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Thursday 2 Oct 2025

Storm Amy: Early end to rail services in parts of Scotland on Friday

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

A number of railway lines in the north of Scotland will close from 6pm on Friday 3 October 2025 as Storm Amy is set to bring very strong winds and heavy rain. 

The Met Office has issued an Amber warning for wind for northern and western parts of the country, which comes into force from Friday evening into Saturday morning. Gusts of 60-70 mph are expected but could reach 95mph in some areas.  

These strong winds could bring down trees and blow other debris onto the tracks, while heavy rain also increases the risk to railway infrastructure and can cause landslips and flooding. 

For safety reasons, rail services will be withdrawn from 6pm on Friday 3 October on several routes: 

• Inverness to Wick 

• Inverness to Kyle 

• Inverness to Aberdeen 

• Inverness to Perth 

• Mallaig to Fort William 
• Fort William to Crianlarich 

All other routes will see a reduced timetable and longer journey times, as trains will be limited to a maximum speed of 50mph from 7pm. 

Once the storm has passed, engineers will inspect the closed lines for any damage. Network Rail Scotland’s helicopter will assist teams on the ground to complete essential checks across the network as quickly as possible. Our meteorologists, based in the railway’s control room, will also monitor the weather conditions in real-time. 

Passengers are asked to check their journey before travelling with National Rail Enquiries or their train operator.  

Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “As Storm Amy moves in, our top concern will be keeping passengers and colleagues safe. That’s why we’ve taken the proactive decision to close some parts of Scotland’s railway on Friday evening as the worst of the weather arrives.  

“Throughout the storm, we’ll have weather experts in the control room closely tracking developments, with teams on the ground ready to respond to any disruption as quickly as possible.  

“We’re asking passengers to plan ahead, and I thank them in advance for their patience as we prepare to manage the impact of this storm.” 

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “Safety is always our top priority, and we’re working closely with our colleagues at Network Rail to keep people moving where it’s safe to do so.  

“The Met Office Amber warning for high winds during Storm Amy means that some routes will have to close, and speed restrictions will be in place across Scotland's Railway. 

“We know how frustrating disruption can be, but these measures are essential to protect our customers and staff.  

“We’d encourage everyone to check their journey before travelling and to keep an eye on our website, app, or social media channels for the latest updates. 

“If you have a ticket for travel on Friday, you can use it today (Thursday), Saturday, or Sunday.” 

Follow @NetworkRailScot on X for the latest updates. For more information on any changes to services, check www.nationalrail.co.uk or with your train operator.