No trains to run from Portsmouth into London Waterloo over Christmas with passengers urged to plan ahead
Rail passengers travelling to and from London Waterloo this Christmas are being warned to brace themselves for disruption with major upgrades set to take place.
Train services into and out of London Waterloo, including through from Hampshire, will change from Saturday, December 27 2025 to Sunday, January 4 2026 as engineers carry out vital upgrades near Queenstown Road. It means no trains will run into Waterloo on December 27 and 28, with a reduced timetable in place until after the New Year period.
More than 350 engineers will renew track, switches and crossings, and conductor rail between Queenstown Road and Nine Elms junction, requiring the closure of London Waterloo. Platforms at Queenstown Road station will also be altered to fit the new track layout. Works will strengthen the railway’s foundations with new ballast and sleepers and improve electric power delivery to trains.
Changes to train services
- On Christmas Day and Boxing Day there will be no train services as normal.
- No trains will call at London Waterloo from Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 December with trains terminating at Clapham Junction.
- From Monday 29 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January, timetable reductions will be in place. Timetables will be available from 3 October.
- Queenstown Road station will be closed from Saturday 27 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026
- Vauxhall station will be closed from Saturday 27 December to Tuesday 30 December 2025, and on 1 January 2026. Trains will call at Vauxhall on New Years Eve, and from 2 January onwards.
- Ticket acceptance will be in place on alternative routes and details of this will be found by visiting National Rail Enquiries or the SWR website
- Further details on the works being carried out can be found by visiting our dedicated project webpage .
Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, George Murrell, Route Renewals Director, said: “We are advising passengers to plan ahead and use alternative routes into the capital between Christmas and New Year.