Christmas travel chaos as major train line warns of disruption in December

The West Coast main line will face serious disruptions this December and January (Image: Getty)

Bus replacements and alternative routes will be available to customers planning to travel with Network Rail over the Christmas period as it rolls out a number of upgrades to the network. Network Rail has warned that routes affected will be around the North West and Central England, as improvements are made to the West Coast rail line. Christmas and New Year's are a busy time for travel around the country, with people making their way to loved ones to celebrate the holidays. 

Works on the network will take place between December 24 (Christmas Eve) and January 15. The projects, of which there are hundreds, have been described as "essential" by Network Rail, which promises to make future passenger journeys more reliable and freight. The upgrades come as part of an ongoing investment of £196m by Network Rail into both the northern and southern sections of one of Britain’s busiest rail routes.

Among the works taking place at the end of this year and the start of 2026 is the £26m upgrade to a "vital railway junction" across all four main lines at Hanslope in Northamptonshire between December 24 and January 5.

Additionally, there will be a £16m investment into Preston station’s signalling system between January 1 and 5, 2026. Meanwhile, there will be a rolling £61mprogramme of signalling upgrades at Kingmoor, north of Carlisle, between January 1 and 7.

Finally, the main phase of a £60m railway bridge replacement over the M6 at Penrith in Cumbria will get underway between December 31 and January 15.

Network Rail says that the remaining £33m accounts for numerous more railway renewals to overhead power lines, station platforms, bridges, track and signalling systems along the 309-mile route between London Euston and the Scottish border.

As a result of the upgrades, "significant sections" of the line will need to be entirely closed to train traffic over a 22-day period between 24 December and 15 January. Replacement buses will be provided to passengers where no alternative routes are available. 

As part of standard practice, National Rail displays travel information for affected journeys 12 weeks in advance. Passengers have been warned to expect busier trains and longer journey times during this period of upgrades. 

"Our ambitious programme, with numerous large-scale journey improving projects, will mean certain sections of the route will have to close across 22 days this festive season," said Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail North West & Central region Capital Delivery director. "For that reason, our advice to anyone planning to travel on the West Coast Main Line between London and Scotland is to plan your journeys as early as possible by visiting National Rail Enquiries."