Southeastern train services timetable changes from 20 May

Message from Southeastern:
I’m getting in touch to remind you that we’re making significant changes to our train timetable from Sunday 20 May, to allow the integration of new Thameslink services across the network, and on new routes into Kent.
If you’ve travelled on our services recently, I’m certain that you will have noticed that we’re currently running a large information campaign to let passengers know that the timetable is changing. Our “Times are changing” campaign includes announcements and posters at stations and on trains, on-board leaflet drops, social media publicity on Twitter, targeted emails to passengers and local “Meet the Manager” sessions. Next week we’ll be carrying out giveaways at London terminal stations, and all of the information is available on our website at southeasternrailway.co.uk/timesarechanging.

Highlights

The key highlights for Southeastern passengers are below:

• Nearly 700 extra seats on Highspeed services from Ashford to St Pancras in the morning peak, with two trains doubled in length to 12 cars
• Earlier direct Highspeed service from Ramsgate to St Pancras (via Herne Bay)
• Earlier direct service to the City, from Broadstairs to Blackfriars (via Herne Bay)
  Increased frequency to six peak-time trains per hour from Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park
• New Thameslink service from Luton to Rainham (via Blackfriars, Greenwich and Dartford) which replaces the Southeastern service from Charing Cross to Gillingham (via Lewisham and Woolwich)
• New off-peak service on the Woolwich Line, from Dartford to Charing Cross (via Lewisham)
• New off-peak service on the Sidcup Line, from Dartford to Charing Cross, increasing off-peak service on this route to six trains per hour
• Reduced off-peak journey times from Gravesend and Dartford to Charing Cross (via Sidcup). Trains will run fast from London Bridge to New Eltham, reducing the journey time to Dartford to just 38 minutes – seven minutes less than today.
• Two extra trains from Orpington to Charing Cross (via Grove Park) in the morning peak
• An extra service from Charing Cross to Orpington (via Grove Park) in the evening peak
• More frequent services between Beckenham Junction and Blackfriars at peak times
• Bexleyheath line services between Victoria and Dartford are extended to Gravesend, off-peak
• Improved peak-time service between Denmark Hill and Victoria, and more peak-time trains between Denmark Hill and the Medway towns
• Enhanced Sunday service on the Woolwich and Sidcup lines

Consultation response

We widely publicised the consultation on the proposed timetable in 2017, with posters at stations, information on Twitter, and with full details on our website. We wrote to MPs in London, Kent and East Sussex, local authorities across our region, community groups, parish councils, rail user groups and a broad range of other stakeholders – including statutory consumer bodies Transport Focus and London TravelWatch. We were delighted by the response, and received hundreds of individual pieces of feedback and constructive suggestions – many of which we’ve been able to accommodate in the final timetable.

Our consultation response document for your information is also available on our website.

Get in touch

I expect that you’re already aware of these changes, but if you haven’t already done so, and have any questions about how these changes may affect our passengers, please do get in touch.

Contact:
Chris Vinson
chris.vinson@southeasternrailway.co.uk
Southeastern