West Midlands Railway urges passengers to check journeys during festive period

West Midlands Railway (WMR) is reminding passengers to check journey planners ahead of the festive period as services are expected to be busier than usual due to Christmas markets, amended timetables, and ongoing rail upgrades.

No trains will operate on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, while services will finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Passengers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys during this period.

Essential track maintenance is also scheduled on several WMR routes. On 28 December, services between Worcester and Kidderminster/Bromsgrove will be replaced by buses until 16:00. Overnight from 31 December to 1 January, routes between Birmingham and Lichfield Trent Valley/Tame Bridge Parkway will operate via rail replacement buses from 22:00 to 10:00.

Passengers using London Northwestern Railway, WMR’s sister brand, should also note track upgrades near Milton Keynes between 27 December and 5 January. Rail replacement services will be in place on some routes to and from London Euston.

Jonny Wiseman, London Northwestern Railway Customer Experience Director, said:

“We’re encouraging passengers travelling over Christmas to plan their journeys in advance. Due to engineering works, rail replacement buses may be in operation for certain routes, so make sure to check journey planners and ensure you leave plenty of time to travel.”

Image: West Midlands Railway