As announced in February, London Charing Cross and Waterloo East have now closed for 22 days while engineers carry out work on the track and in the stations.

The closure will last until Sunday 16 August, during which time no Southeastern trains will serve Charing Cross or Waterloo East. Services will instead run to London Victoria, Cannon Street, Blackfriars and London Bridge.

Train services will operate with revised timetables and altered service frequencies. First and last trains will run at different times from usual.

The work, which is costing £20 million, includes:

• replacing almost two kilometres of track which is 36 years old
• rebuilding sections of platform at Charing Cross
• improve drainage
• structural repairs to the pedestrian link bridge between Waterloo East and London Waterloo stations
• structural repairs to Hungerford Bridge.

Train operator Southeastern is assuring passengers that this renewal work will ensure that the railway is fit for decades to come. It also sees the work as part of its “wider commitment to delivering a safer, better and more reliable railway, at a reduced cost to taxpayers”.

Southeastern reminded passengers of the closure last week, and is urging them to plan their journeys in advance.

“We know closing two of London’s busiest stations for more than three weeks will be inconvenient for many of our customers, and we’d like to thank them for their patience while this essential work takes place.

“The good news is that customers will still be able to travel into central London throughout the closure using alternative routes, although journeys and train times will be different.

“Engineers will undertake extensive work to replace track and platforms that have been in use since the 1990s, as well as essential structural repairs, and by carrying out the work in one block, means we’re not needing to close the railway over 60 weekends which would have been the alternative.

“We would encourage everyone travelling during this period to check their journey before travelling and make sure they know the time of their last train home.”

Scott Brightwell, Safety, Planning and Performance Director, South Eastern Railway