Southeastern is introducing another improvement to its timetable from Sunday 18 May that adds more space and newer trains for customers across London, Kent and East Sussex.
The operator provided just over 135 million journeys in 2024, a 7% increase compared to 2023, and a 19% increase compared to 2022. This new timetable aims to support further growth and space for an extra 10 million customer journeys over the next 12 months.
Southeastern will also introduce more modern trains as the Class 377 Electrostars enter service, with air-conditioning, charging points, and a more comfortable environment.
The trains will operate on most services from Ashford International and Maidstone East to Victoria and Charing Cross.
Scott Brightwell, Southeastern’s Operations and Safety Director said:
“We know the importance of a safe, reliable and comfortable journey for our customers. We’re working hard with our partners Network Rail to constantly monitor all feedback we receive and improve our services accordingly.
“Our railway is growing. The changes we’re introducing this May will deliver more space where it’s needed most and newer more comfortable air-conditioned trains.
“We’re also working to improve on-time running and reliability to keep cancellations among the lowest in the country.”
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:
“This is exactly the passenger-focussed approach our railway needs, encouraging people to take the train by providing more capacity and better-quality services where people want them most.
“On top of this, we have rolled out contactless ticketing further across the South East to make it easier and cheaper to choose rail.
“This is all part of our plans for the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation, which will deliver for passengers, drive growth and boost the economy.”
More connections are also being added for the stations between Ashford International and Maidstone East to Charing Cross, and there will be more calls at East Malling and Barming stations in the late afternoon and early evening to meet increasing demand.
The growing Southeastern railway will see more carriages added key peak services where they are needed most, including the 05.46 Dover Priory to Victoria, 07.02 Ramsgate to Cannon Street and 07.50 Sevenoaks to Charing Cross.
In East Kent there will be additional stops at Thanet Parkway on trains to and from Dover Priory to improve connectivity to Canterbury West.
The May timetable will also include longer trains during the summer, providing more space for customers travelling to the likes of Whitstable, Margate and Broadstairs. Southeastern will also continue the improved Friday and Saturday evening services from Margate to support customers attending events at Dreamland.
Train times from 18 May are now available in online journey planners and the full timetables are being published on the Southeastern website.
Customers are also being advised to check their regular train time for minor changes in timings as there have been a number of adjustments to help improve on time running and follows feedback from our customers. .
Improvements to the Southeastern fleet are also continuing this year and customers will see In addition to timetable improvements, customers will also see improvements to the Southeastern fleet introduced during the year.
The interior refurbishment of the Class 395 ‘Javelin’ highspeed trains is nearing completion and the first unit with the new external livery is now in customer service alongside a new passenger information system. More improvements will be added alongside the interior refurbishment in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the Class 376 upgrade is underway and will provide an extensive interior refresh, including a full re-paint, new plug sockets, refurbished seats and LED lighting.
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Notes to Editors
May 2025 timetable - route changes summary
- Paddock Wood line: London, Tonbridge and Ashford International to Canterbury West, Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate and Margate
- On weekdays some peak time trains on services via Deal and Dover Priory will stop additionally at Thanet Parkway. This offers a through service from Thanet Parkway along the Dover route that improves connections from Deal and Sandwich to Canterbury West. This will save time as customers don’t need to travel via Ramsgate.
- For events and concerts at Dreamland Margate, and to support the evening economy in Thanet on Friday and Saturday evenings, some later trains will run from Margate to Ashford via both Canterbury West and Dover Priory
- Sole Street line: London to the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Sheerness, Faversham, Ramsgate, Canterbury East and Dover
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 05.46 Dover Priory to London Victoria and the 17.10 London Victoria to Dover Priory will be 12 carriages rather than eight.
- The 07.02 Ramsgate to Cannon Street will be 12 carriages rather than eight.
- The 06.45 Gillingham to London Victoria and the 18.12 London Victoria to Gillingham will be eight carriages rather than six.
- The Summer timetable runs from Sunday 18 May until Sunday 7 September, and it increases capacity to the north Kent coast destinations, such as Whitstable, Margate and Broadstairs at weekends.
