Published on: Thursday, 12 May 2016
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Additional weekend train services on Saturdays andSundays on the Norwich to London, Norwich to Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft, andIpswich to Felixstowe / Lowestoft / Peterborough routes feature in the 2016summer timetable, which commences on Sunday 15 May.
One of the benefits agreed with the Department for Transport as part ofthe operator’s existing franchise is to improve the frequency of servicesbetween Norwich and London, Norwich and Lowestoft and Ipswich and Lowestoft onsummer Sundays. These enhancements provide more journey opportunities for railpassengers, as well as helping to boost economic activity through theadditional journeys that will be generated.
From 15 May, extra morning and afternoon services will operate in eachdirection between Norwich and London improving frequency at busy times, throughan additional 08.20 and 15.20 Norwich to London service and 11.00 and 18.00London to Norwich service. These extra trains will operate on Sundays until 11 September.
An hourly summer Sunday service between Norwich and Lowestoft (in eachdirection) will also be introduced, doubling the service from the normal two-hourlyfrequency, with the extra trains running until Sunday 11 September. The extratrains (in addition to the existing two-hourly service) will depart Norwich at:08.05, 10.05, 12.05, 14.05, 16.05, 18.05 and 20.05. And from Lowestoft at:08.56, 10.56, 12.56, 14.56, 16.56, 18.56 and 20.56.
In addition to these new Sunday services, the traditional extra summerSaturday services will operate between Norwich and Great Yarmouth on Saturdaysfrom 15 May until 10 September inclusive. The extra trains (in addition to thescheduled hourly Saturday service) will depart Norwich at: 09.06, 09.55, 10.25,11.20, 12.18, 13.18, 14.18 and 15.18. And from Great Yarmouth at: 09.47, 10.42,11.13, 11.55, 12.55, 13.55, 14.55 and 15.55.
Additional services betweenGreat Yarmouth and Norwich will also operate on Mondays and Fridays only between22nd July and 9th September, departing Norwich at 09.06, 10.25, 13.18 and 14.25and Great Yarmouth at 09.52, 11.13, 13.52 and 15.42, to cater for these key“changeover” days at the resort as tourists arrive and depart.
Other extra summer services include an additional Sunday service betweenIpswich and Felixstowe and Ipswich and Peterborough from 15 May until 11September. These extra trains will depart Ipswich for Peterborough at 07.55 andFelixstowe at 09.55. An extra service will depart Peterborough for Ipswich at09.50 and Felixstowe for Ipswich at 10.25. All other Sunday services on theIpswich to Felixstowe / Peterborough routes will run as per the existing Sundaytimetable.
Andrew Goodrum, Customer Service Director, Abellio Greater Anglia said:“One of the key commitments in our current franchise agreement was to improvethe frequency of Sunday services between Norwich and London and also betweenNorwich and Lowestoft, and Ipswich and Lowestoft. We’re pleased to providethese additional services, offering more frequent journey opportunities for ourcustomers, and helping to provide an economic boost to the region.”
Pete Waters, Executive Director, Visit EastAnglia said: “These additions to the timetable are very welcome from a tourismperspective, making it more convenient to visit some of our stunning seasideresorts as well as Ipswich and Norwich.
“Norfolk and Suffolk have already benefitedfrom a rise in day visitors in the past couple of years and initiatives likethis can only help further grow those numbers. Better still, why not make aweekend of it!”