South Western Railway (SWR) has advised passengers to check before they travel over the festive period because of timetable changes and major engineering works between Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.

Engineers will be carrying out improvements to track, switches and crossings, signalling systems and electrical supplies, as well as platform works at Queenstown Road (Battersea). Once complete, SWR said the work would help reduce faults and delays and deliver smoother, more reliable journeys.

On Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24, an amended timetable will operate, with services finishing earlier than usual at around 10pm. Island Line services will also finish earlier, before 9pm, and passengers are advised to check last train times.

As in previous years, there will be no SWR services on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, or Boxing Day, Friday, December 26.

On Saturday, December 27, and Sunday, December 28, there will be no services between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction. Other services across the network will resume, but an amended timetable will operate on all lines via Barnes and Wimbledon, with trains starting and finishing at Clapham Junction.

On Monday, December 29, and Tuesday, December 30, services that normally run through Barnes will again start and finish at Clapham Junction. A reduced service will run via Wimbledon, while Vauxhall and Queenstown Road (Battersea) will be closed.

An amended timetable will also operate on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, December 31, with all services via Barnes starting and finishing at Clapham Junction and some minor changes to services via Wimbledon.

Additional late-night services will run between London Waterloo and Basingstoke, Guildford and Twickenham, including services between about 1am and 5am for people returning from New Year’s Eve celebrations.

On New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1, a reduced service will operate on all lines, with Barnes routes again starting and finishing at Clapham Junction. From Friday, January 2, to Sunday, January 4, the same arrangements will apply, while services towards Woking and Reading will also be affected by separate engineering work on Sunday, January 4.

Normal timetables are expected to resume on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Passengers are warned services are likely to be busy over the Christmas period, and those travelling with luggage are advised to bring only what they can comfortably carry.

Stuart Meek, chief operating officer of South Western Railway and Network Rail (Wessex), said: “If you’re planning to travel with us over the Christmas period, please visit our website and use our journey planner to check your journey now.

“There will be major changes through to the new year, particularly for services to and from London Waterloo via Barnes, and on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December, when there are no trains between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction.

“Tens of millions of customers travel on our lines between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction every year, and once this vital engineering work is complete, they can expect a more reliable railway and smoother journeys for years to come.

“There will be a limited number of additional services in the early hours of New Year’s Day to support customers heading home from the celebrations in London, but please only travel to the fireworks show on the South Bank if you have a ticket for the event.

“We’d like to wish all our customers a merry Christmas and a happy new year.”

Full details of services over the Christmas and New Year period are available at southwesternrailway.com/christmas.