Train timetable changes on some Peterborough to London services

Train times on Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink will change from Monday 22 February as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) introduces a new, reduced weekday timetable, which better matches current demand and times when key workers and others make essential journeys.

The new timetable focuses services on early morning, late evening and peak-time. School travel is also accommodated in anticipation of the potential reopening. There are fewer trains than normal pre-Covid levels, to keep services running as reliably as possible. This is at a time when far fewer people are travelling and when railway employees, like everyone, are affected by coronavirus.

Weekend timetables won’t change but may be affected, as usual, by planned engineering work.

The changes affecting Peterborough services include:

Peterborough to King’s Cross via Biggleswade and Stevenage 

The 06:36 and 07:04 Great Northern departures from Peterborough will run

The 17:42 and 18:12 departures from King’s Cross will run

Customers at other times should use alternative Thameslink services to London St Pancras

Peterborough to St Pancras International 

The Thameslink service that connects Peterborough to St Pancras International (and Horsham) via Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade, Arlesey, Hitchin, Stevenage and Finsbury Park will run half-hourly

Horsham to London Bridge 

The Thameslink service that connects Horsham to London Bridge (and Peterborough) via Littlehaven, Ifield, Crawley, Three Bridges, Gatwick Airport, Horley, Redhill, Merstham, Coulsdon South and East Croydon will run half-hourly 

GTR Chief Operating Officer Steve White said: “I’d urge people to remember you should only be travelling at the moment if your journey is essential. We are all being asked to stay home instead to protect the NHS and save lives.

“Our priority is to maintain a safe and reliable service for those making essential journeys who are keeping our country running through this difficult time. Those who do have to travel can be reassured that we’re regularly sanitising our trains and stations with a long-lasting viruscide.

“With only 15% of our normal passenger numbers, this new timetable will provide trains when they are most needed at a time when our colleagues, like so many others across the country, are affected by coronavirus.

“Please check ahead online, as the service changes are being updated at National Rail Enquiries to allow you to plan your journey with confidence. We will continue to review and improve our service based on feedback from our passengers, hospitals, vaccination centres and schools, to ensure we best meet their needs in the future.”

Changes for the first two weeks commencing 22 February are now available in journey planners. The process of making the changes for future weeks to online journey planners such as National Rail Enquiries www.nationalrail.co.uk will be completed as quickly as possible.

A summary of the main changes can be found online on Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern’s websites where, additionally, full timetables will be available from 19 February.