New Cambridge South Station Timetable

[weeklycommuter]

People who have appointments at outpatients are going there because they have some sort of medical condition. Many of them are not able to walk the long distance from the new station to the outpatients department. It may not seem a long walk to you but many visitors to outpatients won't share your view.

The guided busway routes stop outside the main outpatients entrance and the main Addenbrookes bus station is only a short distance away.

You are right that it is also a fairly long walk from the island platform at Cambridge station to the bus stops, but assistance is available, and going the other way it is a much shorter walk from the bus stops to the platforms in the old part of the station. Furthermore, the guided busway routes have the stops nearest to the main station.

And the guided busway does not have congestion on it!

For outpatients needing to minimise walking the old station and the guided busway is still going to be the best option.

The Busway A bus will also pass close to Cambridge South Station as this bus service terminates at Trumpington Park and Ride. If Cambridge South Station to Addenbrookes outpatients is too far for some people to walk the Busway A bus could transport them between Addenbrookes outpatients and Cambridge South Station depending on where the bus stops are when Cambridge South Station opens. The following timetable shows the Busway A bus service runs mostly every twenty minutes Monday to Saturday between Cambridge Station and Trumpington Park and Ride via Addenbrookes outpatients but during the day on weekdays it runs every ten minutes between Trumpington Park and Ride and Addenbrookes outpatients. If this continues it would provide a faster and more frequent service to Addenbrookes outpatients from Cambridge South Station than from Cambridge Station as long as there are easily accessible bus stops near Cambridge South Station.

https://www.thebusway.info/pdfs/tt/ABC.pdf

https://www.thebusway.info/pdfs/maps/trumpington.pdf

 

[Ashfordian6]

Cross-country - I have to remain fairly tight lipped about this one. That's firmly in the 'final decision not yet made' category and discussions are ongoing. But suffice to say it's not a definate no.

This should be a definite No, except maybe the first couple of services of the day (maybe then they will deem these important enough to run, which isn't always a given!)

They provide little capacity overall but any issues will mean they will just add to the delays for little gain and back up said delays into Cambridge. Get them out of Cambridge and past the station/junction and allow the others TOC's more time.

 

[mr_moo]

On the basis they don't currently stop at Cambridge North I would be surprised if they stopped at Cambridge South

Cambridge South is a bigger place and has a lot more there. The hospitals and science parks are big employers (and therefore worker destimations) wheras Cambridge North is more focussed towards the local are residents.

This should be a definite No, except maybe the first couple of services of the day (maybe then they will deem these important enough to run, which isn't always a given!)

They provide little capacity overall but any issues will mean they will just add to the delays for little gain and back up said delays into Cambridge. Get them out of Cambridge and past the station/junction and allow the others TOC's more time.

Yes, but as above - it's a big draw. And cross-country offers a wider set of destinations to serve it. I'm biased of course, being involved, I think everything should stop at my wonderful new station (!), but it does actually make some sense too.

 

[Magdalia]

The Busway A bus will also pass close to Cambridge South Station as this bus service terminates at Trumpington Park and Ride. If Cambridge South Station to Addenbrookes outpatients is too far for some people to walk the Busway A bus could transport them between Addenbrookes outpatients and Cambridge South Station depending on where the bus stops are when Cambridge South Station opens. The following timetable shows the Busway A bus service runs mostly every twenty minutes Monday to Saturday between Cambridge Station and Trumpington Park and Ride via Addenbrookes outpatients but during the day on weekdays it runs every ten minutes between Trumpington Park and Ride and Addenbrookes outpatients. If this continues it would provide a faster and more frequent service to Addenbrookes outpatients from Cambridge South Station than from Cambridge Station as long as there are easily accessible bus stops near Cambridge South Station.

You are not taking account of 3 features of the busway service here.

Whippet also provide 4bph between the main Cambridge station and the Biomedical campus, using the same stops at the main Cambridge station and Outpatients as Stagecoach route A.

