Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express passengers urged to plan ahead for Christmas and New Year train travel

Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains, is urging passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel over the Christmas and New Year period. The seasonal timetable and planned engineering work by Network Rail will mean widespread changes to services.

There will be no trains between Havant and Southampton from Sunday 24 December to Friday 29 December. Several Southern services in South London, and some Thameslink services, will also be affected on certain days. [Service changes are set out day by day below.]

As normal, services will finish early on Christmas Eve and there will be no trains on Christmas Day. However, a special Southern service will run on Boxing Day, with trains in and out of London Victoria serving Gatwick Airport, Brighton, East Croydon and Sutton.

GTR’s Customer Services Director Jenny Saunders said: “We’ve worked closely with Network Rail to provide as full a service as possible for customers travelling over the festive period, and we thank customers for their understanding. Please check your journeys throughout the period, including the week before Christmas when we expect services to be particularly busy. Do please also allow plenty of extra time, especially where services are finishing early or replacement buses are running.”

Summary of service changes

Sunday 24 December (Christmas Eve)

Owing to engineering work in the Southampton area, services between Brighton and Southampton will be diverted to run between Brighton and Fratton. Replacement buses will run between Havant and Southampton.

Owing to major engineering work north of London, some Thameslink services will run to an amended timetable.

All other Southern and Thameslink routes, along with Gatwick Express, will operate a normal Sunday service until 5.00pm, when a gradual close-down of the network will begin, with last trains arriving at their final destinations by 9.00pm.

Monday 25 December (Christmas Day)

As is normal on Christmas Day there will be no Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express services.

Tuesday 26 December (Boxing Day)

A special Boxing Day service will operate (all frequencies are each way):

• 5.00am to 8.30am and 9.00pm to 11.00pm approx - London Victoria to Gatwick Airport (two trains per hour)
• 8.30am until 9.00pm approx - London Victoria to Three Bridges (one train per hour); London Victoria to Brighton (one train per hour); London Victoria to Sutton via Selhurst and West Croydon (two trains per hour); London Victoria to East Croydon via Crystal Palace (two trains per hour)

As is normal on Boxing Day, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and other Southern services will not run.

Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 December

Services between London Victoria and Southampton will be diverted to run between Victoria and Fratton; services between Brighton and Southampton will be diverted to run between Brighton and Fratton. Replacement buses will run between Havant and Southampton.

Owing to engineering work in the Norwood area:

• buses will replace trains between Crystal Palace and West Croydon via Norwood Junction.
• a reduced service will run between London Victoria and Crystal Palace.
• trains on the Caterham and Tattenham Corner routes will only run between Purley and Caterham / Tattenham Corner.
• trains between London Bridge / London Victoria and Epsom / Dorking / Horsham will run to an amended and reduced timetable.
• trains which usually run between Reigate and London Victoria will only run between Reigate and Redhill.
• trains between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction will not run.

Advice on alternative routes is available on the Southern website.

Because of engineering work south of Hurst Green, buses will replace trains between Oxted and Uckfield.

Owing to major engineering work north of London, some Thameslink services will run to an amended timetable.

On all other Southern and Thameslink routes, and on Gatwick Express, a Saturday service will operate. In addition, an overnight Thameslink service will run between Bedford and Three Bridges.

Friday 29 December

Services between London Victoria and Southampton will be diverted to run between Victoria and Fratton; services between Brighton and Southampton will be diverted to run between Brighton and Fratton. Replacement buses will run between Havant and Southampton.

Owing to major engineering work north of London, some Thameslink services will run to an amended timetable.

On all other Southern and Thameslink routes, and on Gatwick Express, a Saturday service will operate.

Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 December

Normal Southern and Gatwick Express services will operate.

Owing to major engineering work north of London, some Thameslink services will run to an amended timetable.

A normal service will run on all other Thameslink services, with an overnight service between Three Bridges and Bedford on the Sunday.

Monday 1 January 2024

A Sunday service will operate on Southern and Gatwick Express.

Owing to major engineering work north of London, some Thameslink services will run to an amended timetable.

A normal service will run on all other Thameslink services, with an overnight service between Three Bridges and Bedford.

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