London Charing Cross and Waterloo East closed for essential engineering works

From Sunday 26 July to Sunday 16 August 2026, the line and stations between London Charing Cross and Waterloo East, will close for 22 days to allow us to complete a £20 million programme of essential engineering work to keep the railway safe and reliable

What work is taking place?

The closure will allow us to deliver £20 million of essential improvements.

• 1,800 metres of life expired track and switches and crossings will be replaced between London Charing Cross and Waterloo East.
• Drainage will be upgraded at Waterloo East station.
• Structural repairs will be carried out on the Hungerford Bridge, which takes the railway over the Thames, and the pedestrian link bridge between Waterloo East and London Waterloo.
• Additional work will be brought into the closure where possible to maximise benefits and avoid future disruption.

These improvements will help deliver a safe and reliable railway for decades to come.

How will this work affect me?

The line and stations between London Charing Cross and Waterloo East will be closed from Sunday 26 July to Sunday 16 August 2026, with supporting weekend closures for preparation and follow-up work.

During the closures:

No trains will call at London Charing Cross or Waterloo East.

• Southeastern services that normally run into Charing Cross will be diverted to:
  • London Victoria
  • London Cannon Street
  • London Blackfriars
  • Some services will terminate at London Bridge

• Ticket acceptance will be available on alternative rail routes, London Underground and London Buses.
• Walking, cycling and accessible routes will be promoted with transport partners.

Why is the work needed?

We understand the temporary closure will require many customers to change their travel plans and that works in the area will cause some disruption. We apologise for the inconvenience but the works are essential.

• The track approaching Charing Cross was last replaced in the early 1990s and is now increasingly unreliable.
• Recent faults have caused over 21,000 minutes (350 hours) of delays to customers.
• Without intervention, faults and delays would continue to increase, causing more frustration for commuters.
• The £20 million investment will deliver a safe, reliable and high performing railway and improve infrastructure on a critical stretch of track.

Why is it taking three weeks, and supporting weekends to complete?

A 22-day closure, plus some preparation and follow-up weekends either side, is the most efficient and least disruptive way to complete the work.

Engineers, planners and timetable specialists assessed a range of delivery options, including:

• Weekend-only working: Would require around 60 weekend closures over 14 months, including bank holidays and would create prolonged and repeated disruption.
• Four separate 9-day closures would need to be spread over 10–16 months, causing repeated impacts on commuters, schools and businesses and add significant cost and complexity.

The chosen option of 22-days avoids months of rolling disruption and takes advantage of the summer period, when schools are closed and commuting levels are lower, making it the least disruptive approach overall.

Managing impacts from the works

We recognise the importance of minimising impacts on residents, businesses and public spaces on the Southbank and the borough more widely.

Clear, timely and ongoing communication with local stakeholders and the wider community will be at the heart of our delivery approach.

Online and face-to-face drop-in sessions will be held, giving residents and businesses opportunities to speak directly with the project team.

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please visit our contact us page or telephone our 24-Hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 quoting Charing Cross Works.

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