Rail services reduced or cancelled due to Christmas and …
If you are planning on travelling via trains this festive period, you will need to check in advance that services will be running on the days you have chosen. Whether you are visiting friends and family, or are thinking of spending some time somewhere away from home, travelling via rail is a great alternative to driving.
Some routes across different rail providers could be reduced or cancelled from between Christmas[1] Eve, December 24, right up through to the New Year, January 2. Some engineering works have been planned in advance, and others might experience last minute disruption, according to National Rail[2].
Many service providers have absolutely no trains running on Christmas Day[3], December 25, and Boxing Day, December 26. On Christmas Eve and from 27 December onwards, disruption could be felt as some providers operate on a Sunday timetable, which sometimes means trains will run a reduced schedule, typically one every hour. Check below to see how Surrey rail providers will be affected.
South Western Railway
Saturday December 23
- No service changes have been announced
Sunday December 24
- A Sunday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work, with services finishing at around 10pm
Monday December 25
- No service
Tuesday December 26
- No service
Wednesday December 27
- A Saturday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work
Due to engineering work in the Queenstown Road area, the following changes will be made:
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Services from London Waterloo to Windsor, Weybridge (via Staines) and Reading will depart London Waterloo earlier
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London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will be revised with some services starting from Woking
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London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Eastleigh services will depart London Waterloo earlier
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London Waterloo to Basingstoke stopping services will be revised to run hourly
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London Waterloo to Chessington South services will be revised to run hourly
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London Waterloo to London Waterloo via Wimbledon and Kingston services will be revised and will run between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction via Wimbledon and Kingston only
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London Waterloo to Shepperton services will be revised to run hourly
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London Waterloo to Alton services will be revised to run hourly
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London Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham services will be revised to run hourly
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London Waterloo to Woking stopping services will be revised
Thursday December 28
- A Saturday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work
Friday December 29
- A Saturday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work
Saturday December 30
- The Saturday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work
Due to engineering work closing the lines between Guildford[5] and Petersfield:
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London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will terminate at Guildford
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Buses will run between Guildford and Petersfield via Haslemere
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A revised service will run between Petersfield and Portsmouth Harbour
Sunday December 31
- The Sunday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work. Additional overnight departures from London Waterloo will also be running
Due to engineering work closing the lines between Guildford and Petersfield:
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London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will terminate at Guildford
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Buses will run between Guildford and Petersfield via Haslemere
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A revised service will run between Petersfield and Portsmouth Harbour
Monday January 1, 2024
- A Sunday timetable will operate, subject to engineering work
Due to engineering work closing the lines between Guildford and Petersfield:
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London Waterloo to Portsmouth via Guildford services will terminate at Guildford
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Buses will run between Guildford and Petersfield via Haslemere
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A revised service will run between Petersfield and Portsmouth Harbour
Tuesday January 2, 2024
No service changes have been announced
Gatwick Express
Saturday December 23
- Normal service
Sunday December 24
- Normal service, but with an early shut down from 1pm onwards. No service after 9pm
Monday December 25
- No service
Tuesday December 26
- No service
- Southern will be running a limited Boxing Day service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport
Wednesday December 27
- A Saturday service will operate
Thursday December 28
- A Saturday service will operate
Friday December 29
- A Saturday service will operate
Saturday 30 December
- Normal service
Sunday December 31
- Normal service
Monday January 1, 2024
- A Sunday service will operate
Tuesday January 2, 2024
- Normal service
Heathrow Express
Saturday December 23
- No service changes have been announced
Sunday December 24
- There will be no Heathrow Express trains between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Express are advising that you seek alternative travel methods to and from Heathrow Airport
Monday December 25
- No service
Tuesday December 26
- There will be no Heathrow Express trains between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Express are advising that you seek alternative travel methods to and from Heathrow Airport
Wednesday December 27
