It's all change at London Blackfriars!
Walking routes
In November 2008, Network Rail starts demolishing the London Underground office building at 179 Queen Victoria Street outside the north-west corner of Blackfriars station. You’ll still be able to walk this way to cross Blackfriars road bridge but, in December, wider hoardings will go up and the pavement will narrow. This may make it busier. One subway entrance here will also close at this point but the rest of the subway will remain open. The biggest changes that will impact your journey happen in March 2009.
Tube station closed
You won’t be able to catch the Tube into or out of Blackfriars. That’s because Network Rail is rebuilding the Underground station. This will improve the access to the Tube at the station and is another essential part of the Thameslink Programme. Please note: the train station above stays open.
To use the Tube during this time, Temple and Mansion House are just a short walk away. You can plan your walking route here.
Train station works
In March 2009 building work also starts on the train station above. The good news is the station won't close (apart from four weeks in Summer 2010 when First Capital Connect trains will run through without stopping) but there'll be a lot of diversions and a new way in and out of Blackfriars and across the neighbouring road bridge.
We promise to regularly update this website with what's going on and suggest what you can do to ease your journey. We'll have information at the station too and you can sign up for email updates.
New services between north Thameslink route stations and Kent
Blackfriars train station stays open but sections will be closed off behind hoardings as building work progresses. The first of these will be the three terminating 'bay' platforms at Blackfriars, which will close on 22 March 2009. They will reopen at the end of 2011 as two bay platforms on the other side of the bridge, to be better aligned with incoming services. Southeastern services from Kent and south-east London that would normally terminate here will instead continue through Blackfriars, on the Thameslink route, as far as Kentish Town in most cases but also as far as St Albans and Bedford in others. South of Blackfriars these trains will be operated by Southeastern and north they will be operated by First Capital Connect – but you won’t notice the change as a passenger.
Please bear with us.
In 2012 you’ll have:
- a brand new station capable of taking 50% longer, 12 carriage trains – and they’ll be far more frequent (up to 16 trains an hour)
- a brand new wider, covered station spanning the Thames (the first ever) with a South Bank train station entrance handy for Tate Modern and other places south of the river
- a new common entrance on the North Bank for both Tube and train services
- a much better Tube station with:
- Step free access for both interchange and street level
- An enlarged Tube ticket hall
- Refurbished platforms
- Improved access to platforms
Above: existing and artist impression of the new station
Above: existing and artist impression of the new South Bank entrance
