Highland rail routes set for 'significant disruption' due to Network Rail safety works

Scotrail has announced “significant disruption” to services due to Network Rail engineering works from January 29 until February 1 that could impact passengers across the Highlands seeking connections to the south.

Most of the disruption will be contained in the Central Belt with numerous services cancelled or re-routed adding significantly to journey times but some trains to and from the Highlands are also affected.

• All rail fares to increase by 8.7 per cent in 2024 including Caledonian Sleeper

• Track defect brings disruption to Highland Mainline train services

• ScotRail's early morning Highland Mainline service to Edinburgh cancelled between Inverness and Perth amid staff shortages

Inverness to Edinburgh Scotrail services will run via Fife and will not call at Stirling while buses will replace trains on LNER services between Edinburgh and Stirling and Inverness.

That is due to safety-critical engineering works by Network Rail on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line to install a specialist netting system on a rock cutting above the railway.

The consequence is “significant disruption to some services through Scotland’s Central Belt” so if you are hoping to use services in the central belt these are the affected routes:

• Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk High services will terminate at Linlithgow. There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Linlithgow.
• Dunblane-Edinburgh services will terminate at Falkirk Grahamston. There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Falkirk Grahamston.
• Edinburgh-Helensburgh/Milngavie services will terminate at Bathgate. There will be no train service between Edinburgh Waverley and Bathgate.
• Journey times between Linlithgow and Bathgate and Edinburgh will be at least 40 minutes longer via a rail replacement bus to Edinburgh Park and onward journey via tram to the city centre.

Passengers wanting to travel directly between Edinburgh and Glasgow can use the following routes, which depart and terminate at Glasgow Central but there will be limited additional capacity and journey times are around 30 to 50 minutes longer:

• Edinburgh and Glasgow via Shotts.
• Edinburgh and Glasgow via Carstairs.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.