Summer timetable change means more train services on Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink

Great Northern Southern and Thameslink are set to run more trains on their summer timetables to support commuters returning to the workplace.

Southern will run keep running the majority of its trains through weekends to support passengers making day trips to destinations across their network.

As fewer people are travelling overall, some short distance routes will see reductions on Saturdays.

Brief highlights of the changes are as follows:

Great Northern:

• More trains will be in operation (up to 10 each hour) in the morning and evening rush hours to and from Moorgate in the City of London from Welwyn Garden City or Stevenage

Thameslink:

• New half-hourly peak services crossing central London from Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Potters Bar, New Barnet, Oakleigh Park, New Southgate and Finsbury Park to St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle and beyond to Sevenoaks
• Two extra trains to and from Bedford in each of the rush hours
• Approximately double the number of trains at peaks for stations between St Albans and London
• Two peak trains an hour from Orpington through to Luton, doubling for the majority of the service on the Catford Loop at stations such as Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Nunhead and Crofton Park, all of which will cross London
• A half-hourly cross London service all day between Luton and Rainham, doubling the service through Medway towns such as Chatham, Gillingham and Dartford

Southern:

• Hastings to Brighton peak services doubled to become half-hourly
• Beckenham Junction to London Bridge via Tulse Hill increased at the peaks to half-hourly
• 40-year-old trains on London suburban routes replaced with more reliable modern trains from the Southern fleet, providing customers with air-conditioning and toilets
• Direct Brighton services restored beyond Chichester, to Portsmouth and Southampton
• Changes to two short-distance routes in the inner-London area and two in the Brighton area, maintaining minimum half-hourly frequencies with longer trains where needed

Chief Operating Officer Angie Doll of Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs the services, said:

“The new timetable from Sunday 15 May is the starting point for rebuilding our railway, to help our customers get where they want to go while reflecting new travel patterns which have changed significantly, particularly on weekdays.

“Our priority is to support passengers by running reliable services, working closely with our stakeholders to support the economic recovery of both local and regional rail.”

The train times are due to change from Sunday the 15th of May with customers advised to check their travel plans ahead using nationalrail.co.uk 

To see full details of the changes online please visit Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink. Gatwick Express, which returned in April, will not be changing its timetable.