December 2026 Timetable Change

[cle]

Generally from Penkridge to Birmingham the ex-Liverpool departs 6 minutes later, overtakes and arrives 3 minutes earlier than the ex-Crewe, so effectively 1tph in this direction.

From Birmingham the gaps between departures are 18/42 mins which isn't so bad, with an even 30 min service from Penkridge to Stafford.

No 2tph return for the Liverpools planned? These could either add the standard 2tph for the likes of Penkridge and Hartford - or enable a skip stop or fast/slow pattern for each.

 

[MikeWM]

I'd recently been informed that GA were *finally* going to run the extremely useful Sunday 0853 Ely-Peterborough (starting from Ipswich) all-year round starting at the December change, rather than for just 3-4 months over the summer, and indeed it is now showing (and, interestingly, starting back at Colchester). Hurray! Along with the changes made in December 2025 (earlier first service to London, breaking up the hourly bunching of services to/from Cambridge) Ely now has a massively improved Sunday timetable and most of the complaints I've posted in new timetable threads for years have been dealt with

Now we just need the XC and EMR services to start earlier

--

Will be topped off perfectly if the 12:51 Liverpool—Nottingham gets extended through to Norwich on Mondays-Saturdays as it always was pre-Pandemic. No eastbound Norwich departure from Nottingham 14:38-16:38 (15:47-17:47 Peterborough) is quite ludicrous.

Sadly it appears not. I seem to get caught up in this quite regularly at Peterborough when returning from somewhere or other to the north, and unfortunately as it is also the hour that GA doesn't have the Ipswich service, there is nothing between Peterborough and Ely for over an hour between the 1613 XC and 1716 XC, which really needs fixing.

 

[Bikeman78]

Bear in mind that only a proportion of those Southern and Thameslink customers alighting will have come from Central London, there is a lot of business to Gatwick from the Croydon area and obviously TL serves multiple alternate London stations instead of Victoria.

Indeed, but I see a lot of people with mountains of luggage on Southern trains at Victoria who get off at Gatwick. 12 car trains on Saturday full from end to end. Conversely, if go on Gatwick Express, there is sometimes only one other person in the front coach. It seems that not many people want to pay extra for little benefit.

 

[DesDobramento]

On weekdays, CrossCountry will stop at Carstairs once daily in the direction of Glasgow Central, on 1S35 0635 Bristol to Glasgow. Is there much reason for this? I don't think it's a pathing problem as far as I can see...

Also, the northbound Three Nations Connect service (1S43 0945 Cardiff to Glasgow) has been extended to Glasgow, non-stop via the South Suburban and Shotts.

Does ‘South Suburban’ mean Edinburgh Suburban, and reversing at Waverley?

 

[danielhogg2005]

Does ‘South Suburban’ mean Edinburgh Suburban, and reversing at Waverley?

Yes.

 

[Bikeman78]

A sizeable number will have got on at stations other than Victoria. Stansted Express can’t charge a premium as such as there are no other services for the premium to be “over and above”.

Sorry, I worded that badly. I meant for Harlow or Bishop's Stortford. As in people from those stations don't pay more to use Stansted Express compared with a Cambridge train.

 

[wls1]

Lots of changes across SE with lots of services back running off peak and all day Saturdays and improved Sunday services

Tunbridge wells services are back along with all day Sidcup-Greenwich rounders and Bexleyheath line - Charing Cross

AM and PM fast service Hastings - Charing Cross calling at St Leonards, Battle and Tunbridge Wells then fast to London Bridge.
0805 Hastings - Charing Cross 0933
1611 Charing Cross - Hastings 1742

Additional:
1658 Cannon St - Ashford 1813
1941 Cannon St - Canterbury East 2112

Sunday services including Woolwich line - Lewisham back 2tph

 

[Phillipimo]

SWR now visible in RTT. Not much has changed but I have noticed this.

17:20 no longer extends to Southampton, terminates Basingstoke.
17:45 additional to Southampton first stop Farnborough.
17:45 to Portsmouth & Southsea retimed to 17:50 and goes via Woking vice Cobham.
17:50 to Basingstoke retimed to 17:47

Net result is one extra fast peak departure from Waterloo and a shorter journey time for the semi fast Southampton.

