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Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

London Underground has redrawn the Tube map

London Underground has redrawn the Tube map

London’s Tube map has officially been updated to ‘make transport history’ with the addition of the Elizabeth Line.

The white-and-purple line stretches through the city in the updated design.

Transport for London (TfL) published the map ahead of the line’s launch on May 24.

Signs will also be appearing across stations with updated directions.

Online, some have queried why the new line has been added to the Tube map at all, given the fact it is an overground service.

A ‘double purple’ thick line has therefore been used to mark the difference between the Elizabeth Line and the existing Underground.

The depiction is similar to the orange-and-white used to display London Overground services on the Tube map.

Julie Dixon, interim customer and revenue director, said: ‘When we open on Tuesday 24 May, the new Elizabeth line will begin providing greater connectivity and step-free access from Reading and Heathrow to Shenfield and Abbey Wood through the centre of London.

The Elizabeth Line is set to stop at a total of 41 stations

The Elizabeth line’s depiction is similar to the white with orange used for the London Overground


‘This latest Tube map is a real credit to the team who have put it together. It has been both a challenge and a privilege to update Harry Beck’s original design to literally put a new piece of transport history on the map.’

The Elizabeth line will initially run 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood, Monday to Saturday.

Services on the Elizabeth line’s new central section will run from Paddington to Abbey Wood through the tunnels beneath London constructed by Crossrail.

The costly new route, also known as Crossrail, has been in the works for many years, and is named for The Queen – with its roundel and map position denoted by a regal purple.

An Elizabeth Line train undergoing final tests earlier this week

The Queen tried out a oyster card machine at Paddington station ahead of the line’s launch


On Tuesday, the Queen herself made an unexpected appearance at Paddington Station to see the completed Elizabeth Line named in her honour.

She was pictured using a ticket machine dispending limited edition Elizabeth Line Oyster Cards as she officially opened the new £18.9 billion new railway.

The monarch was welcomed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford.

A full timetable won’t be ready until 2023 and the opening still depends on final safety approvals.

The Elizabeth line was due to be completed in December 2018 and was set a budget of £14.8billion in 2010.

But the launch was postponed indefinitely when it became clear its completion was nowhere near ready.

The total cost has been estimated at £18.9billion, including £5.1billion from the Government.

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