Passengers travelling over the festive period could have severely disrupted journeys as Network Rail confirmed work on around 400 projects.
Liverpool Street station in London will be shut for over a week from Christmas Day until January 2 due to renewal work at Bishopsgate Tunnel. It advises travellers to use the Victoria Line instead from Walthamstow Central or Seven Sisters.
Passengers flying from Heathrow won’t be able to use the Heathrow Express service to Paddington station for three days, from December 27 to 29.
No trains will stop at the station as preparatory work takes place for the HS2 Old Oak Common station. Great Western Railway services may be diverted to Euston instead, but most will terminate or start at Ealing or Reading.
Signalling work will also affect services around Crewe from December 27 until January 2, and no trains will pass through the station on December 27.
From December 28 until January 3, there will be no direct services between Crewe and Liverpool, and a reduced service between Crewe and Manchester.
Passenger numbers usually plummet by up to 60% at primary stations between Christmas and New Year compared to early December, which explains the work taking place at this time.
Network Rail’s director of system operations Helen Hamlin said: “Whilst roads are busier during the holidays, it’s actually one of the quietest times on the railway, meaning we can improve things whilst causing less disruption to passengers and freight flows.
“The major projects we’re undertaking would otherwise take many weekends to complete and cause more disruption to passengers.”
While all rail journeys are suspended as usual on Christmas Day, she reassured passengers that some services will run as normal.
Hamlin said: “Most of the railway will be open as normal over Christmas and New Year, so passengers can continue to book their travel, just be sure to plan ahead as there will be significant changes to journeys on some routes.”