 

[SeanM1997]

Hopefully with a reasonable gap between trains, I could swear in a previous timetable (when Birmingham - Liverpool was only hourly & the Crewe - Stafford service ran to Birmingham via Tame Bridge) Penkridge had 2 trains an hour, but in one direction within 5 minutes of each other.

Penkridge - Crewe will depart at xx:02 (arrives Crewe at xx:30) and xx:34 (arrives Crewe at xx:24)

Crewe - Penkridge will depart at xx:19 (arrives Penkridge at xx:44) and xx:50 (arrives Penkridge at xx:39) - so just a 6 minute gap between Birmingham services

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2026 ==

No 2tph return for the Liverpools planned? These could either add the standard 2tph for the likes of Penkridge and Hartford - or enable a skip stop or fast/slow pattern for each.

Liverpool - Birmingham New Street is already 2ph Monday-Saturday and 1ph Sunday

Penkridge has 2 trains an hour each way, whilst Winsford/Hartford/Acton Bridge has 1 train an hour each way

 

[Starmill]

Stansted doesn't charge a premium.

As others have suggested, this isn't true unfortunately as fares are higher than for many stations beyond. Even a London - Elsenham single at Oyster peak times is less than to the Airport. For round trips the Airport premium is often massive.

 

[The exile]

As others have suggested, this isn't true unfortunately as fares are higher than for many stations beyond. Even a London - Elsenham single at Oyster peak times is less than to the Airport. For round trips the Airport premium is often massive.

In the sense that “Stansted Express” fares aren’t higher than comparable distances on the WAML, you’re right that it’s not true. But in the Gatwick (or Heathrow) Express sense it is. For both those airports, there are “normal” trains from the airport station to London and “Airport Express” trains, for which you will pay more. This two-tier pricing does not exist on journeys to/from Stansted Airport.

 

[Starmill]

In the sense that “Stansted Express” fares aren’t higher than comparable distances on the WAML, you’re right that it’s not true. But in the Gatwick (or Heathrow) Express sense it is. For both those airports, there are “normal” trains from the airport station to London and “Airport Express” trains, for which you will pay more. This two-tier pricing does not exist on journeys to/from Stansted Airport.

It does though. That's what I'm saying, the two tier pricing is there, but it's far worse than for Heathrow or Gatwick because it's hidden away from public view in the case of Stansted.

 

[The exile]

It does though. That's what I'm saying, the two tier pricing is there, but it's far worse than for Heathrow or Gatwick because it's hidden away from public view in the case of Stansted.

So what is the “not Stansted Express” fare from Liverpool Street to Stansted AirPort and what is the “Stansted Express” fare?
That the fare to the Airport is disproportionally high compared to Elsenham or Mountfitchet is a different issue to there being two fares on the same flow depending on what train you use.

 

[43074]

Mentioned earlier that LNWR will be extending Crewe - Stafford, to Birmingham New Street. Penkridge will only be served on Sunday (giving Penkridge 2 trains an hour each way on Sundays), other days the service will run fast between Stafford and Wolverhampton

The main benefit of extending the Crewe services on Sundays is that Willenhall and Darlaston gain a Sunday service, as well as providing 2tph at Penkridge to align with weekdays and Saturdays.

The poor spacing of southbound calls at Willenhall and Darlaston on weekdays should also be sorted from May 2027...

 

[dk1]

As others have suggested, this isn't true unfortunately as fares are higher than for many stations beyond. Even a London - Elsenham single at Oyster peak times is less than to the Airport. For round trips the Airport premium is often massive.

Also worth noting is that the regular and extremely popular ‘Hare Fares’ promotions that GA have run have not included Stansted Airport. It’s has become quite common for passengers to buy promotional fares say Norwich to Audley End and then an open single/return between there and the airport. I can only presume the same is done from the London end to say Bishops Stortford.

 

[Starmill]

So what is the “not Stansted Express” fare from Liverpool Street to Stansted AirPort and what is the “Stansted Express” fare?
That the fare to the Airport is disproportionally high compared to Elsenham or Mountfitchet is a different issue to there being two fares on the same flow depending on what train you use.

