New Train Routes Open Up East Anglia for Summer Travel
From 18 May 2025, trains across the Greater Anglia network will start running to a new schedule, set up to handle the bigger crowds expected during the summer months. Some weekday routes like Clacton on Sea to London and London to Ely will get longer trains, and summer-only lines to Norwich, Ipswich and Peterborough will start running again. The adjustments are intended to ease overcrowding and meet shifting travel patterns.
In another change, Romford will now be served by trains on the London to Southend Victoria line instead of the Colchester Town route. Though the specific service path changes, the frequency of stops at Romford stays the same. Alongside this, additional summer services will run on weekends between Norwich and Great Yarmouth and on Sundays between Ipswich and Peterborough, providing more rail access to both coastal and inland destinations during peak leisure months.
We are pleased to be making further timetable improvements in our May timetable change, including adding extra capacity for some services and re-introducing our summer season trains, benefitting existing passengers and encouraging even more customers to take the train.
Great Yarmouth, served by extra Saturday and weekday trains from Norwich, is a key draw for summer travelers. Known for its long sandy beach, heritage seafront and attractions like the Time and Tide Museum, it remains one of the region’s busiest holiday resorts. The Ipswich to Peterborough route gives travellers a straight route into a city known for its historic cathedral, green spaces like Nene Park, and easy train connections heading north. Clacton on Sea, another expanded route, offers amusement arcades, a Victorian pier and traditional English seaside charm.
Norwich, which is well connected by the new schedule, combines a historic city centre with modern culture. Its cobbled streets, Norwich Castle and riverside walks appeal to travelers looking for short cultural breaks. Ely is a quiet place with Ely Cathedral towering above the flat Fenland landscape, known for its unique octagonal lantern tower and centuries-old history. Ipswich, sitting quietly in eastern Suffolk, hugs the River Orwell and small nearby villages, offering a laid-back escape from London.
These timetable tweaks make summer trips around East Anglia easier and more convenient for passengers. Greater Anglia wants to ease packed trains and keep things running smoothly by putting on longer trains and bringing back summer routes. For travelers, this means more seats, fewer changes and a broader choice of direct journeys to destinations that balance heritage, coast and countryside.