About High Speed Rail

Since 1964 high speed rail has been used to carry large numbers of passengers over longer distances, swiftly. The technology is tried and tested. High speed railways across Europe and Asia operate exceptionally safely and have a track record of excellent punctuality. The first high speed line in the UK, linking St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel, opened fully in 2007.

HS2 would use proven technology and standards and draw on significant experience of high speed rail operation across Europe and beyond. Existing high speed rail lines offer frequent, highly reliable, high speed trips between cities using modern high-capacity trains. So would HS2. It would have good links with the wider transport network to provide the best possible door-to-door journey times, such as through the proposed link to Crossrail at Old Oak Common.

Engineering factsheets

More information about the HS2 consultation. Engineering factsheets include:

• Construction Timetable
• Creating Jobs
• HS2 Costs
• HS2 Railway Cross-section
• HS2 Technical Specification
• Interoperability – International Standards for High Speed Rail
• Maintaining a safe, reliable network
• Powering HS2
• Released Capacity on the Wider Rail Network
• Roads and Rights of Way
• Safety and Security
• Serving the Continent
• Telecommunications for HS2

Read the factsheet introductions, and access the full factsheets using the links below.