From this weekend, passenger services on the Midland Main Line will be severely disrupted for nine consecutive days due to essential upgrades on the route.
Rail passengers are advised to plan ahead if they are using services to and from London St Pancras this Christmas, particularly if they will be travelling to Luton Airport.
A rail replacement bus service will be in service between Bedford and Milton Keynes Central, with a train connection to Euston.
Rail tracks will be closed between London St Pancras and Harpenden from Saturday, 21 to Sunday, 29 December, with no Thameslink trains south of Harpenden, and no East Midlands Railway (EMR) services south of Bedford.
The closure will allow Network Rail teams to work on a range of major improvements to the line including upgrading the overhead lines that power trains, replacing a bridge deck at Agar Grove and installing a new bridge for Radlett’s Strategic Freight Interchange.
For the latest travel advice, full details on alternative routes and rail replacement bus services, passengers are urged to check with the relevant train companies, East Midlands Railway or Thameslink.
Mark Budden, route director for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “With less than a week to go until the work begins, we strongly encourage passengers to check their travel plans in advance, as engineering work will affect several routes throughout December.
“While these essential upgrades may cause temporary disruption, it will result in faster, smoother, and more reliable journeys for passengers in the future.
“Christmas is the ideal time to carry out this work with minimal impact, as fewer people are travelling. Whilst that is beneficial for an engineering perspective we do recognise that passengers are still needing to travel for work and to visit friends and relatives over the Christmas season.
“We would like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding during this vital work.”
