London’s Charing Cross and Waterloo East railway stations will close for 22 days from Sunday 26 July to Sunday 16 August 2026 as part of a £20 million engineering programme, according to Network Rail Media Centre.
Details of Engineering Work
The upgrade includes replacing almost two kilometres of 36-year-old track, rebuilding sections of platform at Charing Cross, improving drainage, and performing structural repairs on the Waterloo East–London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The work aims to ensure the infrastructure remains fit for several decades.
Alternative Routes and Stations
No Southeastern trains will serve Charing Cross or Waterloo East during the closure. Instead, services will operate to
London Victoria, Cannon Street, Blackfriars, and London Bridge with amended timetables. Ticket holders can use the Jubilee line between London Bridge and Waterloo, the Circle and District lines between Victoria, Blackfriars or Cannon Street and Embankment, Thameslink between Elephant and Castle, London Bridge and St Pancras International, and Southern services to London Bridge and Victoria.
Service Adjustments and Timetable Changes
Trains to and from Hayes via Lewisham will run to and from London Bridge. Trains normally between Charing Cross and Orpington or Sevenoaks will start and terminate at London Bridge, with some rerouted via Lewisham. Cannon Street services to Orpington will continue but some peak
trains will be cancelled. Victoria to Orpington frequency reduces from every 15 to every 30 minutes. Peak-time trains between Blackfriars and Beckenham Junction will run on revised schedules. Trains normally running to and from Charing Cross will operate via London Victoria, including an additional stop at Bromley South. Services to Hastings, Dover Priory, Ramsgate, Tunbridge Wells, Gravesend and Dartford will also have adjusted routes or times, with some trains cancelling or diverting during peak times.
Passenger Impact and Official Advice
Passengers usually using Charing Cross and Waterloo East must plan journeys on alternate routes due to station closures. Commuter volumes during the closure are expected
to be approximately 20% lower than usual. South Eastern Railway urges travelers to check revised train times before traveling and to allow extra time. Last train times will be altered, and some peak period services will be cancelled, retimed, or diverted.
Official Statements and Background
Scott Brightwell, Safety, Planning and Performance Director at South Eastern Railway, said, “We know closing two of London’s busiest stations for more than three weeks will be inconvenient for many of our customers, and we’d like to thank them for their patience while this essential work takes place.” He added, “The good news is that customers will still be
able to travel into central London throughout the closure using alternative routes, although journeys and train times will be different.” Brightwell also explained that completing all work in one extended block avoids more than 60 weekend closures and said, “We would encourage everyone travelling during this period to check their journey before travelling and make sure they know the time of their last train home.”
Network Rail owns and operates Britain’s railway infrastructure, including 20,000 miles of track and 20 of the UK’s largest stations. The work is part of a multi-billion-pound Railway Upgrade Plan, responding to doubling passenger journeys
over the past 20 years.
