Service alerts
Learn more about what can cause service delays or cancellations
This page is updated regularly when we have advanced notice of situations which may impact our service. For the most up to date information on our services please follow @thamesclippers on X (formerly known as Twitter).
As soon as we are aware of any disruptions, service alerts will be sent via X.
Service Alerts
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Festive timetable
No service on 25 and 26 DecBetween Wednesday 24 December 2025 and Thursday 2 January 2026, most of our services will be running normally. However, there will be some service changes on certain days. Please be aware that there will be no services on 25 and 26 December.
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Embankment Pier Closure
Sunday, 14 DecemberEmbankment Pier will be closed from 21:00 on Sunday 14 December. Services due to call at Embankment during this time will instead proceed to the next scheduled stop. The pier will reopen from the first service on Monday 15 December.
Thames Barrier Closures
To view a full list of upcoming barrier closure dates, visit the government website.
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Thames Barrier Closure
Tuesday, 9 DecemberA test closure of the Thames Barrier is scheduled to take place 09:45 – 12:20 on Tuesday 9 December. This will prevent all sailings between these times from calling at Barking Riverside and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) piers.
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Thames Barrier Closure
Wednesday, 7 JanuaryA test closure of the Thames Barrier is scheduled to take place 09:45 – 12:15 on Wednesday 7 January. This will prevent all sailings between these times from calling at Barking Riverside and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) piers.
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Thames Barrier Closure
Thursday, 5 FebruaryA test closure of the Thames Barrier is scheduled to take place 09:30 – 12:00 on Thursday 5 February. This will prevent all sailings between these times from calling at Barking Riverside and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) piers.
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Thames Barrier Closure
Monday, 9 MarchA test closure of the Thames Barrier is scheduled to take place 09:50 – 12:20 on Monday 9 March. This will prevent all sailings between these times from calling at Barking Riverside and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) piers.
Service updates on X
- Our fleet control update X (formerly known as Twitter) with delay information using TfL’s wording for delays. “Minor” refers to delays between 5-15 minutes. “Severe” refers to delays that are over 15 minutes.
- When a service is “suspended between two piers” this means that the service is not able to run between the piers mentioned or at the intermediate piers.
- We cannot always give a specific reason for each individual delay nor can our fleet control respond to individual tweets asking about the arrival time of your service.
- Live departure information is available on the Thames Clippers Tickets app.
What causes service delays and alerts?
Spontaneous service delays can be caused by a number of issues including river congestion, pier congestion, passenger demand, passenger disruption and occasional technical issues with our vessels. When we are aware of these disruptions, a service alert is issued via our X page.
Anticipated service alerts can be caused by:
- Tidal conditions
At extremely low tides, our vessels may be unable to dock successfully at some of our piers or it may be unsafe for passengers to attempt to board from them. Low tide also limits the Thames’s river traffic capacity which can cause congestion. - Thames Barrier closures
The Thames Barrier is located between Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) and Royal Wharf piers. When the barrier is closed for tests, or to prevent London from flooding, our services are unable to reach Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) or Barking Riverside piers. - London fog
In extreme fog our services cannot operate. As foggy conditions can change rapidly, please check our X page for the most up-to-date information. - Riverside activities
The Thames is an incredibly active river and events regularly take place along its banks and on the river itself which have the potential to affect some services.
We apologise for any inconvenience that service disruption has caused to your journey and we always appreciate your patience while we manage the matter. If you wish to contact our Customer Service Team, you can do so here.