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

To deliver the benefits as soon as possible for communities, the railway is being built over three connection stages. You can learn more about them further down this page. 

East West Rail would connect people with the things that matter most

The 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 £143 billion to the national economy each year. 

While it’s a fantastic place to live and work, growth is being held back by a lack of good east-west transport links. This is limiting local opportunities and people's ability to enjoy everything the area has to offer – from commuting between home and work, to days out with friends and family. 

Construction is underway

Connection Stage 1 

A major upgrade of the existing railway line from Oxford to Bicester was completed in December 2016, and services are already running on this section of the line (operated by Chiltern Railways). The East West Rail Alliance recently completed the construction of the section between Bicester and Bletchley on time and on budget. The line has since been handed over to Network Rail in December 2024 and is now part of the national rail network. Chiltern Railways was appointed as the operator of passenger services earlier this year and they’re now working closely with the Department of Transport (DfT) to finalise details regarding the introduction of services connecting Oxford and Milton Keynes. 

Connection Stages 2 and 3 

The second and third stages of East West Rail, from Oxford through to Bedford and Oxford to Cambridge are still in planning, and are dependent on final government funding and approval.  

Here, you can find out more about the planning process, which stages two and three will be subject to. 

In the Chancellor's Spring Budget announcement, it was announced that work on the Marston Vale Line will be accelerated in order to accommodate one train per hour between Oxford and Bedford from 2030. More details will be shared on this in due course.