- There will be no Heathrow Express trains between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Express are advising that you seek alternative travel methods to and from Heathrow Airport
Thursday December 28
- No service changes have been announced
Friday December 29
- No service changes have been announced
Saturday December 30
- No service changes have been announced
Sunday December 31
- No service changes have been announced
Monday January 1, 2024
- No service changes have been announced
Tuesday January 2, 2024
- No service changes have been announced
Southern
Sunday December 24
- From approximately 5pm on Christmas Eve, a reduced service will run on all routes, with last trains arriving at their final destinations by 9pm
Due to overnight engineering work:
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The 00.50am (Sunday morning) Purley to Tattenham Corner train will not run. A replacement bus will run from Purley to Tattenham Corner
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Until approximately 8.45pm on Sunday morning, Caterham and Tattenham Corner route trains will only run between London Bridge and South Croydon. Replacement buses will run between East Croydon and Caterham via Purley and from Purley to Tattenham Corner
Monday December 25
- No service
Tuesday December 26
- A limited Southern service will run on the following routes only on Boxing Day:
From 5pm until 8.30pm, and from 9pm until 11pm (times are approximate):
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Two trains will run per hour between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, calling at Clapham Junction and East Croydon
From 8.30am until 9pm (times are approximate):
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One train will run per hour between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, calling at Clapham Junction and East Croydon
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One train will run per hour between London Victoria and Brighton calling at Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Three Bridges and Haywards Heath
- Other routes, and the above routes at other times, will have no service
Wednesday December 27
- Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, buses will replace trains between Havant and Southampton Central, calling at Cosham, Portchester, Fareham and Swanwick. Trains that usually run between Brighton and Southampton Central will be diverted after Havant to run to and from Portsmouth Harbour
- Due to engineering work, buses will replace trains between Oxted and Uckfield
Due to engineering work between Crystal Palace and West Croydon:
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Trains between London Bridge, London Victoria and Epsom, Dorking, Horsham will run to a reduced timetable. Tickets will be accepted on South Western Railway trains between Epsom and Dorking
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Trains which usually run between Reigate and London Victoria will only run between Reigate and Redhill, please use alternative trains between Redhill and London
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Trains between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction will not run. Tickets will be accepted on London Trams between East Croydon and Beckenham Junction. Please use alternative trains between London Bridge and East Croydon
Thursday December 28
- Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, buses will replace trains between Havant and Southampton Central, calling at Cosham, Portchester, Fareham and Swanwick. Trains that usually run between Brighton and Southampton Central will be diverted after Havant to run to and from Portsmouth Harbour
- Due to engineering work, buses will replace trains between Oxted and Uckfield
Due to engineering work between Crystal Palace and West Croydon:
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Trains between London Bridge, London Victoria and Epsom, Dorking, Horsham will run to a reduced timetable. Tickets will be accepted on South Western Railway trains between Epsom and Dorking
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Trains which usually run between Reigate and London Victoria will only run between Reigate and Redhill, please use alternative trains between Redhill and London
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Trains between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction will not run. Tickets will be accepted on London Trams between East Croydon and Beckenham Junction. Please use alternative trains between London Bridge and East Croydon
Friday December 29
- Due to engineering work in the Southampton area, buses will replace trains between Havant and Southampton Central, calling at Cosham, Portchester, Fareham and Swanwick. Trains that usually run between Brighton and Southampton Central will be diverted after Havant to run to and from Portsmouth Harbour
Saturday December 30
- Due to late night engineering work between Shepherds Bush and Watford Junction, from 8.10pm no trains will run between Shepherds Bush and Watford Junction. You can use London Overground, London Underground and London Northwestern Railway services
Sunday December 31
- Due to early morning engineering work between Shepherds Bush and Watford Junction, until 12.00pm no trains will run between Shepherds Bush and Watford Junction. You can use London Overground, London Underground and London Northwestern Railway services
- Due to early morning engineering work between Southampton Central and Fareham, the 7.30am Southampton Central to Brighton service will start from Fareham at 7.54am. An earlier rail replacement bus service will run between Southampton Central and Fareham
- Due to early morning engineering work, until 8.15am buses will replace trains between Lewes and Brighton. Services between London Victoria and Brighton via Hove will be diverted between Preston Park and Brighton, with extended journey times
Monday January 1, 2024
- Due to late night engineering work in the Balham area, the 11.40pm London Victoria to Sutton service will terminate at Selhurst. A rail replacement bus service will run between Selhurst and Sutton
Tuesday January 2, 2023
- Due to late night engineering work, after 11.10pm buses will replace trains between Redhill and Reigate
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