Media centre

Friday 3 Oct 2025

UPDATE: Railway closures and reduced train speeds as Storm Amy moves in

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail will close several railway lines in Scotland from 6pm tonight (Friday 3 October) ahead of Storm Amy reaching its peak, with potentially damaging gusts of up to 100mph.

The Met Office has issued updated Amber weather warnings for wind in northern and western parts of the country, which come into effect tonight and remain in place until Saturday evening. Elsewhere, Yellow alerts have been issued for both strong winds and heavy rain.

Stormy weather can pose a serious risk to the railway network. Gusts can blow trees, branches and other debris onto the tracks, while heavy rain increases the chance of flooding and landslips.

Network Rail’s meteorologists are closely monitoring the forecast and supporting the response across the railway. Teams will be on standby throughout, including chainsaw-trained staff ready to react quickly to any trees or debris blown onto the tracks. 

For safety reasons, rail services on the following routes are being withdrawn from 6pm on Friday 3 October:

• Mallaig - Fort William.
• Fort William – Crianlarich.
• Crianlarich - Oban
• Inverness – Aberdeen.
• Inverness – Wick / Thurso.
• Inverness – Kyle of Lochalsh.
• Perth – Inverness.

All other journeys may be subject to delays or cancellations, with trains running at reduced speeds from 6pm Friday.

Once the storm has passed, engineers will then safely inspect the closed lines for any damage. Network Rail Scotland’s helicopter will assist teams on the ground to complete essential checks and return the network to normal operations as quickly as possible. 

Passengers are advised to plan ahead and check their journeys with their train operators before travelling this weekend.

Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “Storm Amy is set to be an impactful storm, with damaging winds and heavy rain expected to affect large parts of the country. Our teams have already worked to identify and address any vulnerabilities, helping to minimise disruption as far as possible.

“We’re ready to respond quickly to any issues that arise. Our weather experts will be monitoring conditions closely from our control room, while teams on the ground will be working to keep the railway safe and secure.

“Safety of passengers and colleagues is our top priority. We’ll only reopen lines and return to normal operations once we’re confident it’s safe to do so. We appreciate the patience of passengers while we manage the impact of this severe weather.”

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.