Charing Cross and Waterloo East Stations Close for 22 Days

Train services across the Southeastern network are being affected by the closure of Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations. The two central London stations are shut for 22 days, from Sunday 26 July until Monday 17 August, as part of a significant engineering undertaking.

Extensive Engineering Project Underway

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The closure facilitates a £20m project by Network Rail aimed at enhancing reliability and safety for passengers. The work involves laying approximately 1.8km of new track and installing 16 sets of switches and crossings, replacing equipment that has been in use for 36 years. Additionally, platform ends at Charing Cross nearest to Hungerford Bridge are being rebuilt due to subsiding foundations and deteriorating concrete surfaces. Waterloo East will receive upgrades to its track drainage to maintain quality and ensure smooth travel at full line speed. The project also includes structural repairs to Hungerford Bridge, which dates back to 1864.

Network Rail stated that recent faults on the line have led to over 21,000 minutes of delays for customers. By undertaking the work during this extended closure, the aim is to prevent a much longer period of repeated weekend disruptions. Southeastern noted that the summer period was chosen as passenger numbers are typically 20% lower than the rest of the year, and completing the work now avoids the need for approximately 60 weekends of closures.

Impact on Passenger Journeys

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During the 22-day closure, no Southeastern services will call at Charing Cross or Waterloo East. Some services will be diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street, or London Blackfriars, while others will terminate at London Bridge. Timetables across the entire Southeastern network are subject to change, with trains operating at different times and potentially fewer services on certain routes. Passengers are strongly advised by Southeastern to plan ahead, check their travel plans before departing, and be aware of the times of the last trains home.

Alternative travel options include using Jubilee, Circle, District, and Thameslink lines, as well as Southern services to London Bridge and Victoria. Several London bus routes are also available for journeys between affected areas. Passengers holding paper tickets can use them on these alternative services and at most ticket gates. However, eTickets, sTickets, and Smartcards may not be accepted, and passengers using these may need to claim refunds via the Southeastern website if staff are unable to validate their tickets.

What Happens Next

The engineering works are scheduled to conclude on Monday 17 August, at which point services are expected to resume normal operation at Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations. Passengers are reminded to continue checking journey planners for the most up-to-date information.