Southeastern Railway has urged passengers to plan ahead this summer as train services across the Southeastern network are set to change significantly during an extensive 22‑day programme of engineering work in central London.
Between Sunday 26 July and Sunday 16 August 2026, London Charing Cross and Waterloo East will close to Southeastern services while a series of 20 million GBP upgrade works are delivered across track, platforms and structures in and around the stations.
Additional weekend closures are also planned to take place both before and after the main works.
During this period, trains that usually run into Charing Cross will be diverted to other London stations; services across the Southeastern network will run to different times (with some services running less often); and the times of both the first and last trains will change over the 22 days – with customers urged to plan ahead and check their full journey before travelling, including their last train.
No trains will call at either Charing Cross or Waterloo East during the closure, with services that usually run into Charing Cross diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street, London Blackfriars or London Bridge.
Works carried out during this closure will include the replacement of nearly 2km of 36-year-old track, rebuilding of sections of platforms at Charing Cross, upgrades to drainage systems and a series of structural repairs to the Waterloo East to London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and Hungerford Bridge.
Scott Brightwell, Safety, Planning and Performance Director, South Eastern Railway, said:The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian-era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.
Services will run very differently during the closure, with changes to routes, frequencies and train times across the network.
We’re asking customers to plan ahead, check before they travel, and make sure they know there last train home.
