News

News from Southeastern Trains

Last trains at 12:00 midday on Christmas Eve

Southeastern is reminding its customers that train services will wind down much earlier than usual on Christmas Eve because of industrial action by the RMT union, and the need to extend the line closures for Network Rail to carry out essential engineering work in the Lewisham area – a £10.5 million project that cannot be delayed.

Completing this work on our track means that there will be fewer infrastructure failures and fewer delays for customers in the future.

This means that on Saturday December 24th:

  • The last trains from London will be from 12:00 midday with all trains will cease operation by 15:00
  • There will be no trains at all on the Bexleyheath line and on the Sidcup line because of the track renewal work at Lewisham.

Services will be resume from midday 27 December

As usual no services will be running on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

As a result of industrial action, on 27 December services across the Southeastern network will resume from 12:00 midday.

We will be operating a Saturday service on days over the Christmas period between 27 December and 2 January, with the exception of New Year’s Day which will be a Sunday service.

Engineering work this Christmas

For 10 days between Saturday 24 December and Monday 2 January Network Rail is carrying out a £10.5m track replacement project along a busy rail junction near Lewisham station. These dates have been chosen as it is a time of year when less people are travelling.

Bexleyheath Line closed between 24 December – 2 January

As the 10-day Bexleyheath line closure was scheduled earlier this year a replacement bus service will be operating from New Cross to Dartford via Bexleyheath.

No trains calling at Lewisham 24 December – 2 January

Lewisham station will be closed and there will be no trains between New Cross and Dartford via Bexleyheath. A replacement bus service will be operating.

Sidcup Line closed between 24 December – 27 December

Due to the short notice of the Sidcup line closure, a replacement bus service is not available between Crayford and Lewisham. Customers will be able to use their tickets on London Buses routes at no extra charge during the closure.

Other routes affected by engineering work on 24 & 27 December

  • The train service between Dartford and Gravesend will be the two trains per hour Thameslink service.
  • The Southeastern train service from Dartford will be half hourly to London Bridge via Greenwich​​​​​​​.
  • The Hayes line will have a reduced service, with two trains per hour.
  • Southeastern services that normally call at Denmark Hill will be diverted via Herne Hill.

Other routes affected by engineering work on New Year’s Day 

Buses replace trains on the following routes:

  • Between Canterbury East & Dover Priory
  • Between Folkestone West and Deal
  • Between Swanley and Borough Green & Wrotham

Further information

You can find out more information on our Christmas and New Year travel page.

Our Q&A is now live on our website.

Customers can claim for Delay Repay refunds if their journey is delayed by more than 15 minutes.

Journey planners at www.southeasternrailway.co.uk and www.nationalrail.co.uk will be updated on Tuesday 20th December (for Saturday 24th December – Christmas Eve) and Thursday 22nd December (for Tuesday 27th December), as well as on the Southeastern app.