Beaulieu Park station has opened to passengers in Essex, marking the first new station on the Great Eastern Mainline in over a century.

The station, which opened on 27 October 2025, has been funded through £141 million from the government's Housing Infrastructure Fund. The development is expected to support approximately 2,500 jobs and provide a £250 million economic boost to the region. 

Passengers can access up to four trains per hour during peak times and two trains per hour during off-peak periods. The station offers direct rail connections to London Liverpool Street in 40 minutes and Colchester in 25 minutes.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said the opening "marks a major milestone for economic growth in the East of England, unlocking thousands of new houses, creating over 2,000 jobs and driving prosperity across the region."

The new station forms part of the Chelmsford Garden Community project, which aims to deliver 10,000 new homes alongside supporting infrastructure including shops, healthcare facilities, and schools. This development contributes towards plans to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

Greater Anglia will operate services from the station using their Class 720 trains, which feature air conditioning, plug and USB points, and free WiFi. The station will be staffed from the first to last train, seven days a week.

Martin Beable, Managing Director of Greater Anglia, highlighted the station's location next to the Beaulieu housing development and the A12, suggesting it will be an attractive option for travellers in that part of Essex. The operator has maintained punctuality levels exceeding 95% on the Great Eastern Main Line in Essex over the past three years.

Image credit: Network Rail