Salford Crescent and Salford Central railway stations will close for periods of 2025, as Network Rail carries out improvement works.

Last year, Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) announced that they would be working together to improve these and four other stations.

Salford Cresent

Salford Cresent station is on the Manchester-to-Preston line, which runs busy services from across the North West into Manchester and Manchester Airport.

The purpose of the new platform is to allow flexibility for routing trains, giving signallers more options to ease “traffic jams” through the station and central Manchester’s busy rail network.

This will improve passenger flow and reduce train delays.

In 2022/23, there were nearly 1.2 million entries and exits at Salford Crescent station, making it one of the busiest in Greater Manchester.

The station will close for several weekends between March and September 2025, with the work expected to be finished by early 2026.

Network Rail has released three-dimensional images of how the station with look with its new platform.

Salford Central

TfGM and Network Rail are also spending ten million pounds to improve Salford Central station.

They will install new customer information points and wayfinding, which will more effectively link the station with the Bee Network, Greater Manchester’s developing integrated public transport system.

The station will close from Monday 10 February until Monday 21 April 2025.

Trains will still pass through the station, but will not stop there.

Latest Information

Train operator, Northern, is liaising with Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester to ensure that passengers are kept informed during the work at both stations.

Passengers using these two stations have already experienced disruption this year, as flooding caused damage in January.

“As part of Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) ongoing commitment to enhancing the transport infrastructure across Greater Manchester, we welcome the significant improvement and investment planned with Network Rail’s work at Salford Crescent and TfGM’s at Salford Central.

“This investment in Salford will not only improve the passenger experience but also contribute to a more reliable and connected network for everyone. Together, these upgrades are a vital part of our wider ambition to improve our integrated and sustainable transport system for the future.”

Simon Elliott, Head of Rail at TfGM