Elizabeth line has bigger issues to fix as Tokyo Metro operator takes charge
TfL and GTS Rail Operations plan to bring ‘the best parts of Tokyo’ to London
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Japan’s reliable railways are coming to London as Tokyo Metro takes over operations on the Elizabeth line to make journeys more punctual.
Transport for London announced on Tuesday (19 November) that GTS Rail Operations Limited had been awarded a contract to “build on the success of the line” from May 2025.
The consortium of The Go-Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro, and Sumitomo Corporation will operate London’s newest rail line for at least seven years. This is the first time Tokyo Metro has operated a service outside of Japan.
The Elizabeth line from Berkshire to Essex has been operated by Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation since its opening in 2022.
Punctuality can be a problem on the line, which carries more than 700,000 people a day, with around 12.6 per cent of trains arriving over five minutes after their scheduled arrival time between April 2023 and March 2024.
According to its latest sustainability report, almost 99 per cent of Tokyo Metro’s services came within five minutes of their scheduled time in 2022.
Under the new contract, GTS will be tasked with preparing for service operations to the new station at Old Oak Common, which will eventually link up with HS2.
It will also bring 10 new Class 345 trains into the service to support increased passenger numbers and growth across London and the southeast.
Miguel Parras, CEO of The Go-Ahead Group, said: “We’re 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.”
TfL will continue to be responsible for setting fares and marketing the services under the new contract.
Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “I am delighted that we have appointed GTS Rail Operations to continue to build on the success of the Elizabeth line, and I look forward to working with them.”
Some industry experts doubt that a new operator can solve all of the Elizabeth line’s problems.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: “It is difficult to see that the transfer of management from one consortium with a big Asian partner to another will significantly improve the lot of the Elizabeth line commuter.
“Many of the problems stem from decaying infrastructure on the overground parts of the line, in particular the tracks and signals west of London.
“Add to this the extra disruption from the work on HS2 at Old Oak Common, and the near future does not look exactly serene for users of the line.
“But, on most days, the Elizabeth line remains a much better bet than the Piccadilly and Central lines of the London Underground for accessing Heathrow airport as well as west and east London.”
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
