Rail industry gives final reminder for passengers to plan ahead over the festive period

Passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys in advance as stations and services are likely to be busier over the Christmas and New Year break.

While train companies will try to run as many services as possible, there may be some changes to the advertised timetables, so passengers are strongly advised to check journey planners before travel and book tickets in advance wherever possible.

Network Rail will be carrying out a £142m programme of work over the festive period to improve journeys for passengers. Though the vast majority of the rail network will be open as usual, some routes will be affected by this work.

New Visual Disruption Maps have been introduced which give passengers clear information on planned changes to train services and the alternative routes which are available for them to complete their journey. These videos will be used in stations, on National Rail Enquiries and on the social media accounts of Network Rail and train operating companies.

Train services on many routes throughout Britain will finish earlier than normal on 24 December and passengers are reminded that, as usual, there will be no National Rail services on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, most train operators will not be running any trains, but a small number of operators will be running limited services.

Services are expected to be very busy in the run-up to Christmas and the new year- from Saturday  21 December until Tuesday 24 December- as well as on Friday 27 December. Passengers are encouraged to reserve a seat if they can.  Passengers are also advised to only bring luggage that they can carry and be considerate of their fellow travellers when putting their luggage on a seat.

Helen Hamlin, Network Rail’s director of system operations, said: “There’s a major programme of improvement work taking place by Network Rail over the Christmas period which will mean significant changes to services in some areas. We’re also expecting trains and stations to be busy, particularly in the run up to Christmas and on Friday 27 December.

“Planning ahead is essential before travelling throughout Christmas and New Year, so please take the time to check your journey, using National Rail Enquiries or via your train operator’s website, and book ahead if you can.”

Daniel Mann, Director of Industry Operations at Rail Delivery Group, said:“The railway is open for business this festive period. Train companies and Network Rail will be working tirelessly to make sure customers reach their destination so they can spend time with their families and loved ones. We also want to remind our customers to remember to treat our colleagues across the railway with respect during this busy time, we are all doing our best to make sure there is a safe and reliable service for everyone.  

“With more people travelling this festive period compared to last year, please plan your journey in advance and check before you travel.”

Engineering programme

Throughout the festive period, engineers will be replacing 45 sets of points (movable sections that transfer a train from one track to another), rebuilding four bridges, installing 40km of new signalling cables, renewing 17 level crossings and testing and switching-on seven new signalling systems, all aimed at cutting delays, improving train performance and enhancing reliability.

Network Rail will be undertaking around 400 projects over Christmas and New Year, the most notable of which are:

• Renewal work at Bishopsgate Tunnel and work to improve passenger experience at London Liverpool Street means the station will be closed from Wednesday 25 December with services resuming on Thursday 2 January. Greater Anglia services, will be diverted via Stratford except Stansted Express services which will terminate at Tottenham Hale. London Overground services will terminate at London Fields. Passengers should use Victoria line services from Walthamstow Central and Seven Sisters or local bus services to complete their journeys during this closure. 

• Various engineering projects will take place on the Midland Main Line between Saturday 21 and Sunday 29 December, meaning passenger services are severely disrupted. There will be no East Midlands Railway (EMR) services between London St Pancras and Bedford and Thameslink services will not run between London St Pancras and Harpenden. Passengers who usually take the train north from London St Pancras will need to use different London stations and connecting buses to reach their destinations.

• Preparatory work for new signalling and track equipment - necessary to deliver trains to HS2’s new Old Oak Common station near Paddington - means that no services will call at London Paddington between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 December inclusive. Some services will instead be diverted to/from London Euston, with the majority of trains starting/stopping at Reading and Ealing Broadway. Passengers for London can change at Ealing Broadway and take a Transport for London service into the city, using either the District or Central lines.

• There will be significant changes to services in the Crewe area between Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 2 January as resignalling work takes place. Changes to services will differ during this period. No trains will pass through Crewe on Friday 27 December and there will be no direct service to Liverpool and a reduced service to Manchester from Saturday 28 December until Friday 3 January.

• Engineering work including track renewals, renewal of the Cambridge signalling system and construction work for the new Cambridge South station - which will ease congestion and provide quicker and easier access to the city’s biomedical campus- means there will be no services between both Royston/Audley End and Cambridge/Cambridge North from Wednesday 25 December to Sunday 5 January. Rail replacement bus services will be in place between affected stations except on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

•  Engineers will be completing a wide range of critical upgrades for the continued safe and reliable running of the railway between Farnborough and Woking from Monday 23 December 2024 until Sunday 5 January 2025. South Western Railway services will be altered or diverted and some journey times will be significantly longer. Bus replacement services will also be in operation.