SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) customers are advised to check before travelling over the Christmas and New Year period due to seasonal service alterations and major engineering works in the Woking area.
Christmas services:
On Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24, services will end earlier than usual at around 10pm.
There will be no services on the whole network on Christmas Day, Wednesday December 25, and Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26.
Services will continue with an amended timetable on Friday, December 27, with SWR’s normal timetable resuming on Monday, January 6.
New Year services:
A limited number of additional services will run from London Waterloo in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, for customers returning from festivities in the capital.
Services will call at stations in London and Surrey on the Kingston via Richmond, Twickenham via Wimbledon, and Guildford via Woking routes.
Customers should only travel to the Mayor of London’s fireworks display on the South Bank if they have a ticket for the event, as anyone without a ticket will not be permitted entry.
As well as these seasonal alterations, services will also be impacted by engineering works from Sunday, December 22, to the end of Sunday, January 5.
Buses will replace trains on some routes, so customers should allow extra time for journeys that will take longer than usual.
This includes major engineering works in the Woking area from Monday, December 23, to the end of Sunday, January 5 which will significantly affect services on the main line between London Waterloo and destinations including Southampton, Basingstoke, Portsmouth (via Eastleigh), Bournemouth and Exeter.
The rail group says that it’s journey planners are up to date, and that customers should plan ahead and check their journeys carefully if they intend to travel on these routes.
Steve Tyler, Performance and Planning Director at South Western Railway, said:
“Christmas is always a busy time on the railway and due to service alterations, we recommend customers check journey planners carefully before travelling.
“Trains will stop running earlier than usual on Christmas Eve and, as usual, there will be no trains on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
“We are pleased to be running a limited number of additional services in the early hours of New Year’s Day to get people home after celebrating, but please only head to the fireworks on the South Bank if you have a ticket for the event.
“Major engineering works will also take place in the Woking area which, due to their location on the main line, will significantly impact services on busy routes to destinations such as Southampton, Basingstoke, Portsmouth (via Eastleigh), Bournemouth and Exeter.
“We strongly advise anyone planning to travel between Monday, December 23 and Sunday, January 5 to check their journey carefully and allow extra time, as journeys will take longer than usual.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.”
More information about services during the Christmas and New Year period can be found at southwesternrailway.com/christmas.
