Media centre

Monday 17 Mar 2025

London Euston passengers advised to ‘travel either side’ this Easter

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Passengers travelling between London Euston and Scotland over the Easter bank holiday are being advised to travel either side of the long weekend while railway upgrades take place on the West Coast Main Line.

Between Friday 18 April and Monday 21 April, Network Rail will carry out major engineering work to improve the reliability of the railway for both passengers and freight services. This includes renewing switches and crossings (movable sections of track), and improving track drainage.

No trains will run between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central on Saturday 19 April, Sunday 20 April, and Monday 21 April, with Euston station closed on these days. A reduced timetable will operate on Friday 18 April. Passengers are advised to travel before or after the Easter weekend to avoid longer journeys and some rail replacement services.

Engineers will be finalising the connection of a new rail freight interchange to the West Coast Main Line in Northampton over the Easter period. This critical work involves activating a complex new signalling system to guarantee safe and smooth integration with the broader rail network.

Network Rail is also using the station closure to carry out improvements to passenger facilities at Euston, including upgrading the toilet facilities and enhancing wayfinding to make navigating the station easier.

Network Rail will also complete vital upgrades on the West Coast Main Line to help ensure the long-term reliability and efficiency of journeys. This work includes:

• Track renewals: Replacing over 350 metres of track near Hemel Hempstead which will improve the reliability of passenger journeys.
• Drainage improvements: Upgrading over 200 metres of drainage near Leighton Buzzard, to prevent flooding and enhance resilience against extreme weather.
• Northampton freight interchange: Completing the connection of a new freight facility, which will have over 5 million square feet of warehouse space and will employ up to 7,000 people.

Amanda Webster-Uz, Network Rail’s head of Euston station operations, said:
"There’s a significant amount of work happening over the Easter bank holiday to improve the reliability of the railway for both passengers and freight. Whilst the railway to Euston is closed, we’re also taking the opportunity to improve the station itself, which will include improving our signage and upgrading our toilet facilities for customers.

We’re encouraging passengers to check their journeys in advance and, where possible, travel before or after the Easter weekend."

Over the Easter bank holiday weekend, scheduled Caledonian Sleeper services will start and terminate at London King’s Cross station.

Passengers travelling to the north of England and Scotland are being advised to check before they travel as teams carry out improvement work on the West Coast Main Line in Stockport and Carlisle. Railway work over Easter also affects journey in Salford, Liverpool and Cumbria.  

Passengers can find more information and plan their journeys at www.nationalrail.co.uk/spring.