New summer rail services for the region launched today

Train operator Abellio Greater Anglia launched its new summer timetable today.

More frequent services will run on Saturdays and Sunday on the Norwich to London, Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and Ipswich to Felixstowe, Lowestoft and Peterborough routes.

It is part of a deal agreed with the Department for Transport as part of Greater Anglia’s existing franchise, and aims to provide better opportunities for passengers and boost the local economy.

The new Sunday services include 8.20am and 3.20pm Norwich-London and an 11am and 6pm return trains, an extra service from Lowestoft to Ipswich at 5.05pm, returning at 7.07pm, plus an extra Sunday train from Ipswich to Felixstowe at 9.55am returning at 10.25am.

An hourly summer Sunday service from Norwich to Lowestoft will run instead of the existing two-hourly offer, as well as the traditional extra summer services between Norwich and Great Yarmouth on Saturdays and an extra Ipswich to Peterborough service at 7.55am on Sundays, returning at 9.50am.

The additional services run until various dates in September.

Andrew Goodrum, customer service director at the operator, said: “One of the key commitments in our current franchise agreement is to improve the frequency of Sunday services between Norwich and London and also between Norwich and Lowestoft, and Ipswich and Lowestoft.

“We’re pleased to launch these new services, offering more frequent journey opportunities for our customers, and helping to provide an economic boost to the region.”

Pete Waters, executive director at Visit East Anglia, added: “These additions to the timetable are very welcome from a tourism perspective, making it more convenient to visit some of our stunning seaside resorts as well as Ipswich and Norwich.

“Norfolk and Suffolk have already benefited from a rise in day visitors in the past couple of years and initiatives like this can only help further grow those numbers. Better still, why not make a weekend of it.”