More space and more modern trains – your new timetable from 18 May
We're making your journeys better. Our new timetable has grown and we’ve brought in more carriages for extra space, and more modern trains to help make your commute and leisure journeys more comfortable.
The May timetables are available and you can use our journey planner to check train times and buy tickets.
Longer trains on key routes
To give you more space, we’ve added extra carriages to some of our busiest services, including:
- Dover Priory – Victoria
- Ramsgate – Cannon Street
- Sevenoaks – Charing Cross
More modern, comfortable trains
We've introduced more Class 377 Electrostar trains, bringing you a smoother and more modern travel experience with:
- Air-conditioning for a more comfortable journey.
- Charging points to keep your devices powered up.
- A fresh, modern interior for a better onboard experience.
Better connections for summer and beyond.
The May timetable also includes longer trains during the summer, providing more space for customers travelling to the likes of Whitstable, Margate and Broadstairs. We will continue the improved Friday and Saturday evening services from Margate to support customers attending events at Dreamland.
We've also added extra stops at Thanet Parkway and Canterbury West on trains to and from Dover Priory to give you better connectivity across the region.
You can find more info on our summer specials page.
More trains when you need them
- More services for stations between Ashford and Maidstone East to Charing Cross.
- More calls at East Malling and Barming in the late afternoon and early evening.
Together, these improvements mean we’ll have the capacity to support an additional 10 million journeys over the next 12 months.
Route changes summary – 18 May 2025 timetable
1 Paddock Wood line: London, Tonbridge and Ashford International to Canterbury West, Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate and Margate
- On weekdays some peak time trains on services via Deal and Dover Priory will stop additionally at Thanet Parkway. This offers a through service from Thanet Parkway along the Dover route that improves connections from Deal and Sandwich to Canterbury West. This will save time as customers don't need to travel via Ramsgate.
- For events and concerts at Dreamland Margate, and to support the evening economy in Thanet on Friday and Saturday evenings, some later trains will run from Margate to Ashford via both Canterbury West and Dover Priory
2 Sole Street line: London to the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Sheerness, Faversham, Ramsgate, Canterbury East and Dover
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 05.46 Dover Priory to London Victoria and the 17.10 London Victoria to Dover Priory will be 12 carriages rather than eight.
- The 07.02 Ramsgate to Cannon Street will be 12 carriages rather than eight.
- The 06.45 Gillingham to London Victoria and the 18.12 London Victoria to Gillingham will be eight carriages rather than six.
- The summer timetable runs from Sunday 18 May until Sunday 7 September, and it increases capacity to the north Kent coast destinations, such as Whitstable, Margate and Broadstairs at weekends.
- During the school holidays on weekdays and Sundays there will be a direct service from Cannon Street to Ramsgate via Greenwich and Dartford connecting stations in south east London directly to the coast at Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.
3a Maidstone East line: London to Ashford International via Maidstone East
- Eight more of the Class 377 Electrostars with air-conditioning and charging points are being introduced to replace the older Networker trains.
- There will be additional trains for stations between Ashford International and Maidstone East to London Charing Cross.
- On weekdays the 06.44 and 07.44 Maidstone East to London Charing Cross will start from Ashford International and stop at Charing, Lenham, Harriestham, Hollingbourne and Bearsted.
- On Weekdays the 23.29 London Charing Cross to Maidstone East is extended to Ashford International and stops at Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham & Charing.
- On Saturdays the 06.14, 07.14 and 0814 Maidstone East to London Charing Cross will start from Ashford and stop at Charing, Lenham, Harriestham, Hollingbourne and Bearsted.
- On Saturdays the 21.29, 22.29 and 23.29 London Charing Cross to Maidstone East are extended to Ashford International and stop at Bearsted, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Lenham & Charing.
- There will be additional calls at East Malling and Barming in the late afternoon and early evening.
- The 15.25 London Victoria to Ashford International will stop additionally at East Malling & Barming.
- The 15.27, 16.27, 17.27 and 1827 Ashford International to London Victoria will stop additionally at Barming & East Malling.
3b Medway Valley line: Strood to Maidstone West and Paddock Wood
- On weekdays to improve connections at Strood from London St Pancras and Faversham, the following trains will start three minutes later from Strood and run later to Paddock Wood.
- 18.05 / 18.35 / 19.05 / 19.35 Strood to Paddock Wood.
4 Hastings line: London and Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Hastings
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 18.45 Charing Cross to Hastings (as far as Tunbridge Wells) service will be 12-carriages rather than eight.
- All semi-fast services that run between Charing Cross and Tunbridge Wells will be lengthened to 10-carriages.
5a Woolwich line: London to Dartford and the Medway towns via Woolwich
Blackheath Tunnel closure – Sunday 18 May to Sunday 27 July
- From the start of the new timetable on Sunday 18 May until Sunday 27 July, the route between Blackheath and Charlton will be closed for essential repairs in the Blackheath tunnel. During this time trains will be diverted via Greenwich, stopping additionally at Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich and Deptford. Connections from Lewisham to the Woolwich line can be made by using the DLR between Lewisham and Greenwich.
Find out more on our Charlton to Blackheath tunnel closure page.
5b Bexleyheath line: London to Dartford and Gravesend via Bexleyheath
Additional Services:
- Weekdays 10.25 Charing Cross to Dartford.
- Weekdays 15.23 Dartford to Charing Cross.
Longer train to increase capacity:
- The 07.23 Dartford to Charing Cross via Bexleyheath will be 12-carriages instead of 10.
- On Weekdays the 18.07 Cannon Street to Strood via Bexleyheath is extended to Rochester.
5c Sidcup line: London to Dartford and Gravesend via Sidcup
Longer trains to increase capacity
- The 07.33 Gravesend to Charing Cross via Sidcup a 10-carriage City Beam train will replace an older Networker.
- The 18.20 Charing Cross to Gravesend will be extended to 10-carriages from eight.
6a Hayes line: London to Catford Bridge, Elmers End and Hayes
- On weekdays to improve the interval between services and to reduce overcrowding, some trains from Charing Cross to Hayes will be retimed.
- From 16.18 and each half hour until 19.18 trains will start later out of Charing Cross and the interval from London Bridge will be improved from the current 9/21 minute interval to a 13/17 minute interval.
6b Grove Park line: London to Bromley North, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Grove Park
Longer train to increase capacity
- The 07.22 Orpington to Cannon Street will be 10 carriages rather than eight.
- The 07.50 Sevenoaks to Charing Cross and the 16.31 and 19.01 to Charing Cross will be lengthened to 12-carriages from 10.
7 Bromley South line: London to Bromley South, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Herne Hill or Catford
No changes in the May 2025 timetable.
8 High Speed via Ashford and High Speed via Gravesend: St Pancras International to Stratford Intl, Ebbsfleet Itnl, Ashford Intl and Gravesend
No changes in the May 2025 timetable.
