General information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location | London Stansted Airport, District of Uttlesford England | ||||
Grid reference | TL556235 | ||||
Managed by | Greater Anglia | ||||
Platforms | 3 | ||||
Construction | |||||
Structure type | At-grade | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | SSD | ||||
Classification | DfT category B | ||||
History | |||||
Opened | 1991 | ||||
Original company | British Rail | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2019/20 | 8.475 million | ||||
Interchange | 2,938 | ||||
2020/21 | 0.795 million | ||||
Interchange | 445 | ||||
2021/22 | 3.369 million | ||||
Interchange | 1,479 | ||||
2022/23 | 7.906 million | ||||
Interchange | 2,583 | ||||
2023/24 | 9.281 million | ||||
Interchange | 2,109 | ||||
|
Stansted Airport railway station is a railway station serving London Stansted Airport in Essex,England. The terminus of a dedicated branch line off the West Anglia Main Line,the station is 36 miles 67 chains (59.3 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street station,to which a dedicated service called the Stansted Express operates.
The station and branch line were opened in 1991 by British Rail to coincide with the completion of the airport's new terminal building. [1] With over 9 million passengers from 2023-2024,it is the busiest station in Essex,the second busiest in the East of England,and the sixteenth busiest in the country outside of London. [2]
The construction of the station and its branch line was part of the development of Stansted into London's third airport. In June 1985,the UK Parliament approved the expansion of the airport,and in November 1985,British Rail submitted a proposal for a rail link to the airport, [3] which included a new double-track branch line connecting to the West Anglia Main Line,north of Stansted Mountfitchet station (which at the time was called Stansted railway station). [4] The line included a bored tunnel under the airport's runway,designed by Sir William Halcrow &Partners,and built by John Murphy Ltd. [5] [6]
Construction began in 1988,and the branch was completed in 1991 at a cost of £44 million. [1] The station opened on 19 March 1991,alongside the new terminal building. [6] It became fully operational following its inauguration by Queen Elizabeth II,who travelled on the first Stansted Express service from London Liverpool Street. [7]
Stansted Airport railway station is situated in a concrete box structure at ground level,directly beneath the terminal building,with the western end of the platforms which left open. [8] It was designed with three platforms,located at ground level beneath the terminal. Platforms 1 and 3 run the full length of the station and are used for Stansted Express and Norwich services. The shorter platform number 2 is used for the CrossCountry-operated services to Birmingham New Street. In 2011 platform 1 was extended to accommodate two trains simultaneously in combinations of up to 16 coaches,and platform 2 was extended to accommodate four-coach trains. [9]
Currently ticket checks are completely manual for both arriving and departing passengers. This can lead to long queues and crowding,especially soon after an arrival of a terminating service. With the planned introduction of the contactless travel payment option pending,gated ticket barriers are expected to be installed.
The station was designed with passive provision to become through-station,to allow for a possible future extension of the railway line towards Braintree. [10] Proposals for this extension have periodically resurfaced,including a 2020 review by Essex County Council exploring the feasibility of reintroducing the Bishop's Stortford–Braintree branch line in Essex. [11]
Services at Stansted Airport are operated by Greater Anglia (including services under the Stansted Express brand) and CrossCountry.
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) is: [12]
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Stansted Mountfitchet, Bishop's Stortford or Harlow Town | Greater Anglia Stansted Express London Liverpool Street –Stansted Airport | Terminus | ||
Audley End | Greater Anglia Norwich –Stansted Airport | |||
Cambridge | CrossCountry Birmingham New Street –Stansted Airport |
Uttlesford is a local government district in Essex,England. Its council is based in the town of Saffron Walden. The district also includes the town of Great Dunmow and numerous villages,including Stansted Mountfitchet,Takeley,Elsenham,Thaxted,and Newport. The district covers a largely rural area in the north-west of Essex. London Stansted Airport lies within the district.
The Stansted Express is a direct train service linking London Liverpool Street to London Stansted Airport. It is a sub-brand of Greater Anglia,the current franchise operator of the East Anglia franchise.
Tottenham Hale is an interchange station located in Tottenham Hale,North London for London Underground and National Rail services.