It is different in the sense that deliberately hiding cheaper tickets is less fair than the Gatwick Express method, yes, you're absolutely right about that. Your original post suggested that it wasn't as bad as Heathrow and Gatwick are which is why I disagreed with it.

 

[HST125Scorton]

Interestingly Rail Record shows 2 trains an hour with Northern between Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly (same as today), even though LNWR are suggested to be taking the Manchester Airport path to run a Manchester Airport - Birmingham New Street service

This has been slightly delayed until May 2027 timetable change according information going around. LNWR focus is to get the Crewe-Stafford as current back to Birmingham which they have done for December 2026 then Manchester Airport from May 2027. All the ECS Training paths are present in the new timetable. Northern will run a new service between Man Picc and Man Airport while LNWR uses the old NT paths to/from Crewe.

 

[GilfachFargoed]

It is different in the sense that deliberately hiding cheaper tickets is less fair than the Gatwick Express method, yes, you're absolutely right about that. Your original post suggested that it wasn't as bad as Heathrow and Gatwick are which is why I disagreed with it.

Are you therefore suggesting that the railway should rely on more taxpayer support, rather than deriving additional revenue from airport customers who are prepared to pay the fares to Stansted? - remember that there is competition between London and Stansted from multiple bus/coach operators - the railway doesn't have a monopoly, but it does have the considerable cost of a 15 minute frequency service of 12-car Stadler sets.

 

[splashoutradio]

I know it's still early days, so nothing is set in stone yet. But TfW now have timetable data online, and it looks like the previously consulted timetable changes for the Conwy Valley line may not be coming into force in December.

Does anyone know if the consultation was unsuccessful or if changes may come at a later date?

 

[Starmill]

Are you therefore suggesting that the railway should rely on more taxpayer support, rather than deriving additional revenue from airport customers who are prepared to pay the fares to Stansted? - remember that there is competition between London and Stansted from multiple bus/coach operators - the railway doesn't have a monopoly, but it does have the considerable cost of a 15 minute frequency service of 12-car Stadler sets.

What I was demonstrating was that it is, at best, misleading to imply that this is not already the case with Stansted. Nobody denies it is with Gatwick.

As @NCT said if there is a clear willingness to pay for it, then...

 

[brad465]

Lots of changes across SE with lots of services back running off peak and all day Saturdays and improved Sunday services

Tunbridge wells services are back along with all day Sidcup-Greenwich rounders and Bexleyheath line - Charing Cross

AM and PM fast service Hastings - Charing Cross calling at St Leonards, Battle and Tunbridge Wells then fast to London Bridge.
0805 Hastings - Charing Cross 0933
1611 Charing Cross - Hastings 1742

Additional:
1658 Cannon St - Ashford 1813
1941 Cannon St - Canterbury East 2112

Sunday services including Woolwich line - Lewisham back 2tph

In addition, on the Maidstone East line, Ashford-Victoria is 2tph all day again, having previously dropped to 1tph between the peaks, while Maidstone-Charing X is 2tph for a bit longer after the morning peak. On Sunday Maidstone-Charing X is being introduced, and by leaving at xx:05, is far more evenly spaced with the xx:29 (at Maidstone East) Victoria services. Down Charing X trains leave slightly earlier at xx:24 on Sundays.

The Sheerness branch also has the promised 2tph all day 7 days a week.

 

[Mattplans]

As well as services at Bromley North on Sundays

 

[bramling]

Are you therefore suggesting that the railway should rely on more taxpayer support, rather than deriving additional revenue from airport customers who are prepared to pay the fares to Stansted? - remember that there is competition between London and Stansted from multiple bus/coach operators - the railway doesn't have a monopoly, but it does have the considerable cost of a 15 minute frequency service of 12-car Stadler sets.

I don’t necessarily have an issue with there being some level of premium on airport services bearing in mind they are all quite invasive in terms of the track capacity they use - though the flip side of the coin is it isn’t just air passengers that need to travel to airports but considerable numbers of airport staff too.

What I object to is running a dedicated service and then having a setup where airport passengers end up on other services, for example the Southern services to the south coast. If we are going to devote substantial resources to airport services then how about people actually use the provided services? This doesn’t just apply to airports, one can apply the same argument to flows like London-Peterborough, London-Birmingham etc.

