The work worth up to £465m will be divided into two separate packages with one supplier selected for the £267m lift contract, and one for the £198m escalator deal.

Some 168 lifts and 128 escalators will be installed across the project.

Placed end to end, the escalators would stretch more than 3km.

The longest of these will be at Old Oak Common, in west London, which will take passengers 13.5m up from the subsurface platforms to concourse level.

In total, this new station – where HS2 meets Crossrail services to Heathrow and the West End of London – will be fitted with more than 50 lifts and escalators.

All of HS2’s new stations will be built to BREEAM Excellent standard with energy-efficient lifts and escalators a key part of achieving these ambitious environmental standards.

HS2 procurement and commercial director, David Poole, said: “The launch of this landmark contract opportunity is a major step forward in the delivery of HS2’s four iconic new railway stations.

“The lifts and escalators our partners go on to deliver will be at the heart of the operation, moving hundreds of thousands of people every day and helping us to ensure seamless journeys for everyone.

“I look forward to our team working with the suppliers who come forward and together ensuring that we deliver best quality and value for the project.”

Contracts will be awarded next year and the value includes maintenance for 20 years.

To express interest, firms must register on the procurement portal by 12.00 26 May