Govia Thameslink Railway has announced that passengers need to plan ahead on Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink as Christmas Closures will see timetable changes.

The closures and changes will be in effect from 23rd December until New Years Day in order to let Network Rail carry out engineering work to modernise the network.

Stations in the Redhill area will have no train service between 23rd December until New Years Day. Boxing day will see no train service to or from Gatwick Airport but a limited bus service will run.

Southern and Thameslink services from London Bridge will also be busier due to major alterations to Southeastern’s timetable.

Service changes in detail:

All of these changes are valid from Saturday 23rd December until Monday 1st January inclusive – unless otherwise stated

• No service in the Redhill area.
• Zero trains at Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Reigate, Earlswood or at stations between Redhill and Tonbridge. Buses will serve these stations.
• Services between London, Gatwick, and the coast will continue to operate, but to a reduced frequency.
• Great Western Railway services will not operate between Reigate and Gatwick.
• No Thameslink cross-London services. Please use the Tube and London buses to complete your journey.
• London Bridge: Southern and Thameslink services to and from London Bridge and London Blackfriars will be busier owing to significant alterations to Southeastern services.
• Also no Southern or Thameslink service to or from London Bridge from the start of service until approx. 11:00 on Sunday 23 December.
• Southampton: Southern services to/from Southampton Central will be diverted to Portsmouth & Southsea.
• Passengers wanting stations between Southampton and Cosham should change at Fratton and use GWR and SWR services to complete the journey.
• Buses will replace all trains between Woolston and Southampton Central, but rail connections will be available via Eastleigh.
• Between 09:00 and 19:00 on the working days (Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 December) a limited Southern train service will operate to/from Fareham and Woolston
• Christmas Eve, 24 December: As normal, services will finish early from approximately 20:00 on Sunday 24 December. Please check your last trains carefully before you travel.
• Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 25 and 26 December: No train service on Gatwick Express, Southern or Thameslink. On 26 December, a limited bus service will operate on the following routes:
  • London Victoria to Gatwick Airport (non-stop) every 30 minutes (5 am to 11 pm)
  • London Victoria to East Croydon (calling at all stations via Selhurst) every 30 minutes (8 am to 10 pm)
  • East Croydon to Sutton (calling at all stations via West Croydon) every 30 minutes (8 am to 10 pm)
  • East Croydon to Gatwick Airport (non-stop) every 30 minutes (8 am to 10 pm)
  • Gatwick Airport to Brighton (calling at Haywards Heath only) every 30 minutes (8 am to 10 pm)
• New Year’s Day, 1 January: Services will operate in the early hours on selected routes:
  • LDN Bridge and Sutton via Mitcham Junction
  • t Pancras International and St Albans
  • London Bridge and Three Bridges via Gatwick Airport
  • Victoria and East Croydon via Selhurst
• For the rest of New Years Day, a Sunday service will be in operation!

What did the officials say?

Nick Brown, Chief Operating Officer for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “There are significant changes to our train services this festive period, particularly at Redhill and Gatwick Airport. This supports our programme to modernise the network with new infrastructure, new trains, new technology and new, faster, seamless journeys. I would urge passengers to check and plan ahead.”

John Halsall, Network Rail’s South East route managing director, said: “This Christmas and New Year our engineers will be working day and night to improve the railway for passengers across the south-east. As part of the Thameslink Programme, we’ll be bringing the remainder of the brand new, modern concourse into use at London Bridge and carrying out major resignalling work on the surrounding railway. Elsewhere, we’ll be finishing the new platform at Redhill so more trains can run in future.

“This will be the final significant stage of work at London Bridge that will affect train services on working days and I would like to thank passengers for their patience as the final countdown begins to an entirely rebuilt, totally accessible station fit for the 21st century. I strongly advise passengers to plan ahead and to check before they travel as we continue our Railway Upgrade Plan.”

• Visit the GTR Website
  For more information