The capital’s key railway stations will close for three weeks this summer, spelling trickier travel through central London.
The UK’s massive and ageing rail network needs almost constant TLC, and most of it coincides with holiday seasons to avoid the brunt of disruption on commuters.
Upcoming major works will shut Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations next month for a chunk of 22 days.
Let’s take a look at what’s coming up and how you could best avoid the mayhem.
When are Charing Cross and Waterloo East closed?
The stations will be closed from Sunday, July 26 until Sunday, August 16, along with some weekends on either side, Network Rail said.
The closure has been planned during the summer holidays to minimise disruption.
Why are Charring Cross and Waterloo East closing over the summer?
The closure is part of £20 million railway upgrades being carried out by the South Eastern Railway.
Engineers will have to replace around 1.2 miles of tracks on the 36-year-old track, which sees heavy usage, and this can be done only without trains running.
How busy are the London stations?
London Charing Cross recorded around 19.7 million journeys through its barriers in 2024/25, up from 17.7 million passengers the previous year.
Much smaller Waterloo East saw 6.8 million entries and exits in 2024/25.
They both pale in comparison to the UK’s busiest station, London Liverpool Street, which had 98 million journeys, followed by Waterloo with 70.4 million according to the latest figures.
They will also revamp sections of platforms at Charing Cross, and do structural repairs on the pedestrian bridge between Waterloo East and Waterloo stations.
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Where are trains diverted to?
There will be no trains going to or departing from Charing Cross or Waterloo East, so passengers should plan ahead.
Southeastern services will be diverted to London Victoria, Cannon Street, and Blackfriars.
Scott Brightwell, the train services director on the South Eastern Railway, said: ‘By consolidating the work into 22‑day closure, supported by preparation and follow‑up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five 9-day closures.
‘We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.
Is there other travel disruption in London this summer?
A sweeping Tube drivers’ strike is set to go ahead next week between Tuesday, May 19 and Friday, May 22.
Another strike by Tube drivers who are members of the RMT is planned between June 16 and June 19.
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