 

[The exile]

What I object to is running a dedicated service and then having a setup where airport passengers end up on other services, for example the Southern services to the south coast. If we are going to devote substantial resources to airport services then how about people actually use the provided services?

Given the fact that the premium on tickets that are of any use to most airport users is only about 10%, I suspect that it’s the wait for the next GatEx rather than the fare that’s resulting in people travelling Victoria - Gatwick and vv on Southern services. Let’s see what happens once GatEx is every 15 minutes again (especially if the next train is in before the previous one leaves as used to be the case).

 

[dk1]

I'd recently been informed that GA were *finally* going to run the extremely useful Sunday 0853 Ely-Peterborough (starting from Ipswich) all-year round starting at the December change, rather than for just 3-4 months over the summer, and indeed it is now showing (and, interestingly, starting back at Colchester). Hurray! Along with the changes made in December 2025 (earlier first service to London, breaking up the hourly bunching of services to/from Cambridge) Ely now has a massively improved Sunday timetable and most of the complaints I've posted in new timetable threads for years have been dealt with

Now we just need the XC and EMR services to start earlier

--



Sadly it appears not. I seem to get caught up in this quite regularly at Peterborough when returning from somewhere or other to the north, and unfortunately as it is also the hour that GA doesn't have the Ipswich service, there is nothing between Peterborough and Ely for over an hour between the 1613 XC and 1716 XC, which really needs fixing.

Cheers. Really is such a poor show not reinstating that service particularly as as you say the hour long gap with no service east of Peterborough. I suppose the only (if you can call it this) saving grace is GAs relief 17:10 ex-Cambridge (Ely 17:27) introduced a few months ago which now gives those on the Birmingham service departing Peterborough a 22 minute earlier arrival into Norwich and the chance of getting a seat too.

In all my years working for Anglia, NXEA & GA I have never understood why the 07:55 (SuO) Ipswich-Peterborough and return is seasonal.

 

[Harpo]

Let’s see what happens once GatEx is every 15 minutes again (especially if the next train is in before the previous one leaves as used to be the case).

Two intentions of the 15 minute GX frequency and 15+ layover were that you never needed to wait on the concourse* and that you didn’t really need a timetable, just turn up and go.

It also meant that when problems occurred, sets could be stepped up to maintain the frequency.

(* If only Euston could be like that with 20 minute interval services to Manchester and Birmingham.)

 

[brad465]

As well as services at Bromley North on Sundays

And in the peaks a 4tph frequency from 05:40-09:42 leaving Bromley North, and 16:40-19:55 in the evening, which will involve 2-3 minute turnaround times and presumably two drivers. In the morning this allows a 6 minute connection onto Charing X trains, and 7 minute onto Cannon St ones. In the evening its 5 and 6 minute connection times heading towards Bromley North.

 

[swr444]

SWR now visible in RTT. Not much has changed but I have noticed this.

17:20 no longer extends to Southampton, terminates Basingstoke.
17:45 additional to Southampton first stop Farnborough.
17:45 to Portsmouth & Southsea retimed to 17:50 and goes via Woking vice Cobham.
17:50 to Basingstoke retimed to 17:47

Net result is one extra fast peak departure from Waterloo and a shorter journey time for the semi fast Southampton.

How uninspiring. They can easily uplift the Epsom line services as a minimum.

 

[shakermaker_86]

How uninspiring. They can easily uplift the Epsom line services as a minimum.

Agreed. I know there's the big timetable consultation this autumn but a few incremental improvements on lines such as the Epsom and Hounslow routes could have been achieved. Lack of rolling stock can't be used as a reason given that even more 701s will be in service by December than when the May 26 timetable was drawn up.

 

[swr444]

Agreed. I know there's the big timetable consultation this autumn but a few incremental improvements on lines such as the Epsom and Hounslow routes could have been achieved. Lack of rolling stock can't be used as a reason given that even more 701s will be in service by December than when the May 26 timetable was drawn up.

And neither can train crew as they have plenty of them being trained up / passing out from training at the moment.