Christmas Rail Disruption 2026: The Major UK Stations and Routes Affected

Anyone hoping to travel by train over Christmas and New Year has been given an early reason to check the timetable. Network Rail has outlined major engineering work across several busy parts of Britain's network, with some stations closed for days and other journeys diverted or replaced by buses.

The work is planned for the holiday period because fewer passengers usually travel then, but the impact will still be significant for people visiting relatives, returning from holidays or making airport connections. Here are the routes to watch and what passengers can do now.

London Paddington: a different route into the capital

London Paddington will be affected by major improvements around Dolphin Junction near Slough. Great Western Railway long-distance trains will not be able to use Paddington until Monday 4 January 2027, according to Network Rail's published plan. Some services will start or finish at Reading, while certain journeys may be diverted towards London Euston.

The work also changes Elizabeth line and Heathrow services. Network Rail says links between Paddington and Heathrow are due to return on 31 December, while Elizabeth line services farther west will remain affected until 4 January. That distinction matters: not every train serving the same station will resume on the same date.

Birmingham New Street closes for five days

One of the biggest changes is at Birmingham New Street, where no trains are scheduled to operate from Thursday 24 December through Monday 28 December inclusive. Services are expected to restart on Tuesday 29 December.

Engineers will be upgrading overhead electrical equipment and nearby track. Travellers passing through Birmingham should not assume a normal connection will be available simply because their starting station is open. Alternative routes and replacement buses may be needed.

Liverpool Street, Doncaster and other pinch points

Work at Forest Gate will close part of the Great Eastern Main Line for roughly ten days, affecting Greater Anglia and Elizabeth line journeys between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield. The planned reopening is early on Monday 4 January.

Other works include changes around Doncaster on Christmas Eve, a reduced service at London Waterloo on 27 and 28 December, and disruption near Huddersfield beginning late in December and continuing into January. National Rail also flags work around Charing Cross, Redhill and Northampton.

What should passengers do before booking?

Check the specific date and journey rather than relying on a usual timetable. A train may run from one end of a route but not serve its normal London terminus. For journeys involving several operators, check each connection and allow extra time for any transfer.

Network Rail says most of the network will remain open. The sensible response is not to cancel every festive plan, but to look for alternative stations, confirm any replacement bus arrangements and check the latest travel information again shortly before departure.

Where to find the official updates

National Rail's Christmas travel page lists the major engineering schemes, while Network Rail explains the work behind them. Train operators will publish route-specific advice and amended timetables. If you are travelling to an airport, check the final leg separately: holiday closures can affect rail links even when flights are operating normally.

Image credit: Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash. Illustrative image, not a photograph of the planned works.

Sources and further reading

Network Rail: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/looking-after-the-railway/planned-works/christmas-and-new-year-engineering-works/

National Rail: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/christmas/

The Guardian, 31 October 2026: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/31/railway-engineering-work-christmas-disruption-london-birmingham