Charing Cross and Waterloo East to Close for Three Weeks as £20 Million Rail Upgrade Begins

Rail passengers travelling between Kent and central London are being urged to plan ahead, as London Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations have now closed for 22 days while Network Rail carries out a major £20 million programme of engineering work.

The closures began on Sunday 26 July and will remain in place until Sunday 16 August, affecting thousands of Southeastern passengers travelling into the capital.

The work is designed to improve the long-term reliability of the railway by replacing ageing infrastructure that dates back to the 1990s, alongside repairs to the historic Hungerford Bridge and improvements to platforms and drainage systems.

How services are changing

During the closure:

• No Southeastern trains will serve London Charing Cross or Waterloo East.
• Services that usually terminate at Charing Cross will instead run to:
  • London Victoria
  • London Cannon Street
  • London Blackfriars
• Some services will terminate at London Bridge instead.

Passengers are advised to check their journey before travelling, as timetables have been significantly altered across the Southeastern network.

Tickets accepted on alternative routes

To help customers complete their journeys, Southeastern tickets will be accepted on alternative routes, including the London Underground and many London bus services at no extra cost during the closure period.

Why close the stations for so long?

Network Rail says the 22-day closure allows engineers to complete the work much faster than carrying it out over numerous weekends.

The project includes:

• Replacing almost two kilometres of ageing railway track.
• Rebuilding sections of platforms at Charing Cross.
• Upgrading drainage systems.
• Structural repairs to the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge and the pedestrian link between Waterloo and Waterloo East.

The work has been scheduled during the school summer holidays, when passenger numbers are typically around 20 per cent lower than usual.

More disruption later this year

Although Charing Cross and Waterloo East will reopen on 16 August, passengers should note that further engineering closures are planned on:

• 22–23 August
• 10–11 October

Travel arrangements on those weekends may differ, so passengers are encouraged to check before travelling.