Great Northern Railway to Add Extra Hertford Line Trains in December

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 4, Great Northern announced that starting December 14, it will increase off-peak train frequency on the London Moorgate to Hertford North section from 2 to 4 trains per hour, with most stations along the route to see a train every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday. The adjustment involves the Hertford Loop Line, and the additional services will be incorporated into the December timetable change.

On weekdays, the 4 trains per hour service from Hertford North toward London will run from the first train of the day until 21:00, while the London to Hertford North direction will continue until 20:00. On Saturdays, the additional services begin at 7:00, with operating hours in the two directions continuing until 21:00 and 20:00 respectively. Existing higher-frequency services during weekday morning and evening peaks are not affected by this adjustment.

The additional trains will call at most stations between Hertford North and Moorgate, but not at Bayford or Crews Hill. These two stations will continue to be served by the half-hourly Stevenage to Moorgate service. By reducing stops at these two stations, the additional trains can save approximately 3 to 4 minutes when heading toward London, with the journey from Hertford North to Moorgate expected to be reduced from about 54 minutes to 48 to 49 minutes.

The adjustment will restore off-peak service frequency on the Hertford Loop Line to pre-pandemic levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Great Northern reduced off-peak trains on the line from 4 to 2 per hour, and the lower frequency has continued since. The increased service will provide more frequent trains at stations including Gordon Hill, Gordon Park, Grange Park, Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green and Bowes Park.

The operational adjustment is also part of the UK government's commitment to increasing rail services toward Moorgate. Govia Thameslink Railway, the parent company of Great Northern, came under public ownership in summer 2026, and the additional services have been incorporated by the operator into the December timetable change. The relevant train services are now available for search in the UK National Rail journey planning system.