This line would be the UK's second high-speed train link after the Channel Tunnel rail link.
A major new London station running up to 18 trains and carrying 20,000 passengers an hour will be part of plans for a north-south high-speed rail line to be submitted to the government this week.
If it gets approval then the first stage of the 250mph new line linking London to the West Midlands could be in operation by 2025.

This proposal should form part of the report by the High Speed Two company which has been set up by ministers to identify possible routes for the new line. It will put forward options for possible connections to Heathrow Airport and to the  High Speed One Channel Tunnel rail link.

Figures from Network Rail show dramatic cuts in journey times as follows:

• Birmingham:  from 1h 22mins to 45mins
• Liverpool: from 2hrs 8mins to 1hr 23mins
• Manchester: from 2hrs 7mins to 1hr 6mins
• Edinburgh: from 4hrs 23mins to 2hrs 9mins
• Glasgow: from 4hrs 10 mins to 2hrs 16mins

The High Speed Two company says it has looked at 35 potential sites for the new station and has opted for one right in the middle of London.

There will be detailed proposals for the route of the line between London and the West Midlands - accurate to within 18 inches - and more general plans for its extension beyond that to Scotland.

A range of costs will be included for construction of the line which could start by 2017.

Alison Munro HS2 chief executive said it was asked to look at linking the line with the cross-London Crossrail project, the Great Western main line and Heathrow saying "The report will set out a case for various options including a possible link with HS1. The proposals will include running trains from the HS2 on to the West Coast Main Line.

"This will not be a transport project in isolation. The final report will look at how the line will help housing and regional economic development. There will be significant levels of detail."

The government now has to decide whether to go ahead with high-speed rail and will publish a White Paper by next April which would set out details such as route proposals, timescales and associated financial, economic and environmental assessments.