TransPennine Express upcoming engineering works 2026: Easter & May bank holidays

Saturday 4th April engineering works

• Line closures between Preston and Oxenholme Lake District
• Line closures between Carlisle and Edinburgh
• Some trains will only run in sections, including Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street to Preston, and Oxenholme Lake District to Carlisle. 
• Rail replacement buses will operate between Preston and Oxenholme Lake District, and Carlisle to Glasgow. 
• In the Leeds to York area, there will be no services via Huddersfield, and amended services across routes linking Leeds, York, Manchester, Hull and Newcastle.

Sunday 5th April engineering works

• Major closures between Preston, Carlisle and Scotland, with split services and replacement buses. 
• Leeds to York diversions continue via Castleford
• On Easter Monday, the closure between Carlisle and Edinburgh or Glasgow continues, with rail replacement buses in operation. 
• Overnight engineering will also affect services via Huddersfield, and late-night alterations will affect services calling at Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria and Dewsbury.

May bank holiday engineering works

• Repeated closures around Huddersfield over both the May bank holiday weekends

• Additional closures between York and Northallerton
• Rail replacement buses running from Liverpool Lime Street to Warrington and Manchester on some dates

• Some routes to Scotland are impacted, with services starting or ending at Preston and replacement buses covering the remainder.

TransPennine Express engineering work doesn’t usually cancel your journey outright, but it might change how you make it.

• TransPennine Express rail replacement bus: Rail replacement buses are used when sections of the line are closed. Expect slower journeys and slightly different pick-up or drop-off points.
• Split or truncated services: Some trains won’t run the full route when there’s TransPennine Express route disruption. You might need to change trains mid-journey to complete your trip.
• Diversions: TransPennine Express service updates often mean trains need to be rerouted via alternative lines. You’ll stay on board, but stops and timings may differ.
• Longer journey times: Even small changes - such as extra stops, slower running and waiting for connections - can add noticeable time to your journey.
• First and last trains adjusted: Early and late services are often reduced or retimed when there are TransPennine Express timetable changes, which can affect return journeys.
• Reduced frequencies on Sundays and bank holidays: There are fewer trains overall on Sundays and bank holidays, with longer gaps between services and less flexibility if you miss one.

Luckily, a few simple changes can help you to avoid problems:

• Factor in extra travel time when you’re travelling between cities like Manchester, Leeds and York.

• Avoid tight connections at busy intercity hubs, such as Manchester Piccadilly or Leeds.

• Travel earlier in the day if you can; you’ll have fewer people to contend with.

• Book your train tickets once the amended timetables are confirmed

• If late services are affected or you’re facing TransPennine Express cancellations, consider staying overnight in a hotel, which can make last-minute changes much easier to manage.

TransPennine Express engineering works often centre around a handful of major cities. When these points are affected, the impact can spread across multiple routes.

• A lot of TransPennine Express services come together at Manchester Piccadilly, and engineering work on the approaches or platforms can quickly reduce the number of trains that pass through.

• Sitting at the centre of several TransPennine Express routes, updates in Leeds - whether track renewals or signalling changes - can lead to fewer services or adjusted timetables across a wide area.

• York is a key interchange for long-distance services, and engineering work in and around York can disrupt various routes, especially where lines intersect or merge.

• Routes approaching Liverpool Lime Street can be affected by station upgrades or line maintenance, sometimes leading to diversions or services terminating outside of the city centre.

• Services to Newcastle are also regularly impacted by TransPennine Express disruptions, particularly where works affect shared sections of track used by multiple operators.

As TransPennine Express routes rely on a network of shared junctions and busy corridors linking major cities, engineering work doesn’t just reduce capacity at a station or two. With fewer trains passing through at any one time, service frequencies are often reduced across the entire network. On longer intercity journeys, that can mean sections are replaced by buses, whilst trains run either side of the affected area. It’s not unusual for a single upgrade to influence travel patterns across a large stretch of the network.

Are TransPennine Express tickets valid on rail replacement buses?

Yes, when TransPennine Express rail replacement buses are running, valid tickets are usually accepted for the affected part of the journey.

How far in advance are TransPennine Express engineering works announced?

Planned works are usually announced a few weeks ahead, with timetable updates confirmed around 8 to 12 weeks before travel. 

Are weekend closures common on TransPennine Express routes?

Yes, a lot of the maintenance across routes between major cities is scheduled at weekends, when fewer passengers are travelling. 

Can I get a refund if I choose not to travel?

If your service is changed or disrupted, you may be eligible for a refund, depending on your ticket type and conditions. This is particularly helpful if the TranPennine Express trains cancelled today mean you can’t get to where you need to be.

Do engineering works usually affect Sunday services?

Sundays often see reduced timetables, and during busy periods - such as TransPennine Express bank holiday disruption - services may be more limited than usual.