Latest news with #StPancrasInternational
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Southeastern trains running through Orpington diverted this week
Several Southeastern trains, including those running through Orpington, will be cancelled, diverted, or replaced by buses this week. The changes are due to engineering work and will affect trains from Monday to Friday (June 9 to June 13). We have outlined and simplified the details so you can plan your journey this weekend. Monday to Thursday (June 9 to June 12): From 11.15pm until the end of service, accessible buses replace trains between Maidstone East and Ashford International. The 10.25pm and 11.25pm trains from London Victoria to Ashford International services will be diverted between Otford and Ashford International to run via Sevenoaks. Passengers should change at Otford for a connecting service to Maidstone East, and the onward replacement bus for stations to Ashford International. The 12.25am train from London Victoria to Ashford International service will only run between Victoria and Maidstone East. Trains between London Charing Cross or London Cannon Street and Maidstone East will stop additionally at Kemsing, East Malling and Barming. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (June 9, June 11, and June 12): From 11.20pm until the end of service, accessible buses replace trains between Sittingbourne and Sheerness-on-Sea. The 11.20pm and 11.50pm trains from London St Pancras International to Faversham services will be replaced by buses between Ebbsfleet International, Gillingham and Faversham calling at all stations except Higham, Newington and Teynham. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (June 10 to June 12): The 12.27am train from London Victoria to Orpington service via Beckenham Junction will be diverted calling additionally at Denmark Hill and run non-stop between Denmark Hill and Shortlands. Replacement buses will run between Denmark Hill and Orpington via Beckenham Junction calling at all stations except Brixton. Passengers travelling to or from Brixton you can use London Underground between Victoria and Brixton at no extra cost. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (June 10, June 12, and June 13): From 12.10am until the end of service, replacement buses will run between Gillingham and Faversham, calling at all stations except Teynham. Connecting trains will run from Faversham to Ramsgate. A replacement minibus will run between Sittingbourne and Teynham. On Tuesday morning only the connecting train will not run between Faversham and Ramsgate, and the bus will be extended after Faversham to run to Ramsgate. Wednesday and Thursday (June 11 and June 12): The 11.07pm train from London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Dover Priory service will be replaced by a bus between Dover Priory and Ramsgate calling at all stations except Thanet Parkway.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
EU train station which could see 594-mile train journeys from the UK
A new direct train service from St Pancras International could stretch as far as Milan in Italy, as Italy's state railway invests in services through the Channel Tunnel An exciting new service may provide Brits with a new way to visit Italy that doesn't involve flying. Currently, the Eurostar allows Brits to travel with convenience to a few key destinations around Europe, including Paris, Lille, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Italy's state railway has announced plans to run between London and Paris by 2029 as part of a €1bn (£860m) investment in services through the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, Kent, and beyond. Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) says it will use trains modelled after its Frecciarossa express services in continental Europe - an alternative to Eurostar. FS raised the prospect of longer links from London, including to Marseille and Milan via Lyon. The new services are facilitated by a planned terminal redesign of London's St Pancras. London St Pancras Highspeed, the company responsible for the station, hoped a redesigned terminal could attract new railway operators to compete with Eurostar, reported the Times. The prospective route would see trains depart from London St Pancras station to Milano Centrale - Milan's main train station. The Italian station opened in the early 1930s to replace an older, smaller station. There are 24 tracks at Centrale, with a soaring glass and metal arched roof over the platforms. The imposing design of the building was intended to showcase the dominance of then-Prime Minister Mussolini's fascist regime, according to Italia Rail. In addition to being one of the most grand train stations in design, Milano Centrale is the second-largest station in Italy - behind Roma Termini. In addition to being a hub for international travellers, the station offers regular daily service to cities throughout Italy. In fact, over 320,000 people pass through the station each day. On the platform level of the station, there are shops and restaurants, as well as an information office for confused or curious travellers. There is also a Sala Freccia Club across from Track 21, for travellers with a Gold or Platinum CARTAFRECCIA card or an Executive or AV Salottino ticket. There is also a Sala Blu next to track four, for passengers with disabilities who need special assistance. The lowest level of the station has shops and restaurants to kill time between trains. On the mezzanine and upper levels there are more shops and restaurants. The ground level of Milano Centrale is where travellers can find a ticket office, the KiPoint left luggage facility, a post office, and most of the shops and restaurants in the station. Travellers can also access the Centrale Metro station without leaving the building, and just outside of the train station are the boarding points for several city bus and tram lines.
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major UK train station used by tens of thousands of passengers every day CLOSING for Early May Bank Holiday
A MAJOR UK train station, used by tens of thousands of passengers every day, is closing for the May Bank Holiday. Network Rail announced it will take on more than 630 projects during early and late May, with one impacting countless travellers. 3 3 There will be no trains running to or from Milton Keynes Central on May 4 and 5. This is due to due to urgent embankment repairs, track renewal, and drainage works. Milton Keynes Central is often referred to as MK Central is the primary railway station serving the town. After opening in 1982, it became a vital link in Britain's rail network, connecting a rapidly growing town to London, Birmingham, and beyond. Britain's railway is set for a major upgrade this May, as Network Rail engineers prepare to deliver a whopping £133 million investment across more than 630 projects. With quieter tracks over the weekends, especially on commuter routes, the rail network is seizing the opportunity to make significant improvements while keeping most services running as usual. Network Rail bosses chose to work on the projects over the bank holiday as it offers three clear days to make headway with the improvements. Passengers planning trips to visit friends and family or enjoy a Bank Holiday getaway are being urged to check their travel plans in advance, as several key stations and routes will be affected. Helen Hamlin, Network Rail's director of system operations, said: "This May, thousands of workers will be out in force as we continue to invest in making Britain's railway more reliable, with £133m worth of essential upgrades taking place across the two Bank Holiday weekends. "While the vast majority of the network will remain open for business as usual, we're encouraging passengers planning to use the railway to check their journeys in advance. "When we close parts of the railway, we work hard to maximise that time—with over 630 vital pieces of work being carried out – and keep disruption to a minimum for passengers and freight customers." Other key routes affected by the bank holiday renovations include a various London stations. There will be no trains running to or from London Euston station on 4 and 5 May. London Victoria will also be affected by improvements. Track renewals, re-signalling, maintenance, and structures work at Battersea means services to and from London Victoria will be disrupted no Southeastern services will run. For those who need to use this route, services will be diverted via London Bridge or London Cannon Street. Cambridge and Audley End stations are having works ahead of the opening of Cambridge South station from May 3 to 5, with rail replacement buses offered instead. From May 24 to 26 there will be no train services between London St Pancras International and Bedford. This is to update the tracks to allow for posh new bi-mode diesel-electric trains that run up to 125mph. Also on May 24 to 26, Nuneaton and Stafford will be impacted by HS2 works. The stations aren't closed but will be working on a reduced timetable.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
All the Southeastern trains cancelled or replaced by buses this week
Some Southeastern trains will be cancelled, diverted or replaced by buses this week due to planned engineering work. The work will affect trains from Monday (February 24) and Friday (February 28). We have compiled all of the details on these works so that you can plan your journey this week. Engineering work is taking place overnight this week at various locations on the Southeastern network, closing some lines. Monday to Thursday (February 24 to February 27): From 11.50pm until the end of service, trains via Maidstone East will be diverted after Otford to run via Sevenoaks. Replacement buses will run between: Sevenoaks and Maidstone East calling at all stations except East Malling Maidstone East and Ashford International calling at all stations West Malling and East Malling minibus shuttle Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (February 25 to February 27): From 11.15pm until the end of service, replacement buses will run between Dartford and Gravesend. The 11.20pm and 11.50pm train from London St Pancras International to Faversham services will be replaced by buses between Ebbsfleet International, Gillingham and Faversham calling at all stations except Higham, Newington and Teynham. From 11.55pm until the end of service, replacement buses will run between Ashford International and Dover Priory. The 10.04pm and 11.04pm train from London Charing Cross to Dover Priory trains will be diverted between Ashford International and Dover Priory to run via Canterbury West The 11.07pm train from London St Pancras International to Ramsgate via Dover Priory service will be diverted between Ashford International and Ramsgate to run via Canterbury West An additional train will leave Dover Priory at 1.01am, calling at all stations to Ramsgate via Deal. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (February 26 to February 28): The 4.30am train from Gravesend to London Charing Cross via Sidcup train will start from Dartford at 4.48am. Passengers will need to use Thameslink services between Gravesend and Dartford to connect with this train. No trains via Lewisham from Monday to Thursday: Engineering work is taking place overnight in the Lewisham area, closing some lines. From approximately 11.15pm, trains will not be able to stop at Lewisham. Trains via Bexleyheath will not run or will be diverted to run via Sidcup, and trains will be unable to run between Lewisham and Hayes. On Monday and Tuesday, trains on the Hayes line will be diverted after New Beckenham to Bromley South except the 12.09am train from London Cannon Street to Hayes, which will not run. On Wednesday and Thursday, trains on the Hayes Line will not run. Replacement buses will run on the following routes: London Bridge and Dartford via Bexleyheath London Bridge and Hayes London Bridge and Dartford via Sidcup (12.50am from Lewisham only) London Bridge and Orpington (1.10am from London Bridge only) London Bridge / Lewisham and Charlton / Dartford via Woolwich (Wednesday and Thursday only)
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
I travelled on Eurostar's relaunched Amsterdam to London service – and there were a few hiccups
'Welcome!' said the Eurostar worker, wearing a fluorescent pink bib, as I approached the entrance to the brand new UK Terminal in Amsterdam Central station. 'What's it like?' I asked him. 'Oh, it's like an airport terminal through there,' he replied, giddy with excitement. I was going to ask whether he felt it was more like Luton or Heathrow Terminal 5, but decided to go and find out for myself. A direct train between London and Amsterdam? If you are feeling a sense of deja vu, it is because we have indeed been here before. Eurostar launched direct services from London to Amsterdam back in 2018, and then from Amsterdam to London two years later, in 2020. However, due to post-Brexit border complications and major refurbishment works at Amsterdam Central, since June 2024 Eurostar passengers travelling from the Dutch capital to London have had to disembark at Brussels to go through immigration controls there. The process added at least 45 minutes to the journey time. So this week marks not so much a new beginning but a second coming for the Amsterdam to London route. And, with a bit of luck, a more comfortable experience too. But will it be a smooth journey from here on? Not quite. I scanned my boarding pass and joined the queue to go through security, and saw that a group of passengers a little ahead of me were giggling at something. It emerged that the queue ran alongside a glass wall, and on the other side of that glass wall was a screen showing the X-rays of passenger luggage. Amsterdammers are known to enjoy having their curtains wide open, allowing all to peer in. Evidently they take a similarly liberal approach to the privacy of passenger belongings. Before long, a hiccup. The passenger in front of me had an empty coffee cup, and the security worker took it from him and held it, outstretched, like it was splattered with hot manure. 'I didn't see a bin anywhere?' shrugged the passenger. The cup was passed between various members of security staff, until it was handed to another member of staff who walked away to dispose of it. A bin at security would be a good addition, I noted. I proceeded through the brand-new Orion scanners, showed my passport to the friendly chap at Dutch passport control – ready with fingerprinting and retina scanning technology for the impending EES border checks, due later this year – passed through the UK border, and then walked through to the brand new terminal area. The terminal certainly felt less hectic than the equivalent spaces at (the admittedly much busier) St Pancras International and Paris Eurostar terminals, which seem to be perennially cramped. It's more whizzy than anything you'll find in London, Paris or Brussels, too. There are plug sockets aplenty, the Wi-Fi is quick to connect. There are two futuristic looking Brita-filtered water taps, and the LED lighting fluctuates ever so slightly, as if you are on a spaceship. The bathrooms are all contactless, and in the waiting area there appeared to be enough seats for everyone. For now. The capacity of Eurostar trains from Amsterdam to London is 450 as of this week (up from 250), but they plan to increase this to 650 at some point in the spring or summer. As a result, from March 30 to April 22 the UK Terminal at Amsterdam Central will close once again, to facilitate platform renovations and improve the lifts. Throw in another 200 passengers, and things might start to feel a little more squished in the UK Terminal. Still, my fellow travellers and I were lucky to be here at all. Not too long ago, there was talk of the route being scrapped entirely. In September 2024, Eurostar's CEO Gwendoline Cazenave said in an opinion piece in the Dutch newspaper, Financieele Dagblad, that the firm was considering axing its services from Amsterdam due to 'increasing reliability problems, capacity restrictions, and frustrating delays for passengers.' She mentioned speed limits on the high-speed line and the difficulties around the refurbishments at Amsterdam Central. Thankfully, Eurostar and the Dutch rail firms appear to have patched things up. In a statement this week, Cazenave said: 'We are delighted that direct Eurostar services between Amsterdam and London are back. This is more than just a train journey – it is a seamless connection between two vibrant capitals, offering our customers an efficient, comfortable, and sustainable way to travel.' Waiting for my train made for thirsty work. Alas, there were no vending machines anywhere, meaning the little cafe pop-up, Stach, has a monopoly on refreshments. I queued to order a coffee and a welcoming man took my card and walked off with it, holding his wireless card reader up high. He waited for it to connect, twice, before returning my card saying 'don't worry about it.' The coffee, for what it's worth, was of a high quality, although the customer in front of me was disappointed at the lack of sandwiches on offer, and also the absence of duty free. Soon, Stach will have a more permanent space here, as part of those renovations taking place in the spring. Ultimately, the UK Terminal at Amsterdam Central can only be a good thing for passengers. Mark Smith (The Man in Seat 61) says: 'London to Amsterdam is a major air route and a huge opportunity for Eurostar, with a competitive four-hour journey, centre to centre. 'Having to halt direct trains in the inbound direction for over six months was a setback, but the new terminal in Amsterdam can process up to 650 passengers – the old one could only process 250. That means they can offer more seats, at decent prices.' In addition to the increased capacity on its trains, Eurostar plans to run a fourth weekday Amsterdam to London service later in 2025 and there are ambitions for a fifth by 2026. At 1.25pm, 15 minutes before we were due to depart, we were ushered through an unfinished corridor with exposed pipework and then up some steps to the platform. I feared that they wouldn't be able to board everyone in just 15 minutes. But right on time, at 1.40pm, we rolled out. Two hours later, when the train arrived into a rainy Brussels, the woman on the tannoy informed passengers travelling to London that they didn't need to disembark the train. A luxury for another six weeks or so. We can only hope that from the end of April, when services resume indefinitely, there will be no more delays on the line. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
