A £250 million new line to Oxford will be the first new rail link from London to a major British city since 1910.
Chiltern Railways has unveiled plans for the fast line between London Marylebone and Oxford for completion in 2013.
Construction is expected to start next year and is estimated to last for approximately two years.
This will include the opening of a new station in north Oxford called Water Eaton Parkway, which will have direct links to the A34, A40 and Oxford city centre.
Chiltern Railways plans to operate two London-Oxford trains every 30 minutes in each direction.
Trains will call at Bicester Town, Water Eaton Parkway and Oxford; some will also call at Islip. Most trains will stop en-route at High Wycombe.
Journey times are expected to be around 66 minutes from Marylebone to Oxford; 58 minutes from Marylebone to Water Eaton Parkway; 14 minutes from Bicester Town to Oxford; and 38 minutes from High Wycombe to Oxford.
Bicester Town station will be rebuilt to offer a booking office and parking facilities for both cars and bikes. A pedestrian link will also be provided to the Bicester Village shopping mall.
Islip station will also be rebuilt with two platforms and Oxford station will be enlarged with new passenger platforms.
A new Chiltern Mainline service is also being launched in 2011 to offer faster trains on the existing line between the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London.
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by Phil Davies
