The long-awaited new station at Cambridge South has officially opened today, Sunday 28th June.

Up to nine trains an hour operated by Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, and CrossCountry will provide direct services to London, Birmingham, and Stansted Airport, and international rail services via St Pancras.

Construction of the station has been backed by £250 million of Government funding, and around 1.8 million passengers are expected to use it each year.

The design of the station took into account its surroundings, so that it blends in with a nature reserve at Hobson’s Park with its recreational areas, wildlife habitats, and valuable green space.

A ‘green roof’ with a wildflower meadow environment was incorporated in the design, and there is also a rainwater catchment system to store and slowly discharge rainwater back into the environment and a nearby brook.

Overall, through its design and construction efficiencies, a reduction of over 22 per cent has been achieved in the station’s carbon footprint.

A driver for the new station was its direct access to the Cambridge Bio-Medical Campus with its world-class science laboratories, NHS hospitals, and business facilities. About 20,000 people work on the campus, and it is visited by 40,000 people every day.

It is a nationally important facility that contributes £4.7 billion annually to the UK economy, and facilitates ten jobs throughout the UK for every ten jobs on the campus.

Before the station opened, it took over an hour to travel to the Biomedical campus from London King’s Cross station, but that time is now just a 45-minute direct train from London to Cambridge South.

The new station also incorporates a public art installation by Turner Prize nominee Mark Titchner.

“The newly opened Cambridge South station cuts journey times, improves access to jobs, and makes everyday life that little bit easier for thousands of people. This £250 million investment means a journey that once took over an hour – involving a train, a bus, and a walk – is now a single 45-minute direct train from London. That’s a real, tangible difference in people’s lives. With up to 20 services in peak hours connecting passengers to London, Birmingham, Stansted, and beyond, Cambridge South will connect people with opportunities across the region and the wider country. This is Great British Railways in action.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander