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Friday 23 May 2025

Passengers urged to plan journeys ahead of busy bank holiday weekend

Region & Route:

North West & Central: Central

Passengers are being urged to plan their journeys and check before they travel this weekend, with high numbers of people expected to travel by train across the West Midlands.

More than 75,000 people are expected to attend the Birmingham Pride parade on Saturday (24 May), along with thousands more celebrating Pride over the long weekend.

Walsall Football Club will be playing in the League Two Play Off Final against AFC Wimbledon at Wembley on Monday, with thousands of fans expected to travel to London by train from Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Moor Street.

Along with people coming into Birmingham city centre over the bank holiday for days and nights out, trains and stations are expected to be extra busy.

Maintenance and improvement work elsewhere on the rail network - including a nine day closure of the West Coast main line between Rugby and Stafford - will affect some routes but journeys across the West Midlands will continue as normal.

Anyone travelling over the weekend - locally, regionally, or nationally - should plan their journey, check before they travel, allow plenty of time to make their journey, and not rely on the last train to get home.

Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: "It's going to be another busy and exciting weekend in Birmingham and we want everyone to easily get in and out of the city centre whenever they choose to travel.

"We’re looking forward to welcoming passengers travelling to Birmingham Pride and to sporting events and fixtures across the country. I'd urge everyone to plan ahead and check before they travel to help make journeys as smooth and straightforward as possible."

Lucy Wootton, head of the Grand Railway Collaboration, which represents the rail industry in the West Midlands, added: "We are ready to welcome passengers into stations and onboard trains this bank holiday weekend, but we are expecting the railway to be extra busy. As always, please plan ahead and check before you travel to help you get to where you want to go."

For the latest travel information and live updates, visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.