The bus stops at Cambridge South are not near the new station entrance. Furthermore the Stagecoach and Whippet buses stop in different places, the former outside Papworth Hospital and the latter part way along Francis Crick Avenue. The walk between the platforms and the buses at Cambridge South will be no better than at the main Cambridge station.

The Stagecoach A off peak Trumpington Park and Ride-Addenbrookes shuttle is a relatively recent innovation. Stagecoach make frequent timetable changes on route A, it will be interesting to see what they provide once the new station opens. I doubt that it will be the same as what they offer now. The Whippet timetable is far more stable because it operates under a financial arrangement with the University.

 

[MikeWM]

Cambridge South is a bigger place and has a lot more there. The hospitals and science parks are big employers (and therefore worker destimations) wheras Cambridge North is more focussed towards the local are residents.

*Now* North is, yes, but IIRC it was originally intended to be highly tilted towards commuters for the science/business parks (plus Cambridge Regional College). As it turns out, I don't think that has happened much at all, and the station is largely used for leisure travel by residents for whom it is more convenient than Cambridge 'Central' - with whom it has become very popular.

North is just too far away from the science park, at a 15-minute walk even to the south-east corner, along a deeply uninspiring and poorly-maintained path (which floods in parts when it rains, and has parts in total darkness due to streetlights that have been out all winter) and one of the most pedestrian-unfriendly road crossings I've had the misfortune to encounter. The bus service is highly erratic (and very pricey for the distance) as an alternative. Perhaps it isn't surprising that it doesn't appear to have caught on much with commuters. (*I* use it to commute to work, but I don't claim to be 'typical'

South doesn't have the same issues. Yes, on paper it is a similar distance to outpatients as North is from the Science Park, but it will all be on the Addenbrookes 'estate' and so presumably a much nicer experience.

Yes, but as above - it's a big draw. And cross-country offers a wider set of destinations to serve it. I'm biased of course, being involved, I think everything should stop at my wonderful new station (!), but it does actually make some sense too.

If all GAs stop, along with the 2 TLs and 2 GN stoppers per hour - which seems extremely likely - that's 7 an hour between Cambridge 'Central' and South. With such a frequent service, it doesn't seem to be that changing at Cambridge 'Central' would be terribly inconvenient.

Personally I'm indifferent as to whether the XCs stop - I wonder if the XC service to Stansted will ever be fully restored anyway - and I'm in two minds about whether I think the GN fasts should stop. Do the benefits of the extra stop outweigh the extended journey time for people travelling to/from London - especially when eg. for Kings Lynn commuters, their services are already quite a bit slower than they were 10 years ago?

 

[arb]

For the first time in history it will be possible to get from one side of the city to the other in 10 minutes, just by hopping on a train between North and South stations

A lot of trains have a long wait at Cambridge, e.g. looking at Great Northern southbound trains for today a lot of them are:

• 4 minutes from Cambridge North to Cambridge
• 7 minute wait at Cambridge
• 4 minutes from Cambridge to Shepreth Branch Junction (so call it 3 minutes to the new station?)

Whilst that is certainly still faster than any other method of getting across Cambridge, it will quite frustrating spending half of such a cross-city journey sitting at a platform in the main station! Is there any scope for reducing this waiting time? Or is it horribly tied in with other constraints such as the Thameslink Core and Ely North Junction?

 

[MikeWM]

A lot of trains have a long wait at Cambridge, e.g. looking at Great Northern southbound trains for today a lot of them are:

• 4 minutes from Cambridge North to Cambridge
• 7 minute wait at Cambridge
• 4 minutes from Cambridge to Shepreth Branch Junction (so call it 3 minutes to the new station?)

Whilst that is certainly still faster than any other method of getting across Cambridge, it will quite frustrating spending half of such a cross-city journey sitting at a platform in the main station! Is there any scope for reducing this waiting time? Or is it horribly tied in with other constraints such as the Thameslink Core and Ely North Junction?

I think the 7 minutes (usually 5 in the northbound direction) is to allow attachments/detachments to take place. Of course there are very few of those nowadays, with 8 carriage trains running to Kings Lynn, few 12 carriage trains to London, and some services worked by 700s (ugh), but the padding to allow it on pretty much all services is still in the timetable.

