Railway Prune reports that Chiltern Railways will introduce three extra Saturday services from Sunday 18 May 2025, as part of the operator’s bi-annual timetable change designed to enhance capacity on its busy Birmingham corridor.
Key additions
| Route | Departure Time | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Banbury → London Marylebone | 09:46 | Southbound |
| Banbury → London Marylebone | 10:13 | Southbound |
| London Marylebone → Banbury | 17:37 | Northbound |
These trains are scheduled to relieve crowding on existing services that link Birmingham, Banbury and London Marylebone.
Minor retimings for punctuality
Alongside the new services, several trains have had departure times adjusted by a few minutes to streamline pathing and improve overall reliability.
Operational context
Chiltern Railways’ Operations Director Tony Baxter said the extra capacity responds to growth in weekend leisure travel:
“We’re seeing busy Saturday services with more customers visiting the many great destinations on the Chiltern network. To offer more capacity for our customers, we are introducing three additional Saturday services between Banbury and London Marylebone which should ease some of the pressure on our trains to and from Birmingham.”
Passenger advice
- Plan ahead: Travellers should confirm travel times before setting out, as even small timetable shifts can affect connections.
- Ticketing: Advance-purchase fares and seat reservations remain available for the new services via usual channels.
Industry timetable cycle
UK passenger operators revise schedules every May and December, coordinating with Network Rail to balance engineering works, rolling-stock availability and passenger demand. The next nationwide change will follow in December 2025.
