New £183million UK train station finally opens

Cambridge South station has opened to passengers, adding a third railway station to Cambridge and creating a new rail link beside the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

The opening took place on June 28, 2026, after the project had slipped from an earlier target of late 2025. Network Rail says the station is intended to improve access for patients, staff and visitors using the campus, while also strengthening travel links across Cambridge and beyond.

The station sits next to the Biomedical Campus and has been built as a four-platform stop with step-free access to all platforms. Network Rail says it also includes about 1,000 cycle parking spaces, reflecting the emphasis on walking, cycling and public transport access.

Officials expect the station to handle about 1.8 million passengers, patients, visitors and employees a year. Greater Anglia will manage and serve the station, with Great Northern, Thameslink and CrossCountry also expected to call from opening.

What Opens Now

Network Rail says the day-one service pattern should include direct trains to London King's Cross, Brighton, Stansted Airport, Liverpool Street, Ely, King's Lynn, Norwich, Peterborough, Leicester and Birmingham New Street.

That makes Cambridge South a significant new interchange for people travelling to the Biomedical Campus as well as for passengers heading to London, the airport and regional cities. The station is also expected to reduce reliance on existing Cambridge stations for journeys to the southern part of the city.

The project has a strong local transport angle. Network Rail says Cambridge South is designed to support sustainable access, including walking, cycling and rail connections, and to make the Biomedical Campus easier to reach without a car.

The station is also tied to longer-term transport planning. Network Rail says it forms part of the wider picture for future East West Rail connectivity, which could add to its importance in the years ahead.

From Delay To Opening Day

The build-up to the opening stretched over several years. In May 2026, the UK government announced that Cambridge South would open on Sunday, June 28, 2026. The Guardian reported at the time that it would be the first fully branded Great British Railways station.

That timetable meant the opening arrived after a delay from the earlier late-2025 target. For local passengers, the key shift is that the station is now open and the project has moved from planning and preview coverage into live service.

Cost And Questions

There is still some unresolved reporting on the project's cost. The Sun described it as a £183 million station, while The Guardian referred to a £250 million project and said it involved government funding with minor private contributions.

One open question is whether trains began calling immediately on opening day or were phased in later on June 28. Another is whether all of the planned operators started serving the station exactly as Network Rail projected.

Even with those details still to be confirmed, the core development is clear: Cambridge South is open, and Cambridge now has a new station built to serve the Biomedical Campus and connect the city more directly to London, Stansted Airport and regional rail routes.