South Eastern Railway has revealed that passengers across Kent and South East London will benefit from improved train services and more seats with its new timetable operating from Sunday 14 December.
Several of the operator’s busiest trains will be extended from eight to 12 carriages, making thousands more seats available during peak hours. South Eastern Railway – a partnership of Network Rail Kent Route and Southeastern – has also added three extra modern air-conditioned trains will also join the fleet.
It is promising better connections and frequencies, with:
- more trains in the evening between Charing Cross and Dartford via Bexleyheath
- retimed Charing Cross services on the Hayes Line
- extra peak-time services from Charing Cross to the Maidstone East line, making the service run every half hour in the morning and evening peaks
- 29 more high-speed services between St Pancras International and Faversham, delivering a half-hourly service until weekday evenings and all day on Saturdays.
It is also promising modern trains with better facilities for passengers, including three more Class 377 Electrostar trains, with air conditioning, device charging points and greater comfort.
South Eastern Railway explains that the timetable changes reflect the growth in its passenger numbers. It carried nearly 138 million journeys last year, up 9 million from the previous year. It expects the number to exceed 143 million by the end of March 2026.
These timetable changes will take place as part of the rail industry’s twice-yearly updates. Other operators, including LNER, are also introducing new timetables.
“These changes directly address what passengers have told us they need most, more space during the busiest times, better connections and more highspeed services from London St Pancras International.
“The longer trains will provide thousands more seats exactly when and where they’re needed most, while the introduction of more of our modern air-conditioned trains offer a much more comfortable journey with additional customer facilities.
“We are a growing railway and we are continuing to do everything we can to support this demand by making it easier and more convenient for people to travel to work, education, healthcare or simply to visit family, friends or some of the fantastic locations on our network.”
Scott Brightwell, Safety, Planning and Performance Director for South Eastern Railway
Responses
Is this why Southeastern are getting rid of the Class 465 and Class 466 Networker units and to order new trains which could see them built and in service in the next 3 years. Whether if Alstom do manufacture new Adessia trains for Southeastern in place of replacing the Class 465 and Class 466.
We used to have a decent SE service from Bearsted station years ago, now it is rubbish, more so when they cancel a train, an hours wait for the next one, then some times an empty train wises passed to start the run from Maidstone, we complained to our MP, waste of time, the only thing they done was to improve the gents toilets