Great Northern route
A Class 717 standing at Bowes Park in 2019 | |||
| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchises |
| ||
| Main regions | |||
| Fleet | |||
| Stations called at | 55 | ||
| Parent company | Govia Thameslink Railway | ||
| Reporting mark | GN | ||
| Technical | |||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | |||
| Other | |||
| Website | www | ||
| |||
The Great Northern route, formerly known as Great Northern Electrics, is a suburban rail route in London and the East of England. The route consists of services on the southern end of the East Coast Main Line, which is the main railway link between the cities of London and Edinburgh, as well as its associated branches, including the Cambridge line, Fen line, Hertford Loop line, and Northern City Line.
The route is currently operated by Great Northern, which is one brand under the umbrella of Govia Thameslink Railway. Services originating at London King's Cross operate to Peterborough, Letchworth Garden City, Cambridge, Ely, and Kings Lynn, whereas services originating at Moorgate operate to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford North, Gordon Hill, and Stevenage.
The route forms a major commuter route into London from Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and eastern Bedfordshire; ridership has grown rapidly over recent years.
Passenger services on the Great Northern route, along with all others currently operated by Govia Thameslink Railway, are due to transfer to the publicly owned operator Thameslink Southern Great Northern on 31 May 2026.