 

[arb]

Greater Anglia trains often wait for 4 minutes at Cambridge (both Norwich to Stanstend and Cambridge North to Liverpool Street), and CrossCountry for 6 minutes. So it's not just related to Great Northern's attachments/detachments. (Again I only looked southbound, and only for the next few hours, I haven't analysed the full day!)

 

[MikeWM]

Greater Anglia trains often wait for 4 minutes at Cambridge (both Norwich to Stanstend and Cambridge North to Liverpool Street), and CrossCountry for 6 minutes. So it's not just related to Great Northern's attachments/detachments. (Again I only looked southbound, and only for the next few hours, I haven't analysed the full day!)

The XCs look all over the place - today the ones continuing to Stansted have 3, 1, 3, 6, 6, 1, 3, 3, 5 minutes wait at Cambridge - try to spot a meaningful pattern in that!

Equally the GAs to Stansted have 1, 3, 1, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2, 3.

The GA semi-fasts to Liverpool Street usually (but not always) have 4 minutes, whereas the stoppers usually (but not always) have just 1 minute.

Admittedly I'm surprised that some of these dwells are as long as they are (and as variable as they are!). I agree that - absent spending far too long working out what happens further down the line - it must be due to pathing constraints.

 

[arb]

I wonder if some of the longer waits could be shifted to be at Cambridge South instead of Cambridge (for southbound trains), and at Cambridge North instead of Cambridge (for northbound trains). That way the services between North and South would never be artificially delayed.

It seems more likely to be possible for southbound trains than northbound, because you've got more through platforms at Cambridge South than Cambridge North.

(EDIT: You could of course put the extra wait at either end, so most likely Cambridge South in both directions. All that matters, for this particular line of thought, is moving the wait away from the middle station of the three).

But, like you, I'm not going to spend ages working out if that will be possible given the hour-by-hour variations in all the timings!

 

[weeklycommuter]

You are not taking account of 3 features of the busway service here.

Whippet also provide 4bph between the main Cambridge station and the Biomedical campus, using the same stops at the main Cambridge station and Outpatients as Stagecoach route A.

The bus stops at Cambridge South are not near the new station entrance. Furthermore the Stagecoach and Whippet buses stop in different places, the former outside Papworth Hospital and the latter part way along Francis Crick Avenue. The walk between the platforms and the buses at Cambridge South will be no better than at the main Cambridge station.

The Stagecoach A off peak Trumpington Park and Ride-Addenbrookes shuttle is a relatively recent innovation. Stagecoach make frequent timetable changes on route A, it will be interesting to see what they provide once the new station opens. I doubt that it will be the same as what they offer now. The Whippet timetable is far more stable because it operates under a financial arrangement with the University.

It remains to be seen what bus services are run and where the bus stops are sited after Cambridge South Station opens. On page 5 of the following Outline Business Case for Cambridge South Station it is stated that the considerable development planned in Cambridge over the next few years risks significant overcrowding at Cambridge Station so I expect they will want to do everything possible to encourage everyone travelling to the Biomedical Campus by train to use Cambridge South Station instead of Cambridge Station. The risk of overcrowding at Cambridge Station is an important reason for building Cambridge North Station and now Cambridge South Station and it will be interesting to see if a Cambridge East Station is also eventually built on the railway line from Cambridge to Newmarket.

https://gat04-live-1517c8a4486c41609369c68f30c8-aa81074.divio-media.org/filer_public/6f/04/6f04d012-4878-41d7-a64e-79b6785782ab/nr20_cambridge_south_outline_business_case80119701_1.pdf

 

[Ashfordian6]

The XCs look all over the place - today the ones continuing to Stansted have 3, 1, 3, 6, 6, 1, 3, 3, 5 minutes wait at Cambridge - try to spot a meaningful pattern in that!

Equally the GAs to Stansted have 1, 3, 1, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2, 3.

