Weekend rail services increased


Greater Anglia has increased weekend services on the Norwich to London Liverpool Street intercity service in response to customer feedback.

A total of 21 extra services are being added to the intercity service timetable on Saturdays and Sundays. This follows increases to weekday services last month.

The reinstated extra services are:
Saturday: Norwich to London Liverpool Street at 07.32, 08.32, 09.32, 12.32, 13.32, 14.32, 17.30 and London Liverpool Street to Norwich at 07.00, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00, 20.00.
Sunday: Norwich to London Liverpool Street at 08.25, 15.23, 16.23 and London Liverpool Street to Norwich at 11.00, 18.00, 19.00.

The services will provide extra choice, flexibility and capacity for customers taking day trips, heading to or from weekend breaks and holidays or visiting friends and relations over the summer and beyond.

All trains on the intercity route are new longer trains with more seats and improved accessibility features, including low level floors and retractable steps at every door which bridge the gap between the train and the platform.

Catering facilities with light snacks and a range of hot and cold drinks are available on most services.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We’ve been keeping a close eye on passenger numbers on our trains.

“As numbers have gone up on our intercity services, we have decided to reinstate some of the half-hourly services, which we hope will make it easier for customers to find more space on trains and provide more options and capacity as we expect to see further increases in customers travelling over the summer period.

“It will also decrease waiting times for some connecting services from stations along the intercity route.

“As more people return to rail, we are seeing some trains and stations getting busier. We’re encouraging customers to use the full length of trains and platforms, but it still may not always be possible to socially distance.

“We have a new improved less busy trains tool on our website, so people can opt for a quieter train. Face covering compliance is high on trains and stations and our trains are well ventilated either by air conditioning which replaces air inside the train every six to nine minutes or by open windows.

“We’re also continuing with enhanced cleaning and sanitisation of our trains and stations, doing everything we can to keep customers safe.”

Greater Anglia has been operating a reduced timetable since March 2020, responding to changing passenger numbers throughout the pandemic.

The company is now running about 86 per cent of the pre pandemic timetable, with between 45-50 per cent of passengers travelling compared to before the pandemic.