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REMINDER: Rail Engineering works impacting access to the airports near London

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I’m doing this as a reminder as it seems the message hasn’t sunk in that the majority of airports will have major changes  to rail access over the Christmas and New Year Period.

To summarise:

  • Heathrow Airport – No Trains 23rd December and 26th December to and from London Paddington. Heathrow Express and TfL Rail service on changed timeables
  • Gatwick Airport – No Trains to or from London Victoria 23rd December to 1st January. Also, no service on the 25th December.
  • Stansted Express –  No Trains on the 25th December, Restricted service 26th Decmeber
  • DLR for London  City Airport – Saturday/Weekend Timetables

I cannot say this enough –

Please check before you travel.

In a lot of cases, there are very good alternatives to get you into London or to the Airport (and I’ll point a few out)

 

So, the full Christmas changes below:

Heathrow Express (London Paddington <> Heathrow T2/3, T5)

Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express Service at Heathow – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

With major engineering works on the Great Western Main Line, Heathrow Express is impacted. Consider using the Piccadilly Line if you need to travel

  • 23-26 December – No services on Heathrow Express
  • 27 – 29 December – Departures every 30 minutes
    • London Paddington to Heathrow Terminal 5 – The first service departs at 05:22 then at 52 and 22 minutes past the hour until the last service at 23:22
    • Heathrow Terminal 5 to London Paddington – The first service departs at 05:25 then at 55 and 25 minutes past the hour until the last services at 23:25 and 23:35
    • Heathrow Terminals 2&3 to London Paddington – The first service departs at 05:33 then at 03 and 33 minutes past the hour until the last services at 23:33 and 23:41
    • Free terminal transfer services will depart every 15 minutes.
  • 30 December 2018 – No services on Heathrow Express. Only Inter-Terminal Shuttle will operate
  • 31 December 2018 – Departures every 30 minutes
    • London Paddington to Heathrow Terminal 5 – The first service departs at 05:55 then at 55 and 25 minutes past the hour until the last service at 23:25
    • Heathrow Terminal 5 to London Paddington – The first service departs at 05:27 then at 57 and 27 minutes past the hour until the last services at 23:27 and 23:35- Heathrow Terminals 2&3 to London
    • Paddington – The first service departs at 05:33 then at 03 and 33 minutes past the hour until the last services at 23:33 and 23:41
  • 1 January – Normal service resumes

TFL Rail (London Paddington <> Heathrow T2/3, T4)

a train at a station

With major engineering works on the Great Western Main Line, TFL Rail is heavily impacted. Consider using the Picadilly Line if you need to travel

  • 23-24 December – No Services. GWR buses will serve all stations apart from Heathrow, Hanwell and West Ealing. You should use the rail replacement bus service or local buses for onward journeys. Use Piccadilly Line or bus 105 from Southall/140 from Hayes and Harlington
  • 25-26 December – No Services
  • 27-29 December – Reduced service will operate between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4. Trains will not stop at Acton Mainline, West Ealing or Hanwell.
  • 30 December – No Services. GWR buses will serve all stations apart from Heathrow, Hanwell and West Ealing. You should use the rail replacement bus service or local buses for onward journeys. Use Piccadilly Line or bus 105 from Southall/140 from Hayes and Harlington
  • 31 December – Reduced service will operate between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4. Trains will not stop at Acton Mainline, West Ealing or Hanwell.
  • 1 January – Normal Service resumes

Alternatives:

  • Piccadilly line will run a service every day except Christmas day
  • National Express will be operating regualr services to and from Victoria Coach Station
  • Taxi and Uber is a possiblity – expect to pay premiums

Gatwick Express (London Victoria <> Gatwick Airport) 

Gatwick Express service passing Clapham Junction - Image, Economy Class and Beyond
Gatwick Express service passing Clapham Junction – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

Gatwick Express is pretty much closed for the holiday season due to engineering works outside Victoria station . You’ll need to go via London Bridge or Blackfriars instead to reach Gatwick Airport.

  • 22 December – A Saturday service will run, with services finishing early.
  • 23-24 December – No Gatwick Express service from Victoria. Use Southern or Thameslink trains will be running between Gatwick Airport and London Bridge / Blackfriars
  • 25 December – No service
  • 26 December – 1 January – No Gatwick Express service from Victoria. Use Southern or Thameslink trains will be running between Gatwick Airport and London Bridge / Blackfriars
  • 2 January – A normal service will operate

Alternatives:

  • Take Thameslink or Southern Service to London Bridge/Blackfriars and change from there.
  • Coaches are running regular services to and from Gatwick (easyBus, National Express, Megabus are running. Check before you travel)
  • Taxi and Uber  operate, but may be at some considerable excess charge

Stansted Express

There’s not a lot of disruption on the Stansted Express, however – there are some service reductions, as well as service changes on Boxing Day.

  • 23-24 December – A half-hourly service will operate
  • 25 December – No Service
  • 26 December – Services will operate between Tottenham Hale and Stansted only on a half-hour basis. No service between Tottenham Hale and London Liverpool Street
  • 27-28 December – A half-hourly service will operate
  • 29 December – Saturday service
  • 30 December – Sunday Service
  • 31 December – Monday Service
  • 1 January – A half-hourly service will operate

Docklands Light Railway (Connecting London City Airport)

DLR
Morning time on the DLR – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

  • 23 December – Normal Service
  • 24 December  – A Saturday service is running. Services will finish from around 22:00
  • 25 December – No Service
  • 26 December – Reduced Service
  • 27-29 December – Saturday Service
  • 30 December – Sunday Service
  • 31 December – A special all-night service, with services on all routes from 00:30 until 08:00 every 15 minutes
  • 1 January – Saturday service
  • 2 January – Normal Service

As usual, plan ahead. The full changes are listed at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/172371.aspx

There are also a lot of significant engineering work going on around, so ensure you know where and when you need to travel – and if you’re taking the train.

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