Rail operator announces extra trains from December

A rail operator in Kent, East Sussex and London has announced what services will be added to its new timetable, which starts in December.

Southeastern announced in July that when the new timetable starts on 15 December there will be an extra 220 trains operating a week, made up of 44 new services per day.

These include two evening trains that currently run from London Charing Cross to Maidstone East being extended to Ashford International, with additional stops at Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham and Charing.

Morning passengers from Chartham and Chilham will also have a new service at 09.11 GMT and 09.14, respectively, to London Charing Cross, filling what was an hour gap between services.

There will also be 12 extra peak-time trains, in both the morning and evening, operating on the Greenwich and Sidcup routes.

As well as running into London Bridge and London Cannon Street, the services will also stop at Abbey Wood, improving access to the Elizabeth Line and connections to Central London, Maidenhead, Reading and Heathrow Airport.

On the Orpington - London Victoria route, a service every 15 minutes will now run on week days, turning the service into a "turn up and go metro" style service. This will be in affect between approximately 06:00 and 23:30.

Other minor changes to services include the 05:48 Dover Priory - London St Pancras service leaving three minutes earlier at 05:45 and both the 07.33 and 08.05 Strood to Tonbridge trains leaving a minute earlier and having extra time at New Hythe and Aylesford, so schoolchildren have more time to alight services.

Scott Brightwell, Southeastern’s operations and safety director said: “With this timetable change, we are providing more services and opportunities to travel by train.

“The new services will make it easier to travel for work, to see family and friends or for education and healthcare appointments.”

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