Residents in Darlaston and Willenhall, West Midlands, will soon have access to new rail services as two brand-new train stations are on track to open in early 2026. MP Pat McFadden confirmed the update for the £85 million project, which aims to provide faster travel across the region and restore passenger services to the line for the first time in over 60 years.
The new stations will significantly cut travel times for local people, with a train journey from Darlaston to Birmingham New Street expected to take about 22 minutes. Currently, the same trip can take around 75 minutes when travelling by bus, meaning commuters could save more than 50 minutes on their daily journey.
Building work at the two sites was mostly finished by the end of 2025, allowing the project to move into a phase of safety testing and driver training. This work is being overseen by Transport for West Midlands and West Midlands Rail Executive to prepare for the first passengers.
The total investment for the two stations is approximately £85 million, representing a major upgrade for transport in the area. Despite some delays caused by the discovery of old mine shafts at the building sites, the project is now in its final stages before the stations open to the public.
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