HS2 stands for High Speed 2, which is a planned high-speed railway line and network of passenger train services in England. It is the biggest rail investment ever made in the North of England and is designed to create high-speed rail links between London and major cities in the Midlands and North of England. The new railway line, which is currently under construction, will run between the West Midlands and London, with a branch to Birmingham. The network of train services will use the new line and existing conventional track to reach their destinations in the Midlands, Northern England, and Scotland. The new high-speed line will run between the North West and the South East, stopping at Manchester, Birmingham, and London with trains continuing on the existing network to Scotland and elsewhere. In total, over 250 miles of new high-speed line is planned across the country, including HS2 Phase One (linking London, Birmingham, and the West Midlands), HS2 Phase 2a (extending the line to Crewe), HS2 Phase 2b (completing the line to Manchester), HS2 East (linking the West and East Midlands with services to Sheffield and Leeds), and Northern Powerhouse Rail (with a high-speed link between Warrington and Yorkshire that relies on HS2 Phase 2b infrastructure). The majority of the project is planned to be completed between 2029 and 2033. The project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route and spiraling costs. A 2020 estimate showed costs could rise to £106 billion ($128.5 billion).