Train operator Southeastern is advising passengers across Kent, East Sussex, and South-East London to check before travel, ahead of changes to timetables, which take effect on Sunday, 17 May.

The update brings network-wide changes, including additional services, revised stopping patterns and adjustments to train lengths, all aimed at boosting reliability and making better use of available trains.

Passengers are expected to benefit from more frequent services and extra capacity on busy routes, with peak-time trains to London Blackfriars from the Medway towns and Maidstone East restored, bringing back a direct city link.

Weekday services between Charing Cross and Maidstone East will run more consistently through the afternoon and early evening, while off-peak trains between London Victoria and Ashford via Maidstone East will return to a half-hourly frequency.

High-speed routes will also see improvements, with extra weekday and Saturday morning trains between Canterbury West and St Pancras to support leisure travel, alongside enhanced weekend services between Faversham and St Pancras.

Journey times, platform allocations, and train formations have also been adjusted to improve punctuality.

The May timetable precedes a larger update in December, expected to deliver one of the most significant service enhancements in South-East London in years.

“This timetable introduces more capacity on some of our busiest routes and restores direct peak-time links to Blackfriars for customers travelling from the Medway towns and Maidstone East.

“We’ve also added additional services across the network, including on Highspeed and Maidstone East routes, while making changes to support a more reliable railway overall.

“We regularly review how customers are travelling and listen to feedback about where we can improve services, capacity and connections, and these changes are part of those ongoing improvements across the network.”

Scott Brightwell, Safety, Planning & Performance Director at South Eastern Railway.