Network Rail will carry out extensive engineering works across the UK rail network, causing 10 days of disruptions over the Christmas period in 2026. Two major stations, London Paddington and Birmingham New Street, will close for five days each during the holiday season, impacting key routes to west England, Wales and the Midlands.
Major Station Closures and Route Impacts
London Paddington station will close for five days to allow replacement of a junction near Slough. This closure will affect intercity services to west England and Wales until January 2027. Meanwhile, Birmingham New Street, the busiest station outside London, will close from Christmas Eve until 29 December
to upgrade overhead power supplies. No trains will call at or pass through Birmingham New Street during its closure, with rail replacement buses serving the city centre.
Line Closures, Diversions, and Bus Replacement Services
Part of the East Coast Mainline, serving London, north-east England and Scotland, will be partially closed on Christmas Eve. Trains operated by LNER and others will be replaced by buses between Newark and York due to work at Doncaster, adding around two hours to journey times. On the Great Eastern Mainline from London Liverpool Street, a 10-day track replacement starting on Christmas Day will close the line through east London. No Greater Anglia
or Elizabeth line trains will run through this area during the closure, eliminating direct trains from Norwich to London.
From 27 December to 4 January, Great Western services to Wales and west England will start and terminate at Reading. Some services will divert around Oxford to reach London Euston, bypassing Paddington. Elizabeth line services west of Paddington and Heathrow Express trains will not resume after Christmas until 31 December. Furthermore, TransPennine services between Leeds and Manchester will operate at reduced speeds for six weeks from Christmas Day due to the closure of Huddersfield station.
Schedules, Dates, and Duration of Disruptions
The station closures at London Paddington
and Birmingham New Street each last five days over the holiday period. The East Coast Mainline partial closure affecting Newark to York rail replacement buses occurs on Christmas Eve. The Great Eastern Mainline is closed for 10 days from Christmas Day. Great Western service adjustments last from 27 December until 4 January. Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express services west of Paddington do not resume until 31 December. Slower TransPennine services on the Leeds to Manchester route continue for six weeks starting on Christmas Day.
Network Rail Response and Passenger Advisory
Network Rail’s group director for system operations, Anit Chandarana, emphasized that most of the railway network
will remain open during Christmas to facilitate travel to family and friends. The organization coordinated with train operators to maintain services on the busiest travel days and provide alternative journey options when usual routes are affected. Chandarana acknowledged the disruption caused but noted the days between Christmas and New Year are the quietest of the year, offering the best opportunity to complete essential projects such as power supply upgrades at Birmingham and Paddington. Passengers are advised to check their journeys in advance due to expected service alterations and rail replacement transport.
Background and Investment Details
Network Rail is investing approximately £152 million to upgrade
infrastructure and improve capacity and reliability across the network. The Christmas period, when train services typically stop on 25 and 26 December, offers a quieter window to conduct works including track replacement, overhead power supply upgrades, and junction replacements. These scheduled works are intended to reduce future delays by addressing critical maintenance needs during a low-demand travel period.
Expected Passenger Impact
Passengers should expect altered timetables, service suspensions, and use of rail replacement buses in affected areas. The shutdowns mean no train access to Birmingham New Street station for five days, and serious delays on east coast mainline trains on Christmas Eve. Travelers
between Norwich and London will lose direct train options for 10 days due to the Great Eastern Mainline closure. TransPennine journeys between Leeds and Manchester will take longer for six weeks because of slower services around Huddersfield. Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express customers west of Paddington should anticipate no services until 31 December.
