British holidaymakers planning staycations will benefit as a previously axed service linking East Sussex coastal resorts with the capital returns this winter.

The reinstated route connecting Eastbourne and Lewes with London Bridge will resume operations in December, offering weekday services that had been suspended since 2020.

Not only will travellers have more options for accessing popular seaside destinations without relying on cars, but the train is about an hour quicker than driving.

This comes as more Britons look for more sustainable travel alternatives for UK breaks. The service will operate Monday through Thursday, with morning and evening connections.

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The weekday service will leave Eastbourne at 06:48, reaching London Bridge by 08:25, with an evening departure from the capital at 17:03, arriving back just 90 minutes later at 18:34. Local Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde, who spearheaded efforts to reinstate the connection, declared it a "huge victory" for residents.

During his election campaign, Babarinde presented a large ticket-shaped petition at Eastbourne station demanding the route's return. The direct connection had been scrapped in 2020 as rail operators grappled with plummeting passenger numbers.

Previously, travellers from Eastbourne could only reach London directly via Victoria station, making journeys to other parts of the capital more complex.

The restored connection is expected to boost the local economy whilst making commuting more convenient, according to rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway.

Jenny Saunders, the company's customer services director, acknowledged that coronavirus dealt a "devastating impact" to railway operations. She added the firm was working hard to attract passengers back to what she described as the "most sustainable form of public transport".

The return of the route addresses long-standing concerns about connectivity between these Sussex towns and the capital. The move particularly benefits leisure travellers seeking car-free access to Eastbourne's beaches and Lewes's historic attractions from London.

In other train news, tourists looking for an easier and more sustainable way to travel through Europe will benefit from new rail routes, starting next spring.

A new direct service will connect Prague, Copenhagen and Berlin, operated collaboratively by German, Danish and Czech national railways.

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The route will connect the popular staycation areas

The route launches on May 1, 2026, following completion of infrastructure upgrades between Berlin and Hamburg.

Two daily services will run year-round in both directions, taking seven hours between Copenhagen and Berlin, and eleven hours for the full Copenhagen-Prague journey.

Stops will include Dresden and Hamburg. A seasonal overnight train will also operate during summer months, extending the current Hamburg-Copenhagen night service through to Prague.