Passengers in London should prepare for significant train service interruptions over the festive period. While travel before December 25 remains unaffected, Network Rail has scheduled extensive engineering work between Christmas and early January. These works will affect some of the capital’s busiest stations and could increase journey times.
At London Euston, Avanti West Coast services will face major disruption from Saturday, December 27 to Sunday, January 4. Engineering teams will replace a railway junction at Hanslop Junction, affecting routes from London to Rugby and Northampton. Passengers are advised to consider LNER or Lumo services along the East Coast Main Line. Replacement buses will operate between Milton Keynes Central and Rugby or Northampton.
Liverpool Street station will close from Christmas Day until Thursday, January 1 for work on the Bishopsgate tunnel. Engineers are strengthening the tunnel’s steelwork to prevent corrosion and maintain service reliability. During the closure, Greater Anglia trains will be diverted via Stratford, Stansted Express services will end at Tottenham Hale, and London Overground trains will terminate at London Fields. The Elizabeth line will continue to operate from its underground platforms. Passengers are encouraged to use Victoria line services or local buses to complete their journeys. Normal timetables will resume on Thursday, January 2.
Vauxhall station will also close for a limited period, from Saturday, December 27 to Tuesday, December 30, with an additional closure on Thursday, January 1. Trains will not call at Vauxhall during these times, but services will resume on New Year’s Eve and from January 2 onwards.
Victoria station will see Southeastern trains suspended from Saturday, December 27 until New Year’s Eve while upgrades to power, signalling, and track are carried out. David Davidson, chief operating officer for South Eastern Railway, stated: “We use the time when the railway is quieter, and most commuters are away to get vital work done on the railway to give passengers safer and more reliable journeys. While most of the country’s railway is open for travel, we are advising people to plan ahead and check before they travel as there will be changes on some routes.” Southeastern services will also not operate to or from London Charing Cross or London Waterloo East on New Year’s Day or Friday, January 2.
Waterloo station will be closed over the weekend after Christmas, Saturday, December 27 to Sunday, December 28, as around 350 engineers carry out track and points improvements around Queenstown Road in Battersea. Limited services will run from Monday, December 29 to Friday, January 2, with some trains starting or ending at alternative stations and stopping at fewer or different locations. On Saturday, January 3, a reduced and amended service will operate between Barnes and Clapham Junction, with some trains terminating at Woking, Basingstoke, or Clapham Junction instead of London Waterloo. Passengers are advised to check the National Rail journey planner before travelling.