The GA semi-fasts to Liverpool Street usually (but not always) have 4 minutes, whereas the stoppers usually (but not always) have just 1 minute.

Admittedly I'm surprised that some of these dwells are as long as they are (and as variable as they are!). I agree that - absent spending far too long working out what happens further down the line - it must be due to pathing constraints.

Logically, the waits at Cambridge will be reduced by the stopping time for required for Cambridge South thus meaning no further time table work needed

 

[Starmill]

The XCs look all over the place - today the ones continuing to Stansted have 3, 1, 3, 6, 6, 1, 3, 3, 5 minutes wait at Cambridge - try to spot a meaningful pattern in that!

Equally the GAs to Stansted have 1, 3, 1, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2, 3.

The GA semi-fasts to Liverpool Street usually (but not always) have 4 minutes, whereas the stoppers usually (but not always) have just 1 minute.

Admittedly I'm surprised that some of these dwells are as long as they are (and as variable as they are!). I agree that - absent spending far too long working out what happens further down the line - it must be due to pathing constraints.

A few of them are down to an extra stop, for example there are two CrossCountry services each way which still call at Manea, and a very slightly different selection at Whittlesea. Also maybe around half of their services still have the allowance at Audley End from where they used to stop. The rest have either lost their allowance there through little adjustments, are still calling at Audley End, or aren't running between Cambridge and Stansted Airport at the moment. It has been suggested on here that CrossCountry are looking to take back up all of their rights to Stansted Airport, but I'm not aware when or if that could be in play.

 

[MikeWM]

A few of them are down to an extra stop, for example there are two CrossCountry services each way which still call at Manea, and a very slightly different selection at Whittlesea.

That's a good point, though I suppose I expected those to be taken care of at Ely (which also has rather variable waits on these services - 0, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 4, 4, 1). They're threading a rather thin needle around the most-hours Ely-Kings Cross service though, which not so long ago left Ely before the XC and then had a stupid amount of time sitting at Cambridge while the XC overtook, something I moaned about on here at the time. Likely that fixing that issue causes some of these fairly random-looking times as well.

Also maybe around half of their services still have the allowance at Audley End from where they used to stop. The rest have either lost their allowance there through little adjustments, are still calling at Audley End, or aren't running between Cambridge and Stansted Airport at the moment. It has been suggested on here that CrossCountry are looking to take back up all of their rights to Stansted Airport, but I'm not aware when or if that could be in play.

Yes, and the need to fit into the intensively used single-line approach to Stansted Airport no doubt then dictates timings all the way up the line.

 

[swt_passenger]

A few of them are down to an extra stop, for example there are two CrossCountry services each way which still call at Manea, and a very slightly different selection at Whittlesea. Also maybe around half of their services still have the allowance at Audley End from where they used to stop. The rest have either lost their allowance there through little adjustments, are still calling at Audley End, or aren't running between Cambridge and Stansted Airport at the moment. It has been suggested on here that CrossCountry are looking to take back up all of their rights to Stansted Airport, but I'm not aware when or if that could be in play.

The recent XC track access application just refers to “reintroduction of missing” Cambridge - Stansted and Birmingham - Stansted services in May 2025:

https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sale-of-access-rights/Consultations/Completed%20Track%20Access%20Consultations/2024/26.01.2024%20-%20CrossCountry%20Trains%20Limited%20-%20Section%2017%20-%20Closes%2026.02.2024/Section%2017%20Form%20P.pdf

 

[Starmill]

The recent XC track access application just refers to “reintroduction of missing” Cambridge - Stansted and Birmingham - Stansted services in May 2025:

https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sale-of-access-rights/Consultations/Completed%20Track%20Access%20Consultations/2024/26.01.2024%20-%20CrossCountry%20Trains%20Limited%20-%20Section%2017%20-%20Closes%2026.02.2024/Section%2017%20Form%20P.pdf

Thank you. I think that likely is them all accounted for then, hopefully in just over a year's time.

 

[mr_moo]

Note that March 2025 is the current plan for when Cambridge South opens so it might be linked in with the timetable change for that. Just a theory though.

