Reminder for Passengers to Plan Christmas Journeys due to Major Rail Works
With one week to go before Christmas, passengers are reminded to plan their journeys as improvement work means changes to trains on some major routes
Region & Route:
As the one-week countdown to Christmas begins, rail passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys over the festive period, as works taking place will result in significant changes to services in some areas.
While much of the railway network will be open for business over this period, more than £160m of major investment projects will take place across the network, delivering long-term improvements for the millions of passengers who use the network day in and day out. Thousands of rail colleagues will be out on the network, renewing track, replacing ageing infrastructure and installing modern signalling, which will ultimately reduce faults and delays, and deliver a safer, more reliable railway that is fit for the future.
In the run-up to Christmas, trains and stations are expected to be particularly busy. Train services on many routes will finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve, and, as usual, there will be no National Rail services on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, most train operators will not run any trains, but a small number will run limited services.
Anit Chandarana, Network Rail's System Operator Group Director, said: "With Christmas just around the corner, we know how important this time of year is for rail passengers wanting to travel on the network to visit families and friends.
"Major improvement work taking place across the rail network over the Christmas period will mean changes to services in some areas. That's why we have worked closely with train operators to organise diversions and replacement buses where possible.
"To everyone travelling, please take the time to check your journey using National Rail Enquiries or your train operator's website and book ahead if you can. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we deliver work to improve the reliability of the railway."
Daniel Mann, Director of Industry Operations at Rail Delivery Group, said: “During the festive period, the railway continues to play a vital role in helping people connect with loved ones, enjoy days out and travel to and from work.
"Our colleagues across the railway will be working tirelessly to keep passengers moving, and we ask everyone to treat them with kindness and respect, as they help deliver a safe and reliable service. By doing so, and being considerate of fellow passengers, everyone can help ensure their journeys remain as smooth as possible for the rest of the year.
"We encourage customers to reserve seats where possible, bring only luggage that is easy to carry and fits in designated storage areas, and allow extra time for their journeys.”
Passengers travelling over the festive period are advised to check their journey in advance and book ahead, as services will be busy and some routes may have significant changes. They should allow extra time and travel at quieter times where possible.
Visual Disruption Map videos with British Sign Language (BSL), developed by Network Rail and Rail Delivery Group, are available at stations to assist passengers, focusing on areas with planned engineering works and providing advice on alternative travel options.
Major projects taking place over Christmas and New Year are as follows:
Works to replace a junction at Hanslope on the West Coast Main Line meansno trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby between Christmas Day and 4 January.
Works to replace a 1960s bridge over the M6 motorway meansno trains between Preston and Carlisle, 31 December to 15 January.
Works to install new signalling at Kingmoor, just north of Carlisle meansno trains between Carlisle and Lockerbie from 1 January and 7 January.
Improvements by the Transpennine Route Upgrade around Church Fenton, Yorkshire, including signalling, track and power supply,means, no trains between Leeds and York ( via Church Fenton) between Christmas Day and 3 January.
Commissioning and testing a new signalling system to improve reliability and safety meansno trains between Cambridge North, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Stansted Airport from Christmas Day to 4 January.
Works to refurbish the roof of London Liverpool Street station meansno trains between Stratford and Liverpool Street from Christmas Day to New Year's Day.
Works to renew worn out track and points around Queenstown Road, London, meansno trains to or from Waterloo from Christmas Day until 28 December, and a very limited service to Waterloo until 4 January.
The installation of a new railway bridge at Bowling in West Dunbartonshire meansno trains between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central, or between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich, 24 December to 2 January.
For timetable information and help finding your best routes, please check with your operator or National Rail Enquiries.
Notes to Editors
More detailed advice for passengers travelling over the Christmas period:
Please reserve a seat if you can and book as early as possible to secure the best options.
For a smoother journey, only bring luggage that is comfortable to carry and aim to use bags that fit in overhead racks or designated storage areas.
Large suitcases blocking doors and aisles can hinder boarding and exiting, especially for those needing assistance, such as wheelchair users. They may prevent trains from departing on time, causing knock‑on delays across other services.
Please look out for fellow passengers who may need extra time to get off the train, and keep the doors clear at all times.
We encourage passengers to allow extra time for their journeys and, if possible, consider travelling at quieter times.
Passenger numbers and travel trends:
Last year, more than 40 million tickets for rail travel were sold between Friday 20 December 2024 and Monday 6 January 2025, averaging 2.2 million a day.
Although passenger numbers tend to dip during this time compared to the rest of the year, making it a key window for improvement works, those who do plan to travel more this year cited visiting friends and relatives as their top reason (21%), followed by shopping (19%), visiting a specific city town or village (19%) visiting a local area or attraction (17%) and travel to or from a holiday (16%). 16% also cited a day or night out as the reason for increased rail travel over the festive period. Source: 2025 Christmas travel intention research, carried out by Ipsos on behalf of RDG as part of the Rail Demand Tracker survey.
When surveyed on their plans for rail travel this month, most customers said they intend to buy tickets one day to a few days in advance. However, those travelling to or from a holiday are more likely to purchase tickets about a month ahead, with around 15% doing so. Source: 2025 Christmas travel intention research, carried out by Ipsos on behalf of RDG as part of the Rail Demand Tracker survey.