Cambridge South station

We’re building a new railway station for Cambridge to support the vitally important biomedical campus and serve a growing community of science and health care specialists, employees and hospital visitors.  

Christmas works – 25 December 2024 to 5 January 2025

Engineering work will be underway over the Christmas period from 25 December to 5 January. This work will affect all services via Cambridge station during these dates.

Information on service alternations will be made available on your train operator websites in due course or via National Rail Enquiries.

Background

Cambridge is one of the UK’s most successful and fastest growing cities. The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is an internationally significant health and life sciences cluster and is expected to accommodate 27,000 jobs by 2031. 

The Cambridge Local Plan 2018 identifies the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the Cambridge Southern Fringe as an area of major change in Cambridge. 

It is envisaged that by 2031 new housing developments across the Cambridge Southern Fringe comprising an estimated 4000 new homes will have been built. 

Benefits

The new station will connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with potential destinations such as central London, Stansted Airport, and Birmingham. 

The station will also provide access to a growing area of high-quality employment and help relieve congestion in the local area by supporting the development of environmentally sustainable transport in Cambridge. 

In the future, East West Rail services from Bedford to Cambridge could serve the new station. 

Our Plans

Our plans involve the construction and operation of a new two storey, four platform station on the West Anglia Main adjacent to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus which will include: 

  • ticket vending machines 
  • lifts providing step free access to all platforms 
  • accessible toilets, baby change facilities, waiting area and space for retail/catering 
  • access for pedestrians and cyclists from both sides of the railway with capacity for a 1000 cycle parking spaces 
  • modification to roads and crossings to facilitate access to the station 

We will also modify and enhance the rail infrastructure to support the new station which will include: 

  • remodelling of the existing track layout 
  • installing two additional track loops to accommodate a four-platform station 
  • enhancements to Shepreth branch junction 
  • modification to the railway on the southern approach to Cambridge station 
  • provision for overhead line electrification infrastructure and a substation  
  • modification of existing signalling equipment 
  • closure of two private level crossing and provision of alternative access 

Key Facts  

  • The new station will connect the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with potential destinations such as central London, London Stansted Airport and Birmingham 
  • The station will have step free access to all platforms, accessible toilets, cycle parking, drop off area and access to the station for pedestrians on both sides. 
  • The station will be managed and served by Greater Anglia, with other existing train operators expected to call at the new station (subject to future timetabling).  

Cambridge South timelapse

Please note – the video below doesn’t contain a voice over or an audio description.

The timelapse below shows work taking place from May 2023 to July 2024. The video includes:

  • May 2023 – Site clearance ready for island platform 3 frontwall installed
  • June 2023 – Site clearance and platform 1 frontwall begins installation
  • July 2023 – Platform 1 frontwall complete
  • August 2023 – Platform 4 frontwall installation begins and ground utility work
  • September 2023 – Utility and ground work continues
  • October 2023 – Platform 4 frontwall installed and groundwork continues. New track installed between frontwalls of Platform 3 and 4
  • November 2023 – New track continues to be installed while ground work and foundations underway for western station building.
  • December 2023 – Western station building foundation work continues and groundwork for eastern station building underway. Mainline is switched over to new track over Christmas and old mainline track removed while foundation work commences for station building and footbridge structures.
  • January 2024 – Trains now using new track. Old mainline is removed to allow installation of Platform 2 frontwall and island platform lift shaft pits.
  • February 2024 – Frontwall installation continues while old mainline ballast is removed and ground prepared for future track alignment. Western station building foundations and floor slab completed. Eastern station building foundation work continues.
  • March 2024 – Western station building steel structure beings to be erected. Eastern station building foundation work and base floor slab continues. Lift shaft pits in place.
  • April 2024 – Western station building steel structure continues to be constructed and wooden roof beams start to be installed. Lifts shaft sections begin to be installed.
  • May 2024 – Western station roof and platform roof is constructed. Lifts shafts continue to be installed. Eastern station building structure begins to be erected.
  • June 2024 – Station footbridge installed across the railway which connected both station buildings to the island platform. Bridge roof is installed.
  • July 2024 – Eastern station building structure is completed and roof installation begins.

Latest News 

December 2023

Network Rail has entered into an agreement with Cambridgeshire County Council to restore habitats disrupted during the construction of the new station in Hobsons Park and deliver the targeted local biodiversity net gain of 10%. For more information read our press release.

23 October 2023

We have awarded the main contract to J Murphy & Sons Ltd to build and complete Cambridge South. For more information read our press release.

19 September 2023

South Rail Systems Alliance (SRSA) awarded £40 million contract to deliver the rail systems for Cambridge South station including upgrades to Shepreth branch junction. 

5 June 2023

Government announces commitment to deliver a new train station in south Cambridge by 2025. Read more on the gov.uk website.

December 2022

A Transport and Works Act Order to construct a new station to serve the Cambridge Biomedical Campus was approved by the Secretary of State for Transport, to improve connectivity in Cambridgeshire and beyond. 

Transport and Works Act Order

Approval to authorise the construction and operation of a new Cambridge South Station and related track works, including improvements at Shepreth Branch Junction and a new connection between existing lines at Hills Road have been authorised by the Secretary of State for Transport. The TWAO application documents submitted to the Department for Transport in 2021 can be found below for reference.

Contact Us

If you have any enquiries or questions about the proposals for Cambridge South Station, please contact the 24/7 helpline team on 0345 711 4141 or visit our Contact Us webpage.

You can also follow us on Twitter @NetworkRailANG using the hashtag #CambridgeSouth