The Elizabeth Line station at Canary Wharf has been transferred to Transport for London (TfL), and becomes the penultimate Crossrail station to be handed over to TfL.

The transfer means the station can now be fully integrated with the operational network ahead of the line’s opening in the first half of this year. Nine out of the 10 central stations have now been transferred from Crossrail to TfL.

The station sits below a five-storey mixed-use development known as Crossrail Place. Like the nearby Canary Wharf London Underground station, the Elizabeth Line station is constructed in a dock, in this case the North Dock of West India Quay. The station box is 256 metres long, which is greater than the height of the nearby One Canada Square, one of the UK’s tallest buildings.

During construction, nearly 100 million litres of water were pumped out of the station as well as 300,000 tonnes of material being excavated. During excavations, a piece of woolly mammoth jawbone was found, as well as a fragment of amber, which is estimated to be 55 million years old. Both were passed on to the Natural History Museum.

Staff from MTR Elizabeth line, who will operate Canary Wharf, will continue familiarisation with the station, its procedures, facilities, and systems. They will also undertake Trial Operations exercises to replicate scenarios that may occur when the station is open to customers.

As previously reported, trial operations started on the central section in November, and will soon enter the next stage with larger exercises involving staff and partner organisations. This is the final phase of the testing programme before the line opens for passenger services between Paddington and Abbey Wood in the next few months.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “This is the ninth station to be handed over to TfL and marks another big milestone for the Elizabeth line before it opens for passengers in the first half of this year. Canary Wharf is a great place to live, work and spend time, and the new Elizabeth line will make it quicker and easier for people to travel around London as the city recovers from the pandemic.”

Andy Byford, Transport for London’s Commissioner, said: “This station handover is another step forward before the railway opens in the first half of the year. Canary Wharf is a thriving area of the capital, not just for business, but for those who live in the area and enjoy the retail and leisure activities. This iconic station, sitting below the shopping centre, will be part of the Crossrail place development – a destination in its own right. The Elizabeth line will provide new, much needed, direct transport links across London and beyond.”

Mark Wild, Crossrail Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that Canary Wharf Elizabeth line station has been transferred to Transport for London and thank all those that have worked so hard to achieve this. This beautiful and iconic station will help connect this key business district to the City of London, the West End and Heathrow. These more seamless journeys will improve access to employment and create further job opportunities.

“We are progressing well with Trial Operations, which is the final phase before passenger services. With a series of more complex exercises, which will include evacuations of trains and stations using thousands of staff due to begin soon.”

Shobi Khan, CEO, Canary Wharf Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see the completed Canary Wharf station handed over to TfL, as the Elizabeth line gets ready to start operations. The Elizabeth line will be a game changer for London and for Canary Wharf. Residents, workers, and visitors to Canary Wharf will benefit from fast, comfortable new trains, transforming connectivity and journey times across the capital.

“Canary Wharf Group is proud to have delivered an exceptional station building, which is already a popular destination with shops, restaurants like Big Easy and Pergola on The Wharf, an Everyman Cinema and entertainment spaces, a beautiful garden, and waterside boardwalks.”