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Thursday 29 Oct 2026

City Thameslink station to get 10 new escalators during closure from mid-May to late December 2027 as part of major escalator replacement programme

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Sussex

Passengers will need to use London Blackfriars station as an alternative station during the upgrade.

City Thameslink station is set to get 10 new escalators, which will provide customers with more reliable journeys. Ahead of the complex work taking place next year, Network Rail and Thameslink are advising customers that City Thameslink station will close from Monday 17 May to late-December 2027 while the escalators are replaced. During the closure, Thameslink trains will continue to run as normal but will not call at the station. 

City Thameslink's escalators are at the end of their operational life. Having served passengers for more than 35 years, and with recent flooding accelerating their deterioration, they can no longer provide the long-term reliability passengers expect. 

To deliver a lasting solution, all 10 escalators will be completely replaced during a single planned station closure between May and December 2027.  

Whilst it is disruptive, a full closure is the safest, quickest and most efficient way to complete the work. It will significantly reduce the overall duration of the project compared with carrying out the work while the station remains open, and it meets safety requirements that would not be possible under a partial closure. 

During the closure, passengers will need to use nearby London Blackfriars station, which is within walking distance and just minutes away from City Thameslink.  Additional staff will be on hand to help customers complete their journeys and manage increased passenger flows. 

Lucy McAuliffe, Sussex Route Director for Network Rail, said: "We know closing City Thameslink is a significant change and we're sorry for the disruption it will cause. This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have looked long and hard at every possible option and, although none of them are without impact, a single closure is the least disruptive and most efficient way to carry out this vital work. 

"City Thameslink's escalators are at the end of their operational life and, by replacing them now, alongside other improvement works in the station, we're tackling the root causes of access disruption for passengers in one go. This means fewer disruptions in the future and when City Thameslink reopens in December 2027, customers will benefit from completely renewed escalators designed to provide safer, more dependable and accessible journeys." 

Natasha Grice, Customer Excellence Director for Thameslink , said: “We know City Thameslink station plays an important role in many people’s daily journeys, whether they’re travelling for work or leisure across central London. Over the coming months and throughout the closure period we’ll be working closely with customers, local businesses and the wider community to help people plan ahead and stay informed.  

“We’ll be doing everything we can to support customers before and during the closure, providing clear information, practical travel advice and having additional staff on hand at nearby Blackfriars station to help customers make alternative journeys.