East Midlands Railway (EMR) is advising passengers planning to travel during the festive season to be fully aware of the impact that scheduled engineering works may have on their journey.

During this festive period, from Saturday, 21st to Sunday, 29th December, Network Rail will undertake significant route improvement works, which will include the replacement of overhead electric power lines, paving the way for the introduction of EMR’s new Aurora bi-mode fleet next year.

The new Aurora bi-mode fleet, capable of operating on both electric and diesel power, is set to revolutionize the service and onboard experience of the Midland Main Line to and from London St Pancras.

It will offer East Midlands Railway customers additional seating and contemporary interiors.

The engineering work carried out during the festive period encompasses vital and extensive maintenance tasks, and it facilitates the future growth of freight operations across the network.

Due to scheduled works from Saturday, 21 December to Sunday, 29 December, all EMR Intercity and Connect services to London St Pancras will end at Bedford.

Passengers heading to London St Pancras must switch to replacement bus services running between Bedford and Milton Keynes.

Customers will be able to proceed into London Euston using the West Coast Main Line.

The EMR platforms at London St Pancras will remain closed throughout the duration of the works.

Customers heading the other way, north of London, are advised to take a train from London Euston to Milton Keynes. From there, rail replacement buses will be available to connect them to EMR services at Bedford.

Passengers are advised that due to the implementation of replacement bus services, journey times may be extended by up to an hour, this will need to be factored in when planning any journeys.

EMR is set to offer up to 12 buses per hour in each direction between Bedford and Milton Keynes, providing regular links to the West Coast Main Line services.

Services will finish earlier on Christmas Eve than they have done in recent years.

There will be no train services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Services will resume on Friday, December 27.

Additionally, on Monday, December 30, some early departures from London St Pancras will be impacted due to the necessary repositioning of trains during the engineering works.

Customers are advised to plan their trips ahead of time and consult EMR’s online timetable for the latest travel details.

Travel Advice, Support and Assistance

To assist passengers with the recent changes, EMR will provide extra staff at major stations on alternative routes.

EMR’s Passenger Assistance service is dedicated to providing customers with the necessary support for a smooth travel experience. This service includes assistance with bookings for disabled passengers and access to British Sign Language interpreters via EMR’s BSL Live service.

For comprehensive information, including live timetable updates, please refer to the EMR website at www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk.

“We recommend customers planning to travel to or from London between Saturday, 21 and Sunday, 29 December to check their journeys in advance by looking for updates on the EMR website.

We are working closely with other operators to keep customers moving throughout the festive period; however, journey times will be significantly longer than normal with rail replacement buses and amended timetables in place.

We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst these vital engineering upgrades take place. This work will directly benefit our customers in the future, allowing the introduction of our new Aurora bi-mode trains.”

Philippa Cresswell, Customer Service Director for East Midlands Railway

Other engineering works are due to take place across the rail network over the festive season. Network Rail has already announced which lines and stations will be affected by Christmas season closures.