ONE of the UK’s biggest cities will see trains cancelled for nearly a week during the busy Christmas period.
No trains will be running at Birmingham New Street from December 24 to 28 while the station undergoes a £13million upgrade.
Services will then resume on Tuesday, December 29.
Upgrades include work on the overhead power lines, which keep the trains moving.
The Christmas closure will mark the first phase of the overall three-year project to upgrade the station, with future phases taking place over Christmas 2027 and 2028.
Network Rail has said that it is working to minimise the impact but has warned travellers that journeys will take longer.
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During the engineering work, the station building will stay open, which means travellers can still head to the shops.
There will also be staff on hand to help out with queries.
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.
“Christmas is a quieter time, but we know it will affect journeys at an important time of the year.
“We want to make people aware as early as possible so they can plan ahead.
“As soon as tickets are available to buy for Christmas travel, there will be clear, detailed information to help passengers plan their journeys and make informed decisions.”