Southern’s new winter timetable paves the way for 2018

The new timetable for Southern and Gatwick Express starts on Sunday 13 December with significant changes to off-peak services. The new timetable, designed to bring improved performance also paves the way for the final Thameslink timetable in 2018.

We consulted with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the December 2015 timetable and beyond meets existing and future passenger needs of as many people and communities as possible.

Highlights of the new timetable include:

• The retiming of the Brighton Main Line to provide a more evenly spaced service
• During the timetable period, new Class 387 Gatwick Express trains will replace the existing Class 442 fleet. These will start to appear in spring 2016
• Extending two trains per hour from Gatwick Airport to Brighton
• Additional services for Earlswood and Salfords
• Salfords station will be served by the London Bridge to Horsham route services all day on Sundays for the first time outside of the summer months
• Sunday services between Brighton and Ashford will call at either Three Oaks or Winchelsea
• New Class 700 trains will be introduced to Thameslink routes during this timetable
• Reduced journey times on Coastway East, Coastway West, and Arun Valley routes for long-distance passengers
• A better service for passengers using the Sydenham corridor
• Increased turnaround times at Victoria will help to reduce reactionary delays

Although changes are predominantly off-peak, there is good news for passengers on the 17.23 London Victoria to East Grinstead – this will be lengthened from eight carriages to 10.

Southern Passenger Services Director, David Scorey said: “Our new winter timetable is not only designed with improving performance for our passengers on the very busy Brighton Main Line, but it also starts the important process of working towards the final 2018 Thameslink timetable which will deliver a step-change in capacity and connectivity .”

There are many small changes to train times, so passengers are advised to check before they travel by contacting National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or by visiting nationalrail.co.uk.

New pocket timetables will be available shortly at any staffed Southern station and will soon be available to download fromsouthernrailway.com/timetables.

In the meantime, details of the new timetable can be downloaded from southernrailway.com/december2015