No CrossCountry trains at Birmingham New Street this Christmas

If your Christmas plans involve a long train journey out of Cornwall, there is one station worth checking before you book anything.

Rail passengers are being encouraged to plan ahead, as major engineering work means no trains can run to or from Birmingham New Street between Thursday 24 and Monday 28 December 2026.

That matters well beyond the Midlands. CrossCountry, whose network stretches from Aberdeen to Penzance, says nearly all of its services normally call at Birmingham New Street.

What is happening at Birmingham New Street

Network Rail is carrying out major work to upgrade overhead power lines in and around the station, replacing decades-old infrastructure.

The five-day closure runs from Thursday 24 December to Monday 28 December (inclusive) and will affect CrossCountry train services across the network, with changes to journeys and timetables while the work is underway.

No CrossCountry trains will call at Birmingham New Street during the closure. Long-distance services will be diverted, and rail replacement buses will run for journeys starting or ending at the station.

Mark Anderson, CrossCountry’s Customer and Commercial Director, said: “We know customers will be starting to plan and book their Christmas travel over the coming weeks, so we’re sharing this information early to help people make informed decisions about their journeys.

“This vital engineering work at Birmingham New Street will mean changes for CrossCountry customers between 24 and 28 December, and journey times may be longer than normal. While Christmas still feels a long way off, we want customers to be aware of the work and factor it into their plans where appropriate.

“We’re working closely with industry partners to ensure that journeys can continue as smoothly as possible while these essential upgrades take place.”

Why the work is needed

This is the first phase of a three-year programme to replace overhead line equipment in and around the station. Further upgrades are planned over Christmas 2027 and Christmas 2028.

Martin Colmey, route director for Network Rail Central route, said: “Birmingham New Street is at the heart of the rail network, supporting millions of local, regional and national journeys every year.

“Much of the overhead line equipment dates back to the 1960s and needs to be replaced. This £13m investment has been carefully planned to make the railway more reliable.

“There is never a good time for this type of work and we have done all we can to reduce its impact as much as possible. We want to make people aware as early as possible so they can plan ahead.”

What it means if you are travelling

Journey times may be longer than normal between 24 and 28 December, so it is worth factoring the closure in before booking.

Station facilities at Birmingham New Street, including the assisted travel lounge and toilets, will stay open while trains aren’t running. Station staff will be on hand every day to help passengers.

Other planned work across the network over Christmas may also affect some routes.

The latest timetable updates and travel advice are on CrossCountry’s Birmingham New Street engineering work page. Detailed information on rail replacement services will be added there over the coming weeks.