Gatwick Airport railway station is on the Brighton Main Line in West Sussex,England. It serves Gatwick Airport,26 miles 47 chains (42.8 km) down the line from London Bridge via Redhill. The platforms are about 70 metres (230 ft) to the east of the airport's South Terminal,with the ticket office above the platforms and station entrances and exits directly connected to the terminal. The station is also connected to the airport's North Terminal by the Airport Shuttle people-mover. Gatwick Airport was the busiest station in South East England region from 2017 to 2018. There have been two stations at Gatwick,sited about 0.85 miles (1.37 km) from each other. It is the busiest station in both West Sussex and South East England,and the sixth busiest station in the UK outside of London.
Norwich railway station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving the cathedral city of Norwich,Norfolk. It is 114 miles 77 chains (185.0 km) down the main line from London Liverpool Street,the western terminus.
Broxbourne railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the towns of Broxbourne and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire,England. It is 17 miles 17 chains (27.7 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Cheshunt and Roydon. Its three-letter station code is BXB and it is in fare zone B.
The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main line railways that operate out of Liverpool Street. It runs generally north through Cheshunt,Broxbourne,Harlow,Bishop's Stortford and Audley End to Cambridge,with branches between serving Stratford,Hertford and Stansted Airport. The line runs along the boundary between Hertfordshire and Essex for much of its length.
Braintree railway station is the northern terminus of the Braintree Branch Line in the East of England,serving the town of Braintree,Essex. It is 44 miles 78 chains (72.38 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street via Witham;the preceding station on the route is Braintree Freeport to the south.
Cambridge railway station is the principal station serving the city of Cambridge in the east of England. It stands at the end of Station Road,1 mile (1.6 km) south-east of the city centre. It is the northern terminus of the West Anglia Main Line,55 miles 52 chains (89.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street,the southern terminus.
Witham railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England,serving the town of Witham,Essex. It is situated about half a mile (1 km) from the north of the town centre and is 38 miles 48 chains (62.1 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street. On the GEML,Witham is situated between Hatfield Peverel to the west and Kelvedon to the east. It is the junction for the Braintree Branch Line to the north-west,which opened in 1848;between 1848 and 1964,it was also the junction for a south-east-facing branch line to Maldon. Its three-letter station code is WTM.
Shenfield railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving the suburb of Shenfield,Essex. As well as being a key interchange for medium- and long-distance services on the main line,it is also the western terminus of a branch line to Southend Victoria and one of the two eastern termini of the Elizabeth line. The station is 20 miles 16 chains (32.51 km) down the line from Liverpool Street;it is situated between Brentwood and either Ingatestone on the main line or Billericay on the branch line. Its three-letter station code is SNF.
Audley End railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the village of Wendens Ambo and the market town of Saffron Walden in Essex,England. It is 41 miles 55 chains (67.1 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Newport and Great Chesterford stations. Its three-letter station code is AUD.
Newport railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the village of Newport in Essex,England. It is 39 miles 72 chains (64.2 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Elsenham and Audley End stations. Its three-letter station code is NWE.
Elsenham railway station is found on the West Anglia Main Line,serving the village of Elsenham in Essex,England. It is 35 miles 45 chains (57.2 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street,and is situated between Stansted Mountfitchet and Newport stations. Its three-letter station code is ESM.
Stansted Mountfitchet railway station is a stop on the West Anglia Main Line,serving the village of Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex,England. It is 33 miles 28 chains (53.7 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Bishop's Stortford and Elsenham on the main line;Stansted Airport station follows on the airport branch. Its three-letter station code is SST.
Bishop's Stortford railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the town of Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire,England. It is 30 miles 27 chains (48.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet stations. Its three-letter station code is BIS. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Greater Anglia,including the half-hourly Stansted Express service.
Sawbridgeworth railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the town of Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire,England. It is 26 miles 57 chains (43.0 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Harlow Mill and Bishop's Stortford stations. Its three-letter station code is SAW.
Harlow Town railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the town of Harlow in Essex,England. It is 22 miles 59 chains (36.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Roydon and Harlow Mill stations. Its three-letter station code is HWN.
Southend Airport railway station is a stop on the Shenfield to Southend Line in the East of England;it serves London Southend Airport,the village of Sutton and northern parts of Southend-on-Sea,Essex. It is 39 miles 44 chains (63.65 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Rochford and Prittlewell. Train services provide an airport rail link between Southend Airport and Central London.