 

[Class 170101]

Note that March 2025 is the current plan for when Cambridge South opens so it might be linked in with the timetable change for that. Just a theory though.

That (above) would be in the duration of Dec 24 TT for Cambridge South.

This Track Access document refers to May 25 WTT.

 

[mr_moo]

Fair point!

 

[Magdalia]

the Busway A bus service runs mostly every twenty minutes Monday to Saturday between Cambridge Station and Trumpington Park and Ride via Addenbrookes outpatients but during the day on weekdays it runs every ten minutes between Trumpington Park and Ride and Addenbrookes outpatients.

Stagecoach make frequent timetable changes on route A, it will be interesting to see what they provide once the new station opens. I doubt that it will be the same as what they offer now.

This service is ending next month. From 14 April it will be like this:

Busway A Cambridge - St Ives We will be making some amendments to our Busway A service:
• We will be increasing the frequency, the service will run every 15 minutes Monday – Friday.
• We will be withdrawing the short Trumpington journeys to reinvest into the full route timetable.

Full details are here:

https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/East/SERVICE%20CHANGE%20NOTICES/2024/APRIL2024-CHANGES.pdf

We’re making changes to some timetables on Sunday 14th April 2024

 

[Silenos]

Logically, the waits at Cambridge will be reduced by the stopping time for required for Cambridge South thus meaning no further time table work needed

This sounds logical and reasonable, and therefore unlikely to happen . I’d hope that the slack in the timetable with the waits at Cambridge and Littleport might allow KLN services not to take any longer, but I’m not counting on it.

 

[Taunton]

People who have appointments at outpatients are going there because they have some sort of medical condition. Many of them are not able to walk the long distance from the new station to the outpatients department.

This I am afraid is an understanding unfortunately lost on a number of the administration in the Health Service. It would be unfortunate if this spreads to rail service planners as well.

 

[Magdalia]

This sounds logical and reasonable, and therefore unlikely to happen . I’d hope that the slack in the timetable with the waits at Cambridge and Littleport might allow KLN services not to take any longer, but I’m not counting on it.

For GN trains the whole package of work should be roughly time neutral. The extra time taken for the Cambridge South stop is roughly balanced by the time saved by running through Shepreth Branch Junction at 50mph instead of 30mph.

 

[William3000]

Sounds very positive re stopping. One day there is probably a future where almost everything calls South-Central-North if not terminating. To encourage those intra-city journeys and use capacity locally. Mini-Crossrail of sorts, even to Ely.

Cambridge North in theory could fit another platform. It might be easier than the eastern one planned at Cambridge Central - merely to extend a few TL trains through the 'core'.

Equally, knowing the Stansted tunnel capacity limit, it would be great to have another place to terminate south of Cambridge South, if demand for another Norwich, or something towards Peterborough - or better yet, the Ipswich being extended (which would in theory become 1tph EWR, if ever built?) - was possible, for more regional connectivity to South.

While it doesn’t look possible to build a 5th platform at Cambridge South, it looks theoretically possible to create a shorter 4-coach 3rd platform to the east of platform 1 at Whittlesford Parkway that could enable Ipswich trains to continue through Cambridge South as well as providing Shelford with an additional service into Cambridge.

 

[dk1]

While it doesn’t look possible to build a 5th platform at Cambridge South, it looks theoretically possible to create a shorter 4-coach 3rd platform to the east of platform 1 at Whittlesford Parkway that could enable Ipswich trains to continue through Cambridge South as well as providing Shelford with an additional service into Cambridge.

Running Ipswich services through would not only incur additional pressure on an already very busy piece of railway but would require an extra unit & crew due to the tight turnaround at Cambridge. It is not possible to improve on that due to single line sections.

 

[dr720]

Running Ipswich services through would not only incur additional pressure on an already very busy piece of railway but would require an extra unit & crew due to the tight turnaround at Cambridge. It is not possible to improve on that due to single line sections.

