Southeastern announces updated summer timetable including more late-night weekend trains to Dreamland in Margate
13:00, 13 March 2024
updated: 13:14, 13 March 2024
Kent’s main rail operator has announced a new-look summer timetable – including more late-night trains for those visiting a major seaside attraction.
Southeastern is set to shake-up its services across the county this summer in a move the operator says will help more than 90,000 passengers each day.
Starting from June 2, the rail company says it will provide a number of improvements including better reliability, reduced waiting times for people on platforms and increasing the number of trains between multiple routes.
Additional carriages are to also be added on both peak and off-peak services to reduce crowding.
Some of the routes featured in the changes include more services from Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross, as well as from Charing Cross to Ashford via Maidstone East during the evenings.
Medway Valley Line services are to be retimed to improve connections at Paddock Wood and Strood, with a service every hour also on the cards for passengers at Thanet Parkway wishing to travel to St Pancras International.
There will also be additional late-night weekend services for people visiting the Dreamland amusement park during Margate’s spring and summer activities.
Southeastern's Scott Brightwell believes the changes will lead to a "reliable, low-cancellation railway".
The company's director of operations said: "The changes we will make this year are all aimed at providing more consistent and repeatable departure times, increasing capacity where it is needed while also continuing to provide a reliable, low-cancellation railway.
“We also know our timetable is our promise to our customers.
“We look forward to sharing more details before the timetable changes on June 2, but would encourage customers to make use of the information on our website and in our app and understand how the new timetable may affect their journey.”
Southeastern's metro services are also being targeted as part of the overhaul.
The company says a better spread of trains between Abbey Wood and Dartford for connections to the Elizabeth Line will come into effect this June.
This is alongside services between Victoria and Dartford being extended to Gravesend to call at Greenhithe – a change which will provide passengers with a direct link to Denmark Hill for Kings College and Maudsley Hospitals, with a direct interchange at Gravesend to highspeed services being created.
Full details of the new timetable are available on Southeastern's website here.
The updated services are already showing in online journey planners.
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