HS2 — High Speed 2
HS2 is Britain's second high-speed railway, under construction between London (Old Oak Common, then Euston) and Birmingham Curzon Street. Engineered for 360 km/h, it opens between 2029 and 2033. Phase 2 to Manchester and Leeds was cancelled in October 2023.
Length (Phase 1)
230 km
Top Speed
360 km/h design (330 km/h initial)
Opens
Old Oak Common → Birmingham 2029–2033
London Terminus
Euston (later phase)
Interchange
Old Oak Common (Elizabeth line, GWR)
Operator
HS2 Ltd → DfT-procured operator
Status
Under construction (Phase 1)
Phase 2
Cancelled October 2023
About HS2
HS2 Phase 1 is a new 230 km high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, with the first operational section running between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street. Construction is led by HS2 Ltd, a UK government company, with the line operated under a separate Department for Transport contract once trains start running.
Old Oak Common will be one of Europe's largest new railway stations — six HS2 platforms, eight Elizabeth line / GWR platforms, and direct connections to Heathrow Express. Most early HS2 passengers will change here for the Elizabeth line into central London or for Heathrow Airport.
Euston station, when funded, adds 10 HS2 platforms alongside the existing terminus, freeing up West Coast Main Line capacity for Avanti, Caledonian Sleeper and London Northwestern services. From Birmingham Curzon Street, HS2 trains will continue onto the classic network using bi-mode and classic-compatible rolling stock to reach Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Glasgow on the existing West Coast Main Line.
FAQs
Is HS2 open yet?
No. HS2 Phase 1 is under construction. The first operational section will run between Old Oak Common (west London) and Birmingham Curzon Street, with a delivery window currently between 2029 and 2033. Euston station opens later as a separate phase, dependent on funding decisions.
Where will HS2 terminate in London?
London Euston is the planned central London terminus, with 10 high-speed platforms in a new station to be built alongside the existing Euston. Old Oak Common, in west London, opens first as an interim terminus and a permanent interchange with the Elizabeth line, Great Western Main Line and Heathrow Express.
Why were the northern HS2 legs cancelled?
In October 2023 the UK government cancelled Phase 2 (Birmingham to Manchester) and Phase 2b (eastern leg to Leeds via the East Midlands), citing cost overruns. Phase 1 (Old Oak Common / Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street) continues, with Birmingham trains continuing onto the existing West Coast Main Line northwards.
How fast will HS2 be?
HS2 is engineered for 360 km/h (225 mph), with initial services likely capped at 330 km/h (205 mph) to balance energy use and timetable resilience. That makes it the fastest railway in the UK once open, slightly faster than the Eurostar Velaro e320's 320 km/h on HS1.
Will HS2 connect to HS1?
No direct rail link. The original CrossRail-style HS1–HS2 link between Euston and St Pancras was cancelled in 2014. Passengers transferring between HS2 (Euston) and HS1/Eurostar (St Pancras) will walk between the two stations — about 8 minutes.