Network Rail engineering works to hit Highland train services on weekends in October
Rail passengers in the Highlands are facing several weekends of disruptive engineering works.
The Inverness-Aberdeen, Kyle, and Far North lines will all be affected on different weekends in October.
Passengers using the Inverness-Aberdeen line will face bus replacement services for parts of their journeys on Sunday, October 1 when engineering takes place on the track between Elgin and Forres.
Trains will run between Inverness and Forres and also between Huntly and Aberdeen, but replacement buses will run between Forres and Aberdeen, and between Huntly and Inverness, depending on the direction of travel. These will connect with train services. There will also be dedicated buses between Elgin and Forres and between Elgin and Huntly.
Further engineering works are planned on Sunday, October 15 – this time on the Kyle line.
Works will be taking place between Garve and Kyle of Lochalsh, with buses replacing all trains between Inverness and Kyle on that date. These will call at all stations except Duncraig, Plockton and Duirinish, with a separate minibus running between the stations of Stromeferry and Kyle that will serve Duncraig, Plockton and Duirinish.
Engineering continues on Saturday and Sunday, October 21 and 22, when both the Kyle and Far North lines will be out of action. Trains will be cancelled on both dates, with buses replacing services on both routes. As with October 15, a separate minibus will also serve Duncraig, Plockton and Duirinish from Stromeferry and Kyle of Lochalsh.
And the engineering works come to an end on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29, when the Far North Line will be closed between Helmsdale and Wick. Buses will replace trains between Inverness and Thurso/Wick.
For more details about the various dates, visit ScotRail's Engineering Works update web page.
