London Waterloo rail services to be impacted by works over Easter weekend

Trains into London Waterloo will be reduced over the Easter weekend, with engineering works by Network Rail due to affect the wider South Western Railway (SWR) network.

SWR said that while the majority of its servicis to be impacted, rail replacement buses will operate in some areas.

In London, the railway’s services will primarily be affected on April 9 and 10, the Sunday and Monday of the bank holiday weekend.

Over the two days, SWR said some lines in the Queenstown Road (Battersea) area will be closed, with Earlsfield station also to be closed and fewer trains servicing Vauxhall.

On April 9, services between London Waterloo, Chessington South and Hampton Court will run hourly, as will those operating between London Waterloo, Chessington South, Shepperton, Hampton Court and Guildford via Cobham on Monday.

The amended services will not call at Earlsfield or Vauxhall on either day. SWR adds other alterations will also be in-place, and that customers should check before travelling.

SWR services from Woking to Winchester and Andover meanwhile will be closed from April 7-10, and those in the Staines area will be shut on April 8 and 9.

Work carried out by Network Rail engineers will also be impacting trains into London Euston and London Victoria, with the Elizabeth line among other services due to run on amended timetables over Easter.

Peter Williams, customer and commercial director at South Western Railway, said: “Closing the railway when many people are planning leisure trips is of course frustrating, but the Easter bank holidays are typically a quieter time on our network and we need to make sure engineering works impact as few customers as possible.

“Where works are taking place, rail replacement buses will be running to keep people moving and the vast majority of our network will be unaffected. I’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding whilst these essential works are carried out.”

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “I’d like to thank customers for their patience while we carry out these important improvement works over the Easter period. I recognise there is never a good time to close the railway, so we are completing these works while customer numbers are lower at Easter which minimises the number of customers who will be affected.

“The majority of the network will be open as usual for people to take a short break or visit loved ones, but some services may be affected so I’d ask our customers to please plan ahead and check journeys in advance.”