destinations nationwide. Cambridge South will give passengers direct access to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, alongside seamless journeys to major hubs including London, Birmingham, Stansted Airport, Gatwick Airport, and international rail services via St Pancras.

John Whitehurst, Chief Operating Officer at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: "We are delighted to confirm that all our Thameslink and Great Northern trains passing through Cambridge South will call at the new station once it opens early next year.

"The new station will make it easier for people to travel, with fast and frequent services to London alongside direct connections to key regional destinations such as Stevenage, Ely, King’s Lynn and Gatwick Airport.

"The new timetable being introduced this December will also mean shorter journey times between Cambridge and London."

Cambridge South station will be included in the December 2025 timetable change, but trains will not stop until the station opens in early 2026.

Rail Minister, Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, said: “This new station, made possible by more than £200m of Government funding, creates vital links to jobs and homes, breaking down barriers in this ambitious city.

“Supporting these rail services will kickstart £103 billion of economic growth and connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus to major cities and travel hubs across the UK. Passengers will be able to take advantage of several services an hour to London, Brighton, Birmingham and beyond, drastically improving their options to work, live, and socialise.

“Our Plan for Change is delivering better rail links across the country, supporting new homes and communities, and driving jobs and investment in our innovative industries and world leading universities.”

Katie Frost, Network Rail's route director for Anglia said: "Cambridge South will be an amazing new station for passengers travelling to and from the adjacent biomedical campus.

"With up to nine trains per hour from Cambridge, the campus will become very well connected to major destinations across the country as well as to airports and European destinations via the Eurostar, helping this vitally important medical research hub to grow and help secure the UK’s ambition to become the centre of medical excellence."

Martin Beable, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said: “The new Cambridge South railway station will significantly improve travel and connectivity in the region, serving the biomedical campus and the growing number of science and healthcare specialists, employees, and hospital visitors, as well as the local communities nearby.

“It will offer a whole range of easy journey options, both locally and regionally, including direct Greater Anglia services to Stansted Airport, London Liverpool Street, Ely and Norwich, and convenient journeys to many other destinations across the rail network.

“We look forward to operating the station when it opens next year. The station will be served by our modern fleet of trains which have helped Greater Anglia achieve consistently excellent punctuality and performance standards over the past 5 years.”

Ben Simkin, CrossCountry’s Regional Director for East Midlands & East Anglia, said: "We look forward to our trains calling at the new Cambridge South station once it opens early next year, making it easier to access our services running between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Peterborough.

"Connecting the campus to these cities and travel hubs by our services will help support wider connections of this important medical research facility across the Midlands and beyond."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Cambridge South station will connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with potential destinations such as central London, London Stansted Airport, Ely, Birmingham and Europe.
• The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is an internationally significant health and life sciences cluster and is expected to accommodate 27,000 jobs by 2031.
• Cambridge South station will be included in the December 2025 timetable change, but trains will not stop until the station opens in early 2026.
• Network Rail is responsible for coordinating and validating timetables for the national rail network.
• Network Rail updates the timetable for the national rail network twice a year, once in May, once in December.
• Developing the timetable is a very complex process that seeks to balance the needs and ambitions of all operators.
• See Network Rail's factsheet on How Rail Timetabling Works.