London and into the Home Counties with a branch to Heathrow Airport. It is Europe's biggest construction project, with a £15 billion projected cost. London is the centre of the National Rail network, with 70 per cent of rail journeys starting or ending in London. Like suburban rail services, regional and inter-city trains depart from several termini around the city centre, linking London with the rest of Britain including Birmingham, Brighton, Reading, Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, Exeter, Sheffield, Southampton, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Cambridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Some international railway services to Continental Europe were operated during the 20th century
London Southend Airport own railway station near the terminal building, Southend Airport railway station on the Shenfield to Southend Line, which is served by Abellio Greater Anglia connecting the airport to Liverpool Street station in London up to 8 times per hour and Southend Victoria railway station in the other direction respectively. The journey to London takes about one hour. The airport's management has expressed a desire to develop the rail service, both so it finishes later (as presently the last arrival lands after the last train has left), and so there is an 'express' service direct to London to reduce travel times.