London Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations will close from Sunday, July 26 until Sunday, August 16, 2026, for a £20 million rail infrastructure upgrade by Network Rail. The 22-day closure will support major renewal works between the two stations to improve rail infrastructure in central London.
Track and Station Improvements at Charing Cross and Waterloo East
The project will replace approximately 1,800 metres of track and install 16 new sets of switches and crossings, updating equipment installed since 1990 to improve reliability. At Waterloo East, track drainage systems will be upgraded for maintaining track quality and enabling trains to run safely at full line speed. Parts of Charing Cross
station, including new foundations and surfaces at the country end of platforms, will be rebuilt to enhance safety and accessibility.
Structural Repairs to Historic Bridges
Structural repairs will be conducted on the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which carries the railway over the Thames, along with the pedestrian link bridge between Waterloo East and London Waterloo. These works aim to extend the lifespan of these Victorian-era structures for decades.
Service Disruptions and Passenger Alternatives
No trains will stop at London Charing Cross or Waterloo East during the closure. Southeastern Railway services normally running to Charing Cross will be diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street, London Blackfriars, and London Bridge stations. Southeastern
advises passengers to expect delays and cancellations and to check their routes before traveling. Passengers can claim refunds for all ticket types affected by the closures, including journeys using alternative routes. A dedicated refund form will be available on Southeastern’s website from July 26.
Official Statements on Closure Scheduling and Impact
Scott Brightwell, Train Services Director at Southeastern Railway, said the £20 million investment will upgrade 1990s infrastructure for safer, more reliable journeys and strengthen Victorian bridges. He stated, “By consolidating the work into a 22‑day closure, supported by preparation and follow‑up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the
alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five 9-day closures.” Brightwell added, “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”
Additional Closure Details
Additional weekend closures are planned before and after the main 22-day closure to carry out preparation and follow-up work. Consolidating the work into a continuous closure period reduces longer-term disruption on services compared to multiple weekend or shorter extended closures.
