Published on: Thursday, 19 December 2019
Last updated: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Published 19/12/2019
Rail passengers are reminded to check before they travel this Christmas and New Year so they’re aware of earlier last train times on Christmas Eve and timetable changes due to bank holidays and engineering works.
Revised timetables are available in the “service alterations” section of the Greater Anglia website, or on the Greater Anglia app or Twitter.
Most routes on the Greater Anglia network are free of engineering works over the Christmas period, with many services operating normally or with only minor changes on the working days between Christmas and New Year.
However, passengers are advised to check before they travel as some engineering work will still be taking place – in particular at Colchester and Shenfield on the Norwich – London mainline, and on the Southend - London Liverpool Street line (see below for details).
On Christmas Eve, the last services of the day will be earlier than usual, finishing by approximately 22.00.
Last trains on Christmas Eve are earlier than the usual Tuesday timetable. The last trains from London Liverpool Street are the 20.30 to Norwich, 21.27 to Ipswich, 21.27 to Colchester, 21.13 to Southend Victoria (calling all-stations), 21.45 to Southend Victoria (calling at Stratford and Shenfield only) and 21.28 to Cambridge.
There will be no service on Christmas Day and only a revised Stansted Express service on Boxing Day.
On New Year’s Eve, the normal scheduled service will operate.
Bank holiday timetables will be in place on New Year’s Day.
A normal service will resume on Thursday 2 January.
Mark Budden, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said, “Most of the railway network is open over Christmas, but some routes will be closed for engineering works so we can provide a safe and reliable railway for passengers. For those wishing to travel over the festive period, my advice is to plan ahead and check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries, for the latest travel information.”
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia Managing Director said, “We’re pleased that most of our services will be running between Christmas and New Year but if there is engineering works on your journey, we will make sure you still get to your destination, even if part of your travel is by bus. Since the railway tends to be much quieter over this period, Network Rail also use it to carry out essential upgrade work that will help to improve services for passengers.”
Details of engineering works between Christmas and New Year:
Great Eastern mainline – Colchester and Shenfield
From close of service on Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day inclusive, Network Rail will carry out engineering works on the Great Eastern Mainline over eight days in two locations – at Colchester and between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.
On Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December, Ipswich-London and Clacton-London services will be able to call at Colchester along with other intermediate stations as normal.
Intercity Norwich-London services will be running through Colchester but will not be able to call there - connections for Colchester will be available at Ipswich, Manningtree and Chelmsford.
Arrangements have been made to ensure that passengers with mobility impairments or who need assistance can get on and off trains at Colchester, and Greater Anglia will have extra staff on hand to help.
On Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th December, trains from Norwich, Ipswich and Clacton will only run as far as Ingatestone.
There will be a bus replacement service operating between Ingatestone and Newbury Park where Greater Anglia customers can use their tickets on the Central Line to Stratford and London Liverpool Street.
On Wednesday 1st January, services will not be able to run through Colchester and as a result, there will be a bus replacement service in operation between Ipswich, Manningtree, Colchester and Marks Tey on the main line and between Hythe and Marks Tey on the route from Colchester to Clacton on Sea.
Southend -London Liverpool Street
From close of service on Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day inclusive, Network Rail will continue the re-wiring of the overhead wires on the Southend branch with major works taking place at Wickford. Between Friday 27th December and Wednesday 1st January, a bus replacement service will be in operation between Southend, Southminster and Shenfield or Newbury Park.
Stansted Express
On Stansted Express services the last service to run on Christmas Eve will be the 23.59 from the airport to London. On Boxing Day, Stansted Express trains will run every 30 minutes between the airport and Tottenham Hale (where passengers can take the Tube into London) due to engineering works in the Bethnal Green and Stratford area.
Due to the engineering work between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, on Friday 27th, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th December West Anglia services to/from Stratford will be diverted to Liverpool Street via Hackney Downs. Also, the service between Stratford, Lea Bridge, Tottenham Hale, Northumberland Park and Meridan Water will not run. Customers are advised to use local bus services.