- During the school holidays on weekdays and Sundays there will be a direct service from Cannon Street to Ramsgate via Greenwich and Dartford connecting stations in south east London directly to the coast at Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.
3a Maidstone East line: London to Ashford International via Maidstone East
- Eight more of the Class 377 Electrostars with air-conditioning and charging points are being introduced to replace the older Networker trains.
- There will be additional trains for stations between Ashford International and Maidstone East to London Charing Cross.
- On weekdays the 06.44 and 07.44 Maidstone East to London Charing Cross will start from Ashford International and stop at Charing, Lenham, Harrietsham, Hollingbourne and Bearsted
- On Weekdays the 23.29 London Charing Cross to Maidstone East is extended to Ashford International and stops at Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham & Charing.
- On Saturdays the 06.14, 07.14 and 0814 Maidstone East to London Charing Cross will start from Ashford and stop at Charing, Lenham, Harrietsham, Hollingbourne and Bearsted.
- On Saturdays the 21.29, 22.29 and 23.29 London Charing Cross to Maidstone East are extended to Ashford International and stop at Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham & Charing
- There will be additional calls at East Malling and Barming in the late afternoon and early evening.
- The 15.25 London Victoria to Ashford International will stop additionally at East Malling & Barming.
- The 15.27, 16.27, 17.27 and 1827 Ashford International to London Victoria will stop additionally at Barming & East Malling.
3b Medway Valley line: Strood to Maidstone West and Paddock Wood
- On weekdays to improve connections at Strood from London St Pancras and Faversham, the following trains will start three minutes later from Strood and run later to Paddock Wood.
- 18.05 / 18.35 / 19.05 / 19.35 Strood to Paddock Wood
4 Hastings line: London and Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Hastings
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 18.45 Charing Cross to Hastings (as far as Tunbridge Wells) service will be 12-carriages rather than eight.
- All semi-fast services that run between Charing Cross and Tunbridge Wells will be lengthened to 10-carriages.
5a Woolwich line: London to Dartford and the Medway towns via Woolwich
Blackheath Tunnel closure - Sunday 18 May to Sunday 27 July
- From the start of the new timetable on Sunday 18 May until Sunday 27 July, the route between Blackheath and Charlton will be closed for essential repairs in the Blackheath tunnel. During this time trains will be diverted via Greenwich, stopping additionally at Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich and Deptford. Connections from Lewisham to the Woolwich line can be made by using the DLR between Lewisham and Greenwich.
5b Bexleyheath line: London to Dartford and Gravesend via Bexleyheath
Additional Services
- Weekdays 10.25 Charing Cross to Dartford
- Weekdays 15.23 Dartford to Charing Cross
Longer train to increase capacity
- The 07.23 Dartford to Charing Cross via Bexleyheath will be 12-carriages instead of 10.
- On Weekdays the 18.07 Cannon Street to Strood via Bexleyheath is extended to Rochester.
5c Sidcup line: London to Dartford and Gravesend via Sidcup
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 07.33 Gravesend to Charing Cross via Sidcup a 10-carriage City Beam train will replace an older Networker.
- The 18.20 Charing Cross to Gravesend will be extended to 10-carriages from eight.
6a Hayes line: London to Catford Bridge, Elmers and Hayes
- On weekdays to improve the interval between services and to reduce overcrowding, some trains from Charing Cross to Hayes will be retimed.
- From 16.18 and each half hour until 19.18 trains will start later out of Charing Cross and the interval from London Bridge will be improved from the current 9/21 minute interval to a 13/17 minute interval.
6b Grove Park line: London to Bromley North, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Grove Park
Longer train to increase capacity
- The 07.22 Orpington to Cannon Street will be 10 carriages rather than eight.
- The 07.50 Sevenoaks to Charing Cross and the 16.31 and 19.01 to Charing Cross will be lengthened to 12-carriages from 10.
7 Bromley South line: London to Bromley South, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Herne Hill or Catford
No changes in the May 2025 timetable
8 High Speed via Ashford and High Speed via Gravesend: St Pancras International to Stratford Intl, Ebbsfleet Itnl, Ashford Intl and Gravesend
No changes in the May 2025 timetable
The full timetables will be published here:
www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/timetables
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