Waterloo trains face festive disruption during Queenstown Road upgrades

Train services to and from London Waterloo will be significantly altered over the Christmas and New Year period as major engineering work takes place near Queenstown Road. The changes will run from Saturday 27 December 2025 through to Sunday 4 January 2026 and are aimed at improving the long-term safety and reliability of one of the UK’s busiest rail corridors.

More than 350 engineers will be deployed to renew large sections of track, switches and crossings, and conductor rail between Queenstown Road and Nine Elms Junction. The programme also includes strengthening the railway’s foundations with new ballast and sleepers, alongside improvements to the electrical power supply. Platforms at Queenstown Road station will be modified to accommodate the new track layout.

As a result of the work, no trains will serve London Waterloo on Saturday 27 or Sunday 28 December, with services instead terminating at Clapham Junction. From Monday 29 December through to Sunday 4 January, reduced timetables will operate, with full details due to be published from 3 October. Queenstown Road station will remain closed throughout the works.

Vauxhall station will also be affected, closing from Saturday 27 December until Tuesday 30 December, and again on New Year’s Day. Trains will call there on New Year’s Eve and from Friday 2 January onwards. As usual, there will be no services anywhere on the network on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Passengers are being advised to check their journeys in advance, with ticket acceptance available on alternative routes. Information will be provided through National Rail Enquiries and the South Western Railway website, alongside further details on the project itself.

George Murrell, Route Renewals Director, speaking on behalf of 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