Passengers Warned of Rail Closures as Queenstown Road Works To Begin

Train services to and from London Waterloo will be disrupted over the holiday period as engineers carry out major upgrades near Queenstown Road. The works, taking place from Saturday 27 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026, aim to improve both safety and reliability on one of Britain’s busiest railway corridors.

More than 350 engineers will be on site renewing track, switches, crossings, and conductor rails between Queenstown Road and Nine Elms junction. Platforms at Queenstown Road station will also be altered to accommodate the new track layout. The upgrades include strengthening the railway’s foundations with fresh ballast and sleepers and enhancing electric power delivery to trains.

Service changes include no trains running on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, with services between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction suspended from 27 to 28 December. Between 29 December and 4 January, reduced timetables will operate, with details available from 3 October. Queenstown Road station will remain closed throughout the upgrade period, while Vauxhall station will close from 27 to 30 December and on 1 January, reopening for New Year’s Eve and from 2 January onwards.

Passengers are advised to use alternative routes, with ticket acceptance available on certain services. Further information on the project and service adjustments can be found on the SWR website and National Rail Enquiries.

George Murrell, Route Renewals Director for Network Rail and South Western Railway, said:

“We are advising passengers to plan ahead and use alternative routes into the capital between Christmas and New Year. We are sorry for the disruption this closure between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction will cause however these works will provide a more reliable journey for everyone who travels on one of the country’s busiest railways.”

Image: Network Rail