HS2 London to Birmingham Opens

Britain's second high-speed line, cut back to a single Phase 1 route after cancellations and cost overruns. Estimated date.

HS2 is a high-speed railway under construction in England since 2020; Phase 1 runs from London to Handsacre with a branch to Birmingham, stations at Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Curzon Street^[1]
As of May 2026, Old Oak Common-Curzon Street services are expected between May 2036 and October 2039, and Euston services between May 2040 and December 2043^[1][2]
Cost range is £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion; the government confirmed in May 2026 that it will complete the current scope from Euston to the West Midlands^[1][2]
Phase 2 was abandoned in October 2023 (Network North, £36 billion redirected) and Euston cut to six platforms; in November 2023 initial services were still forecast for 2029-2033^[1][3]
Following a June 2025 reset, operating speed is to be reduced to 320 km/h, with possible savings of £1-2.5 billion; Euston is to be part privately financed via a new Euston Delivery Company^[1][2]
Original 2010 expectation was Phase 1 opening by December 2026^[1]

@ThePinGang

Cost £95.2B

References 466% CONFIDENCE

The first entry is always the pin's source. Overall confidence is a weighted average of how firmly each reference supports the start and end times used above; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newest.

[1]50%
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_2
en.wikipedia.org· Posted Sep 11, 2026· Starts Jun 1, 2033· 62% of score
Given as a target, not a fixed date, per the pin description: "…after cancellations and cost overruns. Estimated date.…"
[2]92%
High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 1: decision to continue delivery following programme reset – Accounting Officer Assessment summary (May 2026)
gov.uk· Published May 1, 2026· Starts May 1, 2036 ✓· Ends Oct 31, 2039 ✓· 37% of score
Official UK Department for Transport publication (May 2026 programme reset) gives the assured schedule range for Old Oak Common to Curzon Street as May 2036 to October 2039, superseding the pin's 2033 estimate; Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said there is 'no route' to a 2033 opening.^[1]
[3]74%
HS2 6-monthly report to Parliament: November 2023
gov.uk· Published Nov 1, 2023· 1% of score
The UK government's own 6-monthly report to Parliament states the "forecast date for initial HS2 services between Birmingham Curzon Street and Old Oak Common remains within the range of 2029 to 2033," an official but notably earlier range than the pin's stored 2036-2039 estimate, published November 2023.^[1]
[4]60%
HS2: The £100BN Railway Dividing a Nation – The B1M
youtube.com· Published Aug 10, 2022· 0% of score

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TransportPosted 09/11/202609/11/2026 at 4:34 am@ThePinGang To timeline

HS2 Ltd

05/01/2036 - 10/31/2039 ESTIMATED 66% CONFIDENCEGiven as a target, not a fixed date, per the pin description: "…after cancellations and cost overruns. Estimated date.…"

Start: May 1, 203692% CONFIDENCEfrom gov.uk · possible Jun 1, 2033 – May 1, 2036
End: Oct 31, 203992% CONFIDENCEfrom gov.uk

HS2 London to Birmingham Opens

Britain's second high-speed line, cut back to a single Phase 1 route after cancellations and cost overruns. Estimated date.

HS2 is a high-speed railway under construction in England since 2020; Phase 1 runs from London to Handsacre with a branch to Birmingham, stations at Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Curzon Street^[1]
As of May 2026, Old Oak Common-Curzon Street services are expected between May 2036 and October 2039, and Euston services between May 2040 and December 2043^[1][2]
Cost range is £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion; the government confirmed in May 2026 that it will complete the current scope from Euston to the West Midlands^[1][2]
Phase 2 was abandoned in October 2023 (Network North, £36 billion redirected) and Euston cut to six platforms; in November 2023 initial services were still forecast for 2029-2033^[1][3]
Following a June 2025 reset, operating speed is to be reduced to 320 km/h, with possible savings of £1-2.5 billion; Euston is to be part privately financed via a new Euston Delivery Company^[1][2]
Original 2010 expectation was Phase 1 opening by December 2026^[1]

@ThePinGang

Cost £95.2B

References 466% CONFIDENCE

[1]50%
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_2
en.wikipedia.org· Posted Sep 11, 2026· Starts Jun 1, 2033· 62% of score
Given as a target, not a fixed date, per the pin description: "…after cancellations and cost overruns. Estimated date.…"
[2]92%
High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 1: decision to continue delivery following programme reset – Accounting Officer Assessment summary (May 2026)
gov.uk· Published May 1, 2026· Starts May 1, 2036 ✓· Ends Oct 31, 2039 ✓· 37% of score
Official UK Department for Transport publication (May 2026 programme reset) gives the assured schedule range for Old Oak Common to Curzon Street as May 2036 to October 2039, superseding the pin's 2033 estimate; Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said there is 'no route' to a 2033 opening.^[1]
[3]74%
HS2 6-monthly report to Parliament: November 2023
gov.uk· Published Nov 1, 2023· 1% of score
The UK government's own 6-monthly report to Parliament states the "forecast date for initial HS2 services between Birmingham Curzon Street and Old Oak Common remains within the range of 2029 to 2033," an official but notably earlier range than the pin's stored 2036-2039 estimate, published November 2023.^[1]
[4]60%
HS2: The £100BN Railway Dividing a Nation – The B1M
youtube.com· Published Aug 10, 2022· 0% of score