Rail passengers travelling to and from Southampton in Hampshire should prepare for significant travel disruption throughout May 2026, as South Western Railway and Network Rail carry out a series of essential engineering works.
The disruption begins on Sunday 3 May, when lines in the Eastleigh area will be closed all day for maintenance. During this time, buses will replace trains between Basingstoke and Southampton Central via Winchester, and between Basingstoke and Fareham via Eastleigh. Further work is planned for Saturday 9 May, with the closure of the line between Woking and Basingstoke requiring all trains to be replaced by buses throughout the day.
A more extensive period of disruption is set to take place from Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May. During these five days, lines between Fareham and Portsmouth and between Havant and Portsmouth will be closed while engineers work to strengthen infrastructure, including the renewal of 18 wheeltimbers on the Portcreek Viaduct. These works will affect services operated by South Western Railway, as well as Great Western Railway and Southern Railway, with Great Western Railway services set to terminate at Southampton Central.
Passengers should be aware that finding alternative travel may be challenging. South Western Railway has warned that due to a nationwide shortage of bus drivers, there may not be enough replacement bus services available to match the original train timetable. Additionally, further disruption is expected on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May due to line closures in the New Malden area, which will include replacement buses between Clapham Junction and Surbiton.
Travellers will get a brief period of relief during the final weekend of the month, as there is no planned engineering work scheduled for Saturday 23 May or Sunday 24 May. Passengers are advised to check for the latest travel information before setting off on their journeys throughout the month.
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