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Wednesday 9 Sep 2026

£9m rail upgrade planned for Inverness station and Kyle line

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Engineers are set to carry out £9m of upgrades and repairs on the Kyle line and at Inverness station later this year, with the railway closing between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh for three weeks. 

The route, which links communities across the Highlands and attracts thousands of visitors each year, will shut to allow a large amount of work to be completed in one go.  

The investment is aimed at keeping the railway in good condition and ensuring it continues to provide a reliable service for passengers travelling across the Highlands. 

During the three-week closure, a range of renewals, repairs and other maintenance activities will take place: 

• At Inverness station, engineers will renew track and sleepers at platforms 5 and 6 and refurbish equipment that allows trains to move between different tracks, helping to improve reliability and keep services running smoothly. 
  
  
• Around 7km of track will be renewed at several locations, including between Welsh's Bridge and Rose Street level crossing in Inverness, Achanalt and Rosebank near Achnasheen, and between Strathcarron and Stromeferry, providing a smoother and more dependable railway for passengers. 
  
  
• Drainage improvements will be carried out through the renewal of several culverts between Dingwall, Achnasheen and Stromeferry, helping to reduce the impact of adverse weather on the railway. 
  
  
• Structural repairs and track renewal work will take place at multiple railway bridges, including Carron Viaduct, helping to maintain a safe and reliable railway for years to come. 

To allow the work to be carried out safely and efficiently, no trains will run between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh from Saturday 28 November to Friday 18 December inclusive, with services resuming on Saturday 19 December.  

Network Rail and train operators are working together to support local communities and passengers. 

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “The Kyle line is one of Scotland's most scenic and important routes, connecting communities across the Highlands. This £9m investment will allow us to carry out a significant amount of work in a short period of time, helping us keep the railway safe, reliable and resilient for the future. 

"We know that closing the line will cause disruption and we're sorry for the inconvenience. By bringing together a wide range of upgrades and repairs during one closure, we can complete this work as efficiently as possible and reduce the need for future unplanned disruption. We'd like to thank passengers, communities and businesses along the route for their patience and understanding while we deliver these essential improvements." 

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “When our colleagues at Network Rail deliver this project to improve the long-term reliability of the railway between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh, our priority will be to keep customers moving and ensuring they can continue to travel with confidence.  

“We know how important the Kyle line is to the communities it serves, so we’ll have a rail replacement plan in place to ensure customers can still travel reliably throughout the works.  

“We’re grateful to customers for their patience and understanding when this vital work takes place and look forward to welcoming them back on the line when the work is complete.”