 

[mr_moo]

While it doesn’t look possible to build a 5th platform at Cambridge South, it looks theoretically possible to create a shorter 4-coach 3rd platform to the east of platform 1 at Whittlesford Parkway that could enable Ipswich trains to continue through Cambridge South as well as providing Shelford with an additional service into Cambridge.

I'm an engineer - Anything is possible!
Just give me enough money, time, and legal powers!

In physical terms - the west building would need demolishing, platform 4 would become an island and a new western entrance building required.
Guided busway bridge would need to be demolished and significantly widened, meaning the road gradients westwards would need to be steepened up.
More of Hobsons park would be taken, which would have to be mitigated somehow.
Lots of track, signalling and OLE changes but that's obvious.
East West Rail are planning to 4-track the area anyway and thus they will need to demolish Long road bridge anyway, and so their 4-tracks are likely to be ok by that point at a squeeze perhaps, or maybe that would need re-building too.
Southwards would be fairly simple Westwards widening with reaosnably open space. Some services, hobson conduit, and the new park land would all need to be modified but no great issue.

And don't forget the gas mains, water mains, myriad of cables and railway services to divert...

Easy...

 

[sharpener]

People who have appointments at outpatients are going there because they have some sort of medical condition. Many of them are not able to walk the long distance from the new station to the outpatients department. It may not seem a long walk to you but many visitors to outpatients won't share your view.

The guided busway routes stop outside the main outpatients entrance and the main Addenbrookes bus station is only a short distance away.

You are right that it is also a fairly long walk from the island platform at Cambridge station to the bus stops, but assistance is available, and going the other way it is a much shorter walk from the bus stops to the platforms in the old part of the station. Furthermore, the guided busway routes have the stops nearest to the main station.

I go to Outpatients several times a year. It is only a short distance from the bus station but rather dog-legged and up a quite steep slope. There is a route through the Eye Clinic with a lift but they discourage you from using it.

There is also a circular courtesy bus which goes round the entire site from Outpatients but there is nothing to tell you how long you might have to wait out in the open and you still have to walk from the bus station.

The bus stops opposite the Royal Papworth are similarly in a very exposed windswept location and poorly signed, I have ended up on the wrong bus more than once.

You can get much of the distance from Outpatients to the Royal Papworth under cover by going through the main hospital passageways but it is labyrinthine and seems to be discouraged.

All of this pales into insignificance besides the appalling scruffy road approach to Cambridge North. I used to work on the Science Park and would not want to go to North station on foot. It's a miserable enough journey in a car, not clearly signed off the Milton Road and each time I have to go there new potholes have appeared in the carriageway.

 

[MikeWM]

I go to Outpatients several times a year. It is only a short distance from the bus station but rather dog-legged and up a quite steep slope. There is a route through the Eye Clinic with a lift but they discourage you from using it.

In the past, you usually could go through the 'basement' entrance on the bus station side, next to the Eye Clinic. Over time it became more and more restricted to 'staff-only', at first in theory and then increasingly in practice, and while I haven't tried going that way in about 5 years I assume it isn't now available to the public. If you were ok with stairs, that was a much more convenient way to get in. Perhaps it is still available to exit, at least.

You can get much of the distance from Outpatients to the Royal Papworth under cover by going through the main hospital passageways but it is labyrinthine and seems to be discouraged.

Some/most of the route is a bit easier if you go up a floor, though I suspect that is even more discouraged now (or even blocked for non-staff). Again, 5+ years since I've tried that.

All of this pales into insignificance besides the appalling scruffy road approach to Cambridge North. I used to work on the Science Park and would not want to go to North station on foot. It's a miserable enough journey in a car, not clearly signed off the Milton Road and each time I have to go there new potholes have appeared in the carriageway.

It is certainly rubbish on foot too. The path floods and many of the streetlights are out, which matters less now but was very difficult over the winter months. The crossing over Milton Road is also truly appalling, with all types of road users conflicting with one another. At some point there is going to be a nasty accident there.

 

[cle]

Why is North so badly equipped to be a Science Park station? That was the original purpose.... is there any investment planned to improve access / signage / experience as a whole?