People watching a summer event - South Western Railway

Summer 2026 events

There are several major events taking place near the South Western Railway (SWR) network this summer.

If you’re planning to travel to any of these events by train, please plan your journey carefully, and before you travel, remember:

  • To purchase your ticket online, or via the SWR App, to avoid queuing at ticket machines and at the ticket office
  • Make sure you have a valid ticket for your journey and have it ready when you arrive at the station
  • Allow plenty of time to complete your journey, as queuing systems may be in place at key stations
  • Services in the hours leading up to an event and immediately afterwards may be busier than usual
  • To come prepared for warm weather. Always carry a bottle of water with you and look at our hot weather travel advice page before you travel here

Royal Ascot - Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 June 2026

Royal Ascot race-goers at Ascot station - South Western Railway

Train service changes

Additional services will run between London Waterloo and Reading between Tuesday 16 and Saturday 20 June for Royal Ascot. These services are expected to be very busy.

Across the five days of the event, some services between London Waterloo, Weybridge and Windsor & Eton Riverside will be diverted and call additionally at Ascot before and after the event.

Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 June

Between 0900 and 1400, and 1700 and 2200, one train per hour will run between Waterloo & Weybridge via Virginia Water. Two trains per hour will continue to operate between Virginia Water and Weybridge.

Between 0900 and 1400, and 1700 and 2200, services between London Waterloo and Windsor & Eton Riverside will be retimed and revised.

Saturday 20 June

Buses will replace trains between Virginia Water and Weybridge.

Ticketing

Contactless pay as you go is not valid beyond Virginia Water, and Oyster cards are not valid beyond Feltham, so please ensure you purchase a valid ticket before you board our trains.

Other important information

Ascot station will be much busier than usual, and so for the safety of our customers, queuing systems will be in place for services towards London, Reading and Aldershot. Saturday 20 June is expected to be very busy due to a rugby fixture at Twickenham, so please allow extra time to complete your journey.

For further information on what to expect when travelling to Royal Ascot, please visit our dedicated page here.

Twickenham - Gallagher PREM final – Saturday 20 June 2026

Additional services will run between London Waterloo and Twickenham for the rugby fixture at Twickenham Stadium.

Services are expected to be busier than usual, especially on Saturday 20 June, with Royal Ascot also taking place.

Twickenham station will be much busier than usual, and so for the safety of our customers, a queuing system will be in place after the game.



Changes to other services on Saturday 20 June

There will also be service changes between London Waterloo and:

  • Chessington South – one train per hour will run between 1000 and 2200
  • Guildford via Cobham – one train per hour will run between 0930 and 2000
  • Woking (stopping services) – one train per hour will run between 0930 and 2200

Armed Forces Day – Saturday 27 June 2026

Planned engineering work is also taking place on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 June with buses replacing trains between New Malden and Surbiton.

Engineering work is taking place between New Malden and Surbiton, but customers can travel from London Waterloo to Woking, then change for a service for Aldershot.

Alternatively, customers can travel from London Waterloo to Ascot, then change for a service to Aldershot.

Customers should allow extra time to travel, as journeys including replacement buses or by divisionary routes will take longer than usual.

If you need travel assistance to make your journey, please visit our Assisted Travel page.

Wimbledon Tennis Championships – Monday 29 to Sunday 12 July 2026

The Wimbledon Tennis Championships take place between Monday 29 June and Sunday 12 July, with altered timetables to help customers get to and from the tournament.

Tennis star Cameron Norrie smiling at the 'Ace train' a South Western Railway Arterio

Services between London Waterloo, Clapham Junction and Alton, Exeter St Davids, Portsmouth and Weymouth will be retimed, with additional stops at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon station will be busier than usual and there may be queues for onward travel at the station, including taxis and buses.

Please allow plenty of time to complete your journey.