Portsmouth to London train travel to be disrupted by "major engineering" work over Christmas - when

South Western Railway (SWR) engineers will be carrying out the project between Farnbrough and Woking, with the latter station being one of the main stopping points on the journey to London Waterloo.

“Major engineering work” will affect services that travel through the Woking area up until Sunday, January 5, 2025, SWR said. “Rail replacement buses will operate and some services will be diverted. Some journey times will be significantly longer than usual and so please plan ahead and allow extra time to complete your journeys.”

SWR said on its website that lines will be shut between the stations and services across the network will finish earlier than usual, with the work starting on Monday (December 23) and continuing the following day. “On Christmas Eve, the last train from London Waterloo will depart at 10.03pm, with the last buses also departing earlier than usual,” they added.

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The London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour via Eastleigh route will start from Basingstoke while the works are ongoing. No trains will be operating from the company on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with the engineering works continuing on December 27 and 28.

Journeys from London to Portsmouth - via Eastleigh - will be revised on Sunday, December 29, and will start from Basingstoke. “These services will not divide at Eastleigh but will call additionally at Micheldever and Shawford all day,” SWR said. “A revised service will run between Eastleigh and Portsmouth Harbour.” Passengers will face a similarly changed service on December 30, New Year’s Eve and New Years Day, January 2 and 3.

On January 4, the line between Basingstoke and Woking will be closed - affecting trains between London and Portsmouth via Guildford and Eastleigh. Some trains from Portsmouth to Guildford will be changed, SWR, with some terminating at the station. The London to Portsmouth via Eastleigh route will start from Basingstoke.

Further disruption is also expected on January 5, with lines closed from Woking to Guildford and Winchester, as well as Basingstoke to Andover and Weybridge to Guildford and Aldershot. More details can be found on the SWR website.