Project overview
East West Rail is a nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for communities between Oxford and Cambridge by:
- Upgrading an existing section of railway between Oxford and Bicester
- Bringing back a section of railway between Bicester and Bletchley
- Refurbishing existing railway between Bletchley and Bedford
- Building brand new railway infrastructure between Bedford and Cambridge
Services will be introduced in three connection stages. You can learn more about them further down this page.
East West Rail connects people to what matters most
The vibrant communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge blend beautiful landscapes and a rich cultural heritage with globally renowned centres of education, business, technology and an increasingly dynamic business scene.
Together they contribute around £111 billion to the national economy each year.
While it’s a fantastic place to live and work, people are being let down by a lack of good east-west transport links. This is limiting their ability to enjoy everything the area has to offer – from easy opportunities to commute between home and work, to days out with friends and family.
New services and destinations will be introduced over three connection stages
Connection Stage 1: East West Rail services will run from Oxford to Bletchley/Milton Keynes.
Connection Stage 2: Building on the work completed in Connection Stage 1, East West Rail services will then extend from Oxford to Bedford.
Connection Stage 3: This stage completes the full East West Rail connection, and will see services run from Oxford to Cambridge via Bedford and Bletchley.
Take a look at our Connection Stages video which helps describe the connection stages in more detail.
Construction is underway
Connection Stage 1
Work on this stage is well underway. This section of the railway will connect people between Oxford and Milton Keynes via Bicester and Winslow and the first train will run in the next few years.
You can read more about Connection Stage 1 here.
Connection Stages 2 and 3
The second and third stages of East West Rail, from Oxford to Bedford and Oxford to Cambridge are still in planning, and are dependent on final government funding and approval.
You can read more about Connection Stage 2, and Connection Stage 3. You can also find out more about the planning process, which stages two and three will be subject to.
Our role
At East West Railway Company our role is to oversee construction of the project between Oxford and Bletchley - which is now underway. We're also designing the section of railway between Bletchley and Cambridge, making sure we build a railway which is affordable, sustainable and at pace.
Learn moreOur delivery partners
East West Rail is a complex project, particularly given there are multiple sections of railway line and several delivery partners. Here is a quick guide to the partners helping us deliver East West Rail.
Learn more