Laura Reynolds

August Bank Holiday 2019: A Guide To London's Transport Closures And Alterations

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King's Cross is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Image: Shutterstock

The August bank holiday takes place 24-26 August 2019. As always, whether you're staying in London or heading further afield, there are some transport issues to watch out for. Looking to things to do over the bank holiday weekend? We've got some inspiration here.

TfL services over the August bank holiday

It's Carnival weekend, so avoid Notting Hill Gate and surrounding stations. Photo: Shutterstock

Notting Hill Carnival: Europe's largest street party, Notting Hill Carnival, causes diversions to several bus routes in the area as roads are closed. There's also a possibility of the nearest tube stations (Queensway, Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park on the Central line, and Westbourne Park, Ladbroke Grove and Latimer Road on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines) closing for periods of time due to overcrowding. Best avoid the area if you've no intention of Carnival-ing if possible.

Metropolitan line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge 24-26 August. Replacement buses in operation.

Piccadilly line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge 24-26 August. Replacement buses in operation.

Trams: The East Croydon branch — New Addington, Elmers End and Beckenham Junction section of the tram network — is closed 23 August-1 September, with a reduced service on the rest of the line. Replacement buses in operation.

London Overground: No service between Willesden Junction and Camden Road on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August. Replacement buses operate. On Sunday 25 August, no service between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction until 11.15am.

National Rail services over the August bank holiday

Image: Shutterstock

Southeastern: No changes to services on Saturday 24 August. On Sunday 25, buses replace trains between Denmark Hill and Bromley South via Herne Hill. On Monday 26 August, buses replace trains between Lewisham and Orpington. Check Southeastern website for full details.

Southern: Buses replace trains between Redhill and Tonbridge, 24-26 August. Reduced service through Milton Keynes Central, 24-26 August. Further out of London, buses replace trains between Polegate and Hastings/Ore, Lewes and Seaford, and Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour on Sunday 25 August. There's a reduced service across the Southern network on Monday 26 August. Check Southern website for full details.

Thameslink: No services between King’s Cross/St Pancras and Peterborough/Cambridge on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 due to track replacement work at King's Cross. Reduced services to/from King’s Cross and St Pancras on Monday 26 August. See Thameslink website for full details.

South Western Railway: A Saturday service runs on Monday 26 August. Lines in the Feltham area are closed on Sunday 25 August, affecting services between Waterloo and Reading with diversions and amendments. See South Western Railway website for full details.

Great Western Railway: No changes in the immediate London area, but closures between Bristol Parkway and Cardiff Central on Sunday 25 August. See Great Western Railway website for further details.

LNER: Big changes here — nothing runs out of King's Cross on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August, as the station is closed due to track upgrade works. You're advised to avoid travelling. A limited service runs on Monday, although sounds like it'll still be worth avoiding if possible. Peak time restrictions have been removed on the afternoon of Friday 23 August to help people to travel before the bank holiday begins, but it's expected to be very busy. See LNER website for full details.

Image: Shutterstock

Virgin Trains: Due to work in the Milton Keynes area, a reduced service operates between London Euston and Manchester, Birmingham and Wolverhampton all three days, with different alterations each day. Services on the London-Chester-North Wales route are also altered, with trains only running between Crewe and Holyhead. See the Virgin Trains website for full details.

Great Northern: No trains to/from Moorgate and King's Cross on Sunday. Reduced service on Monday. See Great Northern website for further information.

Greater Anglia: All lines closed between Shenfield and Southend all day Saturday and Sunday, with tickets being accepted on C2C services. Extended journey times between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge (which includes Stansted Airport) all day Saturday. Late night closures beyond Colchester on Saturday night, and early morning closures in the Norwich region on Sunday morning. Amended service on all routes on Monday 26 August. Check Greater Anglia website before you travel.

C2C: No service (replacement buses run) between Upminster and Grays via Rainham all weekend. Revised services on Basildon and Ockendon lines all weekend. See C2C website for further details.

Chiltern: Reduced service Marylebone — Amersham — Aylesbury on the afternoon of Saturday 24 August. An amended Saturday timetable operates on bank holiday Monday, with no trains calling at Sudbury Hill Harrow or Sudbury & Harrow Road. Find out more on the Chiltern Railways website.

Station closures over the bank holiday weekend

Nope. Image: Shutterstock

King's Cross: No trains in or out of King's Cross on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August due to track upgrade works. Reduced service on Monday 26 August. Because of this, trains are likely to be extra busy on the Thursday, Friday and Monday. King's Cross tube station operates as normal.

Getting to London airports over the bank holiday weekend

Image: Shutterstock

Heathrow: Normal service on Heathrow Express between Heathrow and Paddington all weekend. Normal service on TfL Rail. Normal service on the Heathrow-central London section of the Piccadilly line.

Gatwick: Normal Gatwick Express service on Saturday and Sunday, reduced Gatwick Express service on Monday. Southern operates a normal service on Saturday and Sunday, reduced service on Monday.

City Airport: Normal service on the DLR.

Stansted: Normal service on Stansted Express all weekend. Disruption on Greater Anglia — longer journey times between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge (including Stansted) on Saturday 24 August.