UK railway stations to close for Christmas engineering works
London Paddington and Birmingham New Street will shut during the holiday period, affecting intercity services.
At a glance
- London Paddington station will close, affecting westbound intercity services until January
- Birmingham New Street will shut for five days over the Christmas period
- Engineering works will last 10 days across the network
- Most other railway routes are expected to stay open
Major engineering works will disrupt travel on some of Britain's busiest railway lines over the Christmas period. London Paddington station will close, affecting intercity trains serving the west of England and Wales until January, while Birmingham New Street – the UK's busiest station outside London – will shut for five days during the holiday.
Most other routes are expected to remain open during the 10-day engineering programme. Passengers have been warned to expect significant disruption to their travel plans.
Why it matters
The closures affect two of Britain's most heavily used stations during one of the year's busiest travel periods, when many passengers plan holiday journeys.
Original reporting
- The Guardian — WorldRailway engineering work over Christmas will cause 10 days of disruption
- The Guardian — BusinessRailway engineering work over Christmas will cause 10 days of disruption
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
