London commuter chaos: Rail misery ahead as Waterloo closes platforms
Station loses half its capacity in improvement scheme that will also affect other stations
Passengers have been warned to prepare for "unprecedented disruption" on train journeys into London this month as Network Rail embarks on its biggest ever schedule of engineering works, reports The Guardian.
Half of Waterloo station's platforms will be closed between 5 and 29 August for major rebuilding works.
According to the London Evening Standard, there could be delays of up to an hour at intermediate stations to and from London Waterloo. South West Trains will be particularly affected and passengers are advised to avoid changing at Vauxhall and Clapham Junction.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Mark Carne, Network Rail's chief executive, told The Guardian "there is never a good time to disrupt services", but it "makes sense" to do works during bank holidays and the summer months."
Major engineering works will also affect the following stations, reports National Rail:
- London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross: no Southeastern trains between 26 August and 2 September
- London Cannon Street: no Southeastern trains on 26 and 27 August
- Blackfriars: no Southeastern trains on 28 August, with reduced services to 2 September
- London Euston: No trains at all on 26 and 27 August
- London Liverpool Street: No trains to and from Shenfield and Barking on 27 and 28 August
- London Paddington: reduced services to Wales between 19 August and 17 September
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Last of Us, series two: 'post-apocalyptic television at its peak'
The Week Recommends Second instalment of hit show is just as 'gutsy' and 'thoughtful' as the first
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
Everything you need to know about your P45
The Explainer The document from HMRC is vital when moving jobs
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK
-
6 stellar noctourism adventures
The Week Recommends After the sun sets, the fun begins
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Rail strikes: is Britain on track for a ‘summer of discontent’?
Speed Read The ‘biggest rail strike in modern history’ is planned for next week
By The Week Staff
-
‘See it. Say it. Sorted’: is it the end of the line for train announcements?
Speed Read The transport secretary has pledged a ‘bonfire of the banalities’ on England’s railways
By The Week Staff
-
UK to bring in airport Covid tests for arrivals
Speed Read MPs call for stricter border measures as South African variant of coronavirus spreads
By Chas Newkey-Burden
-
UK records biggest jump in transport use since pandemic began
Speed Read Monday rush hour sees spike in commuters across country as trains return to 90% of pre-coronavirus services
By Gabriel Power
-
Coronavirus: what are the odds of catching Covid-19 on a plane?
Speed Read Studies suggest air travel is safe despite concerns about air quality
By Holden Frith
-
Plane crashed ‘as distracted pilots discussed Covid fears’
Speed Read Preliminary report says ‘human error’ to blame for crash in Pakistan that claimed 98 lives
By Aaron Drapkin
-
Coronavirus: Virgin Atlantic tells staff to take unpaid leave
Speed Read Move comes amid warnings that global pandemic could bankrupt aviation industry
By The Week Staff
-
UK airlines call for multibillion-pound coronavirus bailout
Speed Read Demand comes ahead of ‘bloodiest week in British aviation history’
By The Week Staff