Monday 3 Aug 2026
Relax and travel by train this August bank holiday
- Region & Route:
- Eastern: Anglia
Customers encouraged to make the most of the long August bank holiday weekend with convenient, stress-free rail travel
Holidaymakers and day-trippers are being encouraged to swap traffic jams for train journeys this August Bank Holiday and discover some of the region's most popular destinations by rail across East Anglia, South Essex and East London.
With beautiful coastlines, historic cities, vibrant market towns and family-friendly attractions all accessible by train from the capital, travelling by rail offers a convenient, comfortable and environmentally friendly way to enjoy the long weekend.
Whether it's a seaside escape to Norwich, Clacton, Great Yarmouth, Southend, a cultural day out in Cambridge, Ipswich or Colchester, exploring picturesque destinations such as Bury St Edmunds, Ely and Felixstowe, or a shopping trip to Lakeside, Freeport or Westfield Stratford, rail travel provides a stress-free alternative to busy roads and finding that illusive parking space.
And with the great value summer fares on offer from c2c and Greater Anglia, customers can sit back, relax and enjoy the journey, avoiding congestion on major roads expected over the Bank Holiday period.
Jamie Burles, managing director for GBR Anglia said: "The August Bank Holiday is a fantastic opportunity to get out and explore everything East Anglia has to offer.
"We're pleased that, thanks to closer collaboration between Network Rail, Greater Anglia and c2c, most of the railway across the region will remain open over the Bank Holiday weekend, making it easier for customers to travel to the destinations they love.
"From award-winning beaches and historic towns to bustling cities and family attractions, there are so many great places that can be reached easily by train.
"Travelling by rail allows customers to avoid the stress of driving and parking, giving them more time to enjoy their day out."
Travel information
While the majority of the railway is open across East Anglia, Greater Anglia customers wishing to travel between Norwich and Lowestoft on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August should check before travelling as a rail replacement bus services will be operating to allow engineers to continue repairing the swing bridge at Reedham.
Notes to Editors
- GBR Anglia (including Network Rail, Greater Anglia and c2c) have worked together to reduce improvement and maintenance work while keeping most of the East Anglian, South Essex and East London rail network open over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
- c2c offers a range of great value discounts, including an online advance 1/3 off saver, kids for £2 and a £15 Summer special to Southend
- Greater Anglia offers a range of great value discounts including Kids travel for £2, 25% Duo off-peak weekend travel for two adults travelling together, one third off GroupSave ticket discount for groups of 3 to 9 adults travelling together.
- Greater Anglia serves destinations across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.
- c2c serves destinations between London and across the Essex Thameside destinations including Leigh-on-Sea, Southend and Shoeburyness.
- Customers should check before travelling for the latest timetable and service information.
- More information is available at www.greateranglia.co.uk and www.c2c-online.co.uk
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail Anglia Press Desk - Stephen Deaville
Senior Communications Manager
Network Rail
0330 8577 132
07734647627
AngliaPressDesk@networkrail.co.uk
About Network